Three Men on a Horse
Brief Synopsis
Gangsters kidnap a timid poet with a knack for picking winning horses.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Mervyn Leroy
Director
Frank Mchugh
Erwin Trowbridge
Joan Blondell
Mabel
Guy Kibbee
Carver
Carol Hughes
Audrey Trowbridge
Allen Jenkins
Charlie
Film Details
Genre
Comedy
Adaptation
Release Date
Nov
21,
1936
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
The Vitaphone Corp.; Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the play Three Men on a Horse by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott (New York, 30 Jan 1935).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 28m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
9 reels
Synopsis
Greeting card writer Erwin Trowbridge lives with his wife Audrey in the cookie-cutter sub-development of his brother-in-law, Clarence Dobbins. Erwin is dominated by Audrey, Clarence and his employer, Mr. Carver. His only escape is picking winning race horses for fun, never for money. After a quarrel with Clarence, Erwin uncharacteristically gets drunk. While sitting in a bar, he overhears three gamblers, Patsy, Frankie and Charlie, trying to pick a horse for the next race and offers a suggestion. At first, they ignore Erwin, but when his horses repeatedly win, they change their minds. Erwin's cut of their winnings is more than he makes in a week. When Erwin passes out, the gamblers decide to keep him overnight at the upstairs hotel. Even drunk, Erwin's sense of duty keeps him writing Mother's Day verses. After reading them, Patsy decides that Erwin is an unappreciated genius and calls Carver on Erwin's behalf. Carver promptly fires Erwin, who now is unable to pick horses because he is worried about his job and Audrey, and because his luck only works when he is riding the bus. Mabel, Patsy's girl friend, and Frankie take Erwin to the bus and ride home with him. The trick works and Erwin phones Patsy with the winners. For various reasons, the gamblers feel insecure about Erwin's choice in the sixth race, so they force him to place a bet himself, even though he believes that his luck will disappear if he bets. When his choice does finally win, Erwin discovers his manhood. He punches Patsy for his insensitivity and when Clarence arrives at the hotel, punches him, too. Carver gives him a raise and his own office, and Audrey is glad to have him home. Happy at last, Erwin's horse-picking days are over because of the bet he placed in the sixth race.
Director
Mervyn Leroy
Director
Cast
Frank Mchugh
Erwin Trowbridge
Joan Blondell
Mabel
Guy Kibbee
Carver
Carol Hughes
Audrey Trowbridge
Allen Jenkins
Charlie
Sam Levene
Patsy
Teddy Hart
Frankie
Edgar Kennedy
Harry
Paul Harvey
Clarence Dobbins
Eddie Anderson
Moses
Virginia Sale
Chambermaid
Harry Davenport
Williams
Tola Nesmith
Head nurse
Eily Malyon
Miss Burns
Margaret Irving
Gloria Gray
George Chandler
Al
Charles Lane
Cleaner
Mickey Daniels
Delivery boy
Cliff Saum
Bus conductor
Harry Hayden
Man on bus
Dick Barton
Bookie
John M. Sullivan
Bookie
Edith Craig
Woman bettor
Irene Coleman
Woman bettor
John Sheehan
Man bettor
Pat West
Man bettor
Jacqueline Saunders
Carver's secretary
Curtis Benton
Racetrack announcer
Ted Bliss
Radio announcer
Crew
Film Details
Genre
Comedy
Adaptation
Release Date
Nov
21,
1936
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
The Vitaphone Corp.; Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the play Three Men on a Horse by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott (New York, 30 Jan 1935).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 28m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
9 reels
Articles
Three Men on a Horse
Gangsters kidnap a timid poet with a knack for picking winning horses.
Three Men on a Horse
Gangsters kidnap a timid poet with a knack for picking winning horses.
Quotes
Trivia
The original play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 30 January 1935 and closed on 9 January 1937 after 835 performances. Teddy Hart and Sam Levene originated their movie roles in the play, and the cast also included Shirley Booth as Mabel, and Millard Mitchell as Charlie. The popular play had Broadway revivals in 1942, 1970 and 1993.
A considerable number of cast members listed in studio records (with their character names) did not appear in the final print: Margaret Irving (Gloria Gray), George Chandler (Al), Cliff Saum (Bus Conductor), Harry Hayden (Man on Bus), Edith Craig (Woman Bettor), Irene Coleman (Woman Bettor), John Sheehan (Man Bettor) and Pat West (Man Bettor).
Notes
Sam Levene and Teddy Hart reprised their Broadway roles for the film, and according to Time, the film sets were replicas of the stage sets.
