Three Men on a Horse

A meek & mild fellow, with the uncanny knack of picking winning race horses, is taken in charge by a trio of racketeering gamblers.

Fast-moving & fun, THREE MEN ON A HORSE is another example of the comedy crime picture that Warner Bros. was so expert at producing in the 1930's. Casts & plots could be shuffled endlessly, with very predictable results. While this assembly line approach created few classics, audience enjoyment could usually be assured.

Frank McHugh & Joan Blondell are both well cast in the lead roles, especially Brooklyn-accented Blondell with her unsophisticated charm & pert blonde looks. Interesting thing about the screenplay is that there is absolutely no romantic development between McHugh & Blondell. He remains true to his dimwitted spouse Carol Hughes, while Blondell carries the torch for her bad guy boyfriend Sam Levene.

The rest of the cast is excellent. Guy Kibbee appears as McHugh's bad-tempered blustery boss. Plain talking Allen Jenkins & excitable little Teddy Hart play Levene's gang members. Slow-burning Edgar Kennedy has a good role as the bartender who wants to use McHugh's talents to finance his early retirement. Obnoxious Paul Harvey does very well as McHugh's bullying brother-in-law.

In smaller roles, Eddie ‘Rochester' Anderson scores as a gambling elevator operator; Harry Davenport has one tiny scene as an employee in a greeting card publishing house; and Eily Malyon plays a stern maternity ward nurse. Movie mavens will recognize an unbilled Charles Lane playing a laconic laundry man.

Henpecked at home and work, Frank McHugh has a hobby of working out which horse is going to win a race. He never bets. But when he falls into the hands of Sam Levene and his crew, he offers them a sure thing.

It's based on a successful George Abbott play, with Levene (in his screen debut) and Teddy Hart repeating their stage roles. Director Mervyn Leroy barely opens it up for the movies, but stocks the ast with some prize players: Joan Blondell tawkin' outta the side of her mout', Edgar Kennedy as a bartender who gets in on the action, Guy Kibbee as McHugh's boss, Paul Harvey as his overbearing brother-in-law, along with Eddie Anderson and Harry Davenport in smaller roles. If you're looking for the stage play, this isn't a bad version, but on the screen, it comes off as too stagey, and McHugh's wimp isn't much fun as the center of the storm.

It's very tame and dated, but there are still more than a few chuckles in this comedy concerning a young man (McHugh) who is having marital and work troubles and ties up with gangsters when they find he has the ability to predict winners at the horse racing track. LeRoy directs at a tight, fast paced clip. McHugh was arguably one of the funniest guys in Hollywood for many decades.

Well, Warner Brothers didn't spend much money on this little b-movie, but, the results were very satisfactory. Basically, they filmed a stage play, loaded it with the best character actors, and let them go. If you enjoy witty dialogue, and silly escapism, this is a nice way to spend a few hours.

The film definitely has some dated elements...even some humor that in the 30's probably would have been great but today one shrudders at their use.

Nevertheless, the film is great -- Frank McHugh plays a rare principle (which is a travesty since he is extremely funny and steals practically every scene he is in). Allen Jenkins also appears, playing another great hood (but loveable) character that he is so good at.

Watch McHugh's mastery of slight mannerisms that make his shy character come to life.