A Day at the Races (1937)

Director:

Sam Wood

Writers:

Robert Pirosh (story) &
George Seaton (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 June 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Three Great Laff Stars ! . . . more gags and gals . . . more songs and dances !

Plot:

A vet posing as a doctor, a race horse owner and his friends struggle to help keep a sanitarium open with the help of a misfit racehorse.

Plot Keywords:

Sanitarium | Horse | Hypochondriac | Jockey | Singer

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush
Chico Marx	...	Tony
Harpo Marx	...	Stuffy
Allan Jones	...	Gil Stewart
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Judy Standish
Margaret Dumont	...	Emily Upjohn
Leonard Ceeley	...	Whitmore
Douglass Dumbrille	...	J.D. Morgan
Esther Muir	...	Flo Marlowe
Sig Ruman	...	Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg (as Sig Rumann)
Robert Middlemass	...	Sheriff
Vivien Fay	...	Speciality Dancer (as Vivian Fay & Her Ballet)
Ivie Anderson	...	Specialty Singer
The Crinoline Choir	...	Musical Ensemble
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hooper Atchley	...	Race judge (uncredited)
King Baggot	...	Race Track Official Starter (uncredited)
Kenny Baker	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Vivian Barry	...	Telephone girl (uncredited)
Barbara Bedford	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Edna Bennett	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Troy Brown Jr.	...	Black singer (uncredited)
Ben Carter	...	Black singer (uncredited)
Jacqueline Clancy	...	Child (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Man Boarding Bus (uncredited)
DeForest Covan	...	Black singer (uncredited)
George Cowl	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Jack Daley	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Dorothy Dandridge	...	Black singer (uncredited)
Vivian Dandridge	...	Black singer (uncredited)
Frankie Darro	...	Morgan's jockey (uncredited)
Frank Dawson	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Dudley Dickerson	...	Wheelchair attendant (uncredited)
Billy Dooley	...	Race Track Bugler (uncredited)
Edward Earle	...	Race judge (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Jockey (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Detective with sheriff (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Ray Flynn	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Jack George	...	Musician (uncredited)
John Hiestand	...	Radio announcer (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Policeman at Racetrack (uncredited)
Arthur Stuart Hull	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
John Hyams	...	Judge (uncredited)
Si Jenks	...	Messenger (uncredited)
Jack W. Johnston	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Darby Jones	...	Black singer (uncredited)
Etta Jones	...	Black singer (uncredited)
Jack Kenny	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Edith Kingdon	...	Old woman (uncredited)
Carole Landis	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Harry Lash	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Edward LeSaint	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Max Lucke	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack	...	Race judge (uncredited)
Mary MacLaren	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Alex Melesh	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Henry Mowbray	...	Man for Hat Business (uncredited)
Field Norton	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Norton	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Racetrack Guard (uncredited)
Victor Potel	...	Horn blower (uncredited)
Russ Powell	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
James Quinn	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Gus Robinson	...	Black singer (uncredited)
Phillips Smalley	...	Racing Spectator with Wrong Hat (uncredited)
Charles Trowbridge	...	Dr. Wilmerding (uncredited)
Elizabeth Williams	...	Racetrack Spectator (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Detective with sheriff (uncredited)
Buck Woods	...	Black singer (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Wood

Writing credits
Robert Pirosh		(story) &
George Seaton		(story)
Robert Pirosh		(screenplay) &
George Seaton		(screenplay) &
George Oppenheimer		(screenplay)

Produced by
Max Siegel	....	associate producer
Sam Wood	....	producer
Irving Thalberg	....	producer (uncredited)
Lawrence Weingarten	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Walter Jurmann
Bronislau Kaper
Franz Waxman		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Joseph Ruttenberg

Film Editing by
Frank E. Hull

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Art Department
Stan Rogers	....	associate art director
Edwin B. Willis	....	associate art director

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Stunts
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ted Wurtenberg	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dolly Tree	....	wardrober

Music Department
Leo Arnaud	....	music arranger: choral and orchestral
George Bassman	....	orchestrator
Roger Edens	....	music arranger
Paul Marquardt	....	orchestrator
Merrill Pye	....	musical presentation
Franz Waxman	....	musical director
Wayne Allen	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Bassman	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Roger Edens	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Dave Gould	....	choreographer
Carl 'Major' Roup	....	script clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Continental Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (video)
• Warner Home Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• David Chudnow Inc.  casting by (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Um Dia nas Corridas (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Un jour aux courses (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
Das grosse Rennen (Germany) [de]
Dzien na wyscigach (Poland) [pl]
Ein Tag beim Rennen (Germany) [de]
En dag på galopbanen (Denmark) [da]
En dag på kapplöpningarna (Sweden) [sv]
Ena skandalon stis kourses (Greece) [el]
Marx Brothers - Das Große Rennen (Germany) [de]
Marx Brothers - Ein Tag beim Rennen (Germany) [de]
Mia mera ston ippodromo (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Oi afoi Marx ston ippodromo (Greece) (reissue title) [el]
Päivä kilpa-ajoissa (Finland) [fi]
Skandal auf der Rennbahn (Austria) [de]
Un día en las carreras (Spain) [es]
Un giorno alle corse (Italy) [it]
Yom B'Merutzim (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]

Runtime:

111 min | Germany:105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Black and White (Sepiatone) | Black and White (blue tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:Btl | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Santa Anita Park - 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The "Grand Steeplechase" sequence at the end had to be shot twice. Both times a crew member persuaded Chico Marx to gamble on it and not only to bet on the outcome of a rigged non-race, but to bet on a horse other than the one scripted to win. Chico, all his life an avid gambler, could offer as excuse only, "The odds were 20 to one."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Groucho is officially hired, he removes his hat twice.

