By Frank Miller
Racing Lady
Brief Synopsis
A millionaire hires a lady trainer for his stables.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Wallace Fox
Director
Ann Dvorak
Ruth Martin
Smith Ballew
Steve Wendel
Harry Carey
Tom Martin
Berton Churchill
Judge
Frank M. Thomas
Bradford
Film Details
Also Known As
All Scarlet
Genre
Drama
Sports
Release Date
Jan
29,
1937
Premiere Information
New York opening: 12 Jan 1937
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
59m
Film Length
6 reels
Synopsis
Coaxed by his daughter Ruth, Tom Martin, a former world-class racehorse breeder and trainer, agrees to enter his mare Pepper Mary in a Southern California county fair race. Because Pepper Mary is the betting favorite, the trainer of rival horse Vindictive tries unsuccessfully to bribe Tom to throw the race. During the race, the jockey of Vindictive deliberately slams into Pepper Mary and causes her and her black jockey Johnny to fall. Pepper Mary suffers a career-ending injury, but Ruth dedicates herself to training Pepper Mary's filly Katydid and soon develops her into a fine racer. As Ruth prepares Katydid for her first official race, she attracts the attention of Steve Wendel, an automobile manufacturer and the owner of a prestigious stable. Assured by Gilbert, his press agent, that Ruth's status as America's only woman horse trainer will boost his automobile sales, Steve asks Ruth to join his horse training staff. Ruth turns him down, stating that the only horse she wants to train is Katydid, and enters her horse in a "claiming" race at Santa Anita. Although Katydid wins handily, Steve "claims" Katydid and refuses to sell her back to Ruth. Trapped, Ruth agrees to join Steve's stable staff, whose motto is "a winner or nothing," and soon makes the rounds of the racing circuit in America and Europe. After her successful tour, Ruth, who has fallen in love with Steve, returns to California a sophisticated young woman. When Ruth tells Tom that she is considering scratching Katydid from a big Santa Anita race because she doubts whether the horse will win, Tom lectures her on the value of sportsmanship. Humbled by her father's words, Ruth argues with Steve to keep Katydid in the race, but he refuses. The next day, Ruth discovers Katydid missing and accuses Steve of stealing her to keep her out of the race. Just before the race, Brass, Ruth's stable helper, telephones her with information regarding Katydid's whereabouts, and Ruth retrieves the horse in time to compete. After Katydid wins, Ruth learns that another, envious Wendel trainer had kidnapped Katydid and that it was Steve who had telephoned Brass. Vindicated, Steve embraces Ruth.
Director
Wallace Fox
Director
Cast
Ann Dvorak
Ruth Martin
Smith Ballew
Steve Wendel
Harry Carey
Tom Martin
Berton Churchill
Judge
Frank M. Thomas
Bradford
Ray Mayer
Warbler
Willie Best
Brass
Hattie Mcdaniel
Abby
Harry Jans
Lewis
Lew Payton
Joe
Harlan Tucker
Gilbert
Alex Hill
Johnny
Crew
J. Robert Bren
Story
Samuel J. Briskin
Executive Producer
Denzil A. Cutler
Recording
Cortland Fitzsimmons
Screenwriter
Syd Fogel
Assistant Director
Feild Gray
Art Director Associate
Norman Houston
Story
Thomas Lennon
Screenwriter
Andy Iona Long
Composer
James Morley
Editing
Van Nest Polglase
Art Director
Damon Runyon
Story
William Sistrom
Associate Producer
Lysle Tomerlin
Composer
Roy Webb
Music Director
Harry Wild
Photography
Dorothy Yost
Screenwriter
Film Details
Also Known As
All Scarlet
Genre
Drama
Sports
Release Date
Jan
29,
1937
Premiere Information
New York opening: 12 Jan 1937
Production Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
59m
Film Length
6 reels
Articles
Racing Lady -
Years before Damon Runyon's stories helped make Guys and Dolls a huge hit on stage and screen, RKO combined his story "All Scarlet" with another by J. Robert Bren and Norman Houston, "Odds Are Even," for this fast-moving racetrack tale. The supporting cast is filled with Runyonesque eccentrics like small-time trainer Tom Martin (Harry Carey) and his two racing buddies, Judge (Berton Churchill) and Warbler (Ray Mayer). But the main focus is on Carey's daughter, Ruth, played by Ann Dvorak, one of the least appreciated, most unfairly neglected actresses of the '30s. Dvorak had made a big splash as Paul Muni's sister in Scarface (1932), leading to a Warner Bros. contract, but her constant quarrels with them over script selection and inequitable pay led to her spending most of her time there on suspension. After a year off the screen, she was loaned to RKO for this and another film, giving her the chance to play the spirited lady trainer out to revive her father's business and take on a man's world. Although the film was made on a low budget, with newsreel footage taking the place of actual location work at the story's Santa Ana settings, her performance helps keep the whole thing afloat.
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
Racing Lady -
Years before Damon Runyon's stories helped make Guys and Dolls a huge hit on stage and screen, RKO combined his story "All Scarlet" with another by J. Robert Bren and Norman Houston, "Odds Are Even," for this fast-moving racetrack tale. The supporting cast is filled with Runyonesque eccentrics like small-time trainer Tom Martin (Harry Carey) and his two racing buddies, Judge (Berton Churchill) and Warbler (Ray Mayer). But the main focus is on Carey's daughter, Ruth, played by Ann Dvorak, one of the least appreciated, most unfairly neglected actresses of the '30s. Dvorak had made a big splash as Paul Muni's sister in Scarface (1932), leading to a Warner Bros. contract, but her constant quarrels with them over script selection and inequitable pay led to her spending most of her time there on suspension. After a year off the screen, she was loaned to RKO for this and another film, giving her the chance to play the spirited lady trainer out to revive her father's business and take on a man's world. Although the film was made on a low budget, with newsreel footage taking the place of actual location work at the story's Santa Ana settings, her performance helps keep the whole thing afloat.
By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of the film was All Scarlet, which also was the title of Damon Runyon's unpublished story. J. Robert Bren and Norman Houston's original screen story was titled "Odds Are Even." RKO borrowed Ann Dvorak from Warner Bros. for this production.
