The Dark Horse

The idea for 'The Dark Horse' really intrigued and have always appreciated comedy, with the aim to appreciate all types of it. Alfred E. Green did do some good films in his career (a lot more to see though), a recently seen example being 1932's 'Baby Face'. The cast sounded promising too, the biggest name being an early career Bette Davis, and films made before the code with pre-code content leave one amazed when done well at how much is gotten away with.

After seeing it, 'The Dark Horse' is enjoyable and a lot works here (more good things than flaws), the cast far from wasted. It is also though not great, is a little uneven and doesn't follow its great idea all the way through. One of those films that starts off extremely well and for most of the length but primarily brought down by one subplot, a couple have already disagreed but do have to agree with the few that weren't crazy about it and felt it unneeded.

Will start with the many good things about 'The Dark Horse'. It is stylishly shot and opened up enough to avoid it from being too claustrophobic or stage-bound. Green directs with energy and also sensitivity. 'The Dark Horse' is massively advantaged by its intelligent and snappy script, which has dialogue that is quite bold for back then without feeling forced. The politics intrigue and don't come over heavy-handedly.

Story is for most of the length compelling with some tension with the campaign. The cast do a great job. Warren William really enjoys himself and Guy Kibbee does good-natured very likeably. Davis plays a fairly cliched role with snap and charm. Frank McHugh shines too.

Do agree, as aforementioned, however that the marital woes subplot is not near as interesting. Outside of the darkly witty poker game exchange and Vivienne Osbourne's suitably nasty performance, it lacks depth and doesn't gel with everything else, felt actually that the film had suddenly turned into a completely different one at that point.

Further thought that the ending felt shoehorned in.

Overall, very enjoyable on the whole but loses its way later on. 7/10

The progressive party convention has been deadlocked for four days. Then a delegate has an idea: Why don't we nominate a dark horse to split our rival's votes and then squeeze our candidate in? Thus is born the gubernatorial candidacy of Zachary Hicks (Guy Kibbee), a sleepy and footsore conventioneer who soon inspires one of his own supporters to argue in his support, "Now there's no use to quarrel, gentlemen….It isn't the first time a fool was nominated to a political office."

The cast is excellent in this political satire that makes no pretense at being a tale of redemption or morality. Bette Davis is sharp as a party secretary and operative who is, as much as anyone, the brains behind the party's workings. Warren William is the political king-maker for hire who promotes Kibbee ruthlessly and brilliantly—and yet can't seem to quite escape from his own ex-wife, played saucily by Vivienne Osborne. Frank McHugh is William's loyal assistant, steady as always. Kibbee is possibly a little dumber than necessary, but very entertaining.

The weak spot in the story is the romantic subplot between the two leads—Warren William is impressive but he's all talk; Bette Davis appreciates his talent for glibness but has to keep walking out on him, for good reasons. Will he eventually convince her of his sincerity? Well, not really. Will he instead wear down her resistance? Well…. When this kind of plot is done best, we in the audience are won over by the wooer along with the object of his affections. In this case, I'm afraid I was rooting for Bette to run fast. –In other words, the romantic subplot isn't quite convincing, and is thus somewhat distracting. But oh well—both Bette and Warren talk fast and shoot penetrating glances all over the place.

Among a full cast of schemers and liars, Vivienne Osborne as William's wicked ex-wife perhaps comes off best: she at least is honest about what she wants, and almost becomes a likable character at one point. Frank McHugh, too, is very good in a role where he's constantly squeezed in uncomfortably among other people's problems and survives by his wits and dexterity.

All of the politicians in the film are atrocious hacks--schemers and backstabbers without exception. Politics has certainly come a long way over the decades!

I had lots of chuckles for the first half of this spoof of the American political scene in the 1930's, when a deadlocked Progressive Party convention finally nominates delegate Zachary Hicks (Guy Kibbee) for governor because one of the party leaders liked his name, and then spread the word he'd be a good compromise candidate. What they didn't bargain for was that Kibbee was as dumb as could be. Party secretary, Bette Davis (young and beautiful in this early role), suggests getting the dynamo campaign manager, Warren William, to handle the campaign. The funniest scene occurs at the debate, when Kibbee's opponent (Berton Churchill) starts to give the same speech (written by Abraham Lincoln) that William had Kibbee memorize. William jumps up and accuses Churchill of plagiarism.

Kibbee is perfect as the dumb candidate, with his wide cherubic grin and innocent, halting way of speaking. William is also excellent as the fast talking, fast thinking manager, a part he played many times in previous and later films. Unfortunately, when William's ex-wife, Vivienne Osborne, shows up demanding past alimony payments and causing Davis to become jealous, the focus of the film changes a bit, much to its detriment. Still, the opposition Conservative Party has some tricks up their sleeve trying to win the election, which keeps the film interesting.

Guy Kibbee is Zachary Hicks, "The Dark Horse" for a governor's race in this 1932 film starring Warren William, Bette Davis, Frank McHugh and Vivian Osbourne. In order to break the convention deadlock, the Progressive party nominates a sure loser, Zachary Hicks, for governor. Secretary Davis, a plant in the political bosses' offices, urges them to hire her boyfriend, Hal Samson Blake (William) as Hicks' campaign manager. At the moment, he's in jail for back alimony, but the bosses are stirred by a speech Hal gives the prisoners. A subplot, which enters the main plot eventually, is in fact this very alimony, which Hal's ex (Osbourne) is determined to collect from him. Her anger with him causes her to interfere with the governor's race.

This is a very amusing movie and of course, we've seen bumbling politicians throughout film history - "Thanks a Million," "The Great Man Votes," "The Senator was Indiscreet" (my favorite) etc. ad infinitum. The reason they're always funny is that nothing has changed, so these films always strike a chord. This movie has special interest because of the presence of a very young, very pretty Bette Davis and also because it's pre-Code. There's a lot of rather obvious suggestiveness in it that I suppose would have caused objection.

I have to confess an undying love for Warren William, who is, as always, relaxed, funny and marvelous as a wheeler dealer who can get anybody elected to anything. He was sort of a poor man's Barrymore in these roles. I would have loved to have seen Barrymore do this part as well. Davis in an early ingénue role is good, but it's before anyone knew what to do with her. A million actresses could have played her part, but how many actresses could have done what she did in Of Human Bondage? Guy Kibbee is a perfect idiot nominee with bad feet and an eye for the ladies, and Frank McHugh is on hand to give his usual excellent support.

Lighthearted fun and recommended as a reminder that the more things change, the more they remain the same.

Guy Kibbee gives the viewer a lot of laughs. Like most candidates, he knows almost nothing. Warren William, a very, under rated actor, is superb in giving instructions to Kibbee; that is, he teaches him to say something which means nothing to the voting public. A campaign based on no comment, "I'll take it under advisement," and "Maybe yes, but then again, maybe no," is the nearly perfect way to win an election. Succinctly, the dumber the candidate, the greater the chance he or she will win. After all, the public can identify with such a person. With respect to the movie, it makes for a lot of comedy.