Quotes:

Dr. Hackenbush: She's so in love with me, she doesn't know anything. That's why she's in love with me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Classified X (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

All God's Chillun Got Rhythm

Once Upon a Race Horse

A DAY AT THE RACES (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1937), directed by Sam Wood, capitalizes on the current trend of horse-racing movies done by the numbers during the 1937-38 cycle, notably MGM's own 1937 releases of "Saratoga" and "Broadway Melody of 1938" as well as "Stablemates" (1938). Starring those three Marx Brothers, in their second collaboration for MGM, following the enormous success of A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1935), this horse opera, being the longest running feature film of their screen career, stop-watched at 111 minutes, did prove quite successful then, and because of its good track record, still remains a sure bet comedy today.

The first Marx Brother to be introduced in the story is Chico. He plays Tony, a chauffeur for Judy Standish (Maureen O'Sullivan), whose sanitarium is in financial trouble. Morgan (Douglass Dumbrille), the owner of a nearby racetrack and hotel, along with his associate, Whitmore (Leonard Ceeley) want to take over the sanitarium so to convert it into a gambling casino. He offers Judy the option of accepting $5,000 from them or face a mortgage foreclosure, but she prefers to wait the 30 days. Gil Stewart (Allan Jones) her fiancé, has purchased Hi-Hat, Morgan's race horse, for $1,500, gambling her life savings hoping to win enough money to get Judy out of debt. However, Mrs. Emily Upjohn (Margaret Dumont), an exclusive patient of the sanitarium, expresses her need for a doctor, even though there is really nothing physically wrong with her. Realizing that Mrs. Upjohn's financial support could save the hospital from ruin, Tony notifies Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx) of Palmville, Florida, who is well acquainted with Mrs. Upjohn, unaware he is a horse doctor, and making him chief of staff. Then there's Stuffy (Harpo), Morgan's jockey, with a natural flair for horses, who gets to ride Hi-Hat, who turns out to be a jumper, as well as quite fearful to the sight and sound of Morgan himself.

The Music and Lyrics by Bronislau Kaper, Gus Kahn and Walter Jurmann: "On the Blue Venetian Waters" (Sung by Allan Jones/ danced by Vivian Fay,recently restored to its original sepia tone); "Tomorrow is Another Day" (sung by Jones); "Blow That Horn, Gabriel," "All God's Chillin' Got Rhythm," "All God's Chillin' Got Rhythm" (reprise/finale), along with "A Message From the Man in the Moon" (sung briefly by Groucho Marx/ otherwise cut from final print, and heard instrumentally during opening credits). "Tomorrow is Another Day" is quite a good tune with Jones in fine voice singing to charming heroine O'Sullivan that shifts into a parade from the black community singing and dancing to "All God's Chuillin Got Rhythm" with the Marxes, headed by Harpo playing a flute like the Pied Piper, with one of the vocalists being future star Dorothy Dandridge.

As already mentioned, A DAY AT THE RACES is quite long, in fact, everything about the movie is long: the song numbers, the comedy routines, the narrative, and the horse racing finale (so clever that it's been reused several times since then in other hydrazine), resulting to perfectly timed structures, although the water carnival ballet number performed by Vivian Fay near the beginning could have been shortened, in fact substituted into another movie categorized as a musical. One of MGM's debits is having this look more like a lavish scale musical than a Marx Brothers comedy, with the trio off screen for long intervals, with occasional cutaways during the ballet as a reminder that this is a Marx Brothers comedy and not a ballet musical choreographed by George Ballachine. After it is all over, Chico and Harpo get to do their traditional musical bits with piano and harp at length. Groucho doesn't do a song solo, which is unfortunate, because his style of singing and dancing always brings pleasure during these musical interludes.

With this being the seventh Marx comedy, it's evident that some of their routines are rehashes yet improvements from their earlier outings. At this point, could anything new be added to their comedy material? In fact, something has: Harpo's mimed message through constant whistling, facial and hand gestures, telling Chico about Groucho falling victim to Flo Marlowe (Esther Muir), as schemed by Morgan. The Groucho and Chico exchanges are highlights, the best being their seven minute Tootsie Fruitsie ice cream bit where Chico posing an ice cream vendor actually a race tract tout making a sucker out of Groucho by selling him racing tips that ends up being a stack of hardbound books taken from his pushcart. The madcap examination room sequence involving Harpo and Dumont are notable attention grabbers as well. In true Marx tradition, Margaret Dumont falls victim to their shenanigans, usually being the prime insult by Groucho through one of his classic re-marx: "Emily, I have a little confession to make. I really am a horse doctor, but marry me and I'll never look at any other horse." Sig Rumann should not go unnoticed as Doctor Steinburg, a pointed beard Viennese specialist who arrives to examine Mrs. Upjohn, thus preventing Hackbush from performing his own examination on Emily.

In spite of long stretches, A DAY AT THE RACES does have its doses of winning streaks thanks to the staff and performers combined, several recalls from A NIGHT AT THE OPERA. The film in general is not perfect, but worthwhile comedy thanks to the Marx Brothers expert horsemanship. Recommended viewing during the late evening hours before "hitting the hay." Formerly available on video cassette, a format that had been in circulation since the 1980s, which has since been discontinued in favor of the much improved DVD format, A DAY AT THE RACES can be seen intact whenever shown on Turner Classic Movies. (***)