Sporting Life
Cast & Crew
Maurice Tourneur
Ralph Graves
Warner Richmond
Charles Eldridge
Charles Craig
Henry West
Film Details
Synopsis
John, the financially troubled Earl of Woodstock, plans to recoup his losses by betting on gypsy boxer Joe Lee in a fight at the English National Sporting Club, and by entering his horse, Lady Love, in the London Derby at Epsom Downs. Woodstock's sworn enemy, gambler Malet De Carteret, orders his wife Olive to thwart the earl's first plan by luring Joe away from both his trainer and his devoted sweetheart, Kitty Cavanagh. When the boxer fails to respond to Olive's charms, however, she drugs him, whereupon Woodstock enters the ring and, following a difficult contest, defeats champion pugilist Crake. Meanwhile, De Carteret's men steal Lady Love, but Kitty's sister Norah, with whom Woodstock is in love, tricks the gambler and regains the horse. Next, De Carteret kidnaps the earl, but Joe rescues him, and both men arrive at the track in time to see Lady Love win the race. Wealthy once again, Woodstock marries Norah, while Joe weds his loving Kitty.
Director
Maurice Tourneur
Cast
Ralph Graves
Warner Richmond
Charles Eldridge
Charles Craig
Henry West
Constance Binney
Faire Binney
Willette Kershaw
Harry Harris
Eddie Kelly
Clara Beyers
Crew
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
First distributed by Hiller & Wilk in September 1918, the film opened in New York on September 15, 1918 and was re-released as a Paramount-Artcraft Special in December 1918. This was Maurice Tourneur's first independent production. Harry Harris was a former world's bantamweight champion, and Eddie Kelly, who played Woodstock in the fight scenes, was a noted boxer from Buffalo, NY. Wid's notes that the character of Straker was Woodstock's opponent in the ring. The film was remade by Universal in 1925, with Bert Lytell starring and Tourneur directing again (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.5342).
