So You Want to Play the Horses

These Joe McDoakes shorts were popular in the '40s and this one is all about horses. We meet Joe who "always has a horse." He thinks he's going to divert others from picking the winner by spreading the word that so-and-so is a sure bet to win, knowing full well that his own winning pick will be kept secret. Naturally, the horse he gives the tip on, wins the race. Or else he picks a winner based on some random philosophy about numbers--the 7th day of the 7th month, etