Damon Runyeon wrote a ton of short stories, made into dozens of movies and one smash hit Broadway musical. The early 40's saw at least three to my count: "The Big Street", "Butch minds the Baby", and this one, which like "Butch", stars tough funny guy Broderick Crawford. He's a professional gambler and illegal operator who bets on a horse called "Feet First", ironic considering that he's always complaining about his feet (which he refers to as "dogs") hurting. Along with tough speaking actress girlfriend Binnie Barnes, they take the racing industry by storm. So does a slug she gets for threatening to walk out on him.
Any film version of a Damon Runyon tale needs a huge cast of New York City style characters, and this film is overloaded with comic performances, with serious overtones thrown in to represent the pathos that represent the big apple at its toughest, most corrupt and big hearted. John Howard plays a crusading fighter against crooked politics who strives to put Crawford out of business, worrying waitress girlfriend Anne Gwynne who becomes involved in the crossfire of the riot that lands her and Barnes in jail. It's Gwynne and Barnes joining Howard against Crawford and dishonest politicians when Howard is badgered into running for political office.
The mixture of themes makes this amusing comedy/drama more potent than some of Frank Capra's biggest hits, not that this is better, just more refreshing in several aspects. The pacing is severely fast with more fast talkers and big city slickers, with the always wonderful Sara Padden as Howard's mother. Leo Carrillo and Samuel S. Hinds round up the rest of major cast members. The fact that Howard starts to act like a big shot even as just a city councilman reminds the audience that power can corrupt the seemingly most innocent of souls because no matter how humble a person is as they grow up, the easier it is for their ego to take control.
Any film version of a Damon Runyon tale needs a huge cast of New York City style characters, and this film is overloaded with comic performances, with serious overtones thrown in to represent the pathos that represent the big apple at its toughest, most corrupt and big hearted. John Howard plays a crusading fighter against crooked politics who strives to put Crawford out of business, worrying waitress girlfriend Anne Gwynne who becomes involved in the crossfire of the riot that lands her and Barnes in jail. It's Gwynne and Barnes joining Howard against Crawford and dishonest politicians when Howard is badgered into running for political office.
The mixture of themes makes this amusing comedy/drama more potent than some of Frank Capra's biggest hits, not that this is better, just more refreshing in several aspects. The pacing is severely fast with more fast talkers and big city slickers, with the always wonderful Sara Padden as Howard's mother. Leo Carrillo and Samuel S. Hinds round up the rest of major cast members. The fact that Howard starts to act like a big shot even as just a city councilman reminds the audience that power can corrupt the seemingly most innocent of souls because no matter how humble a person is as they grow up, the easier it is for their ego to take control.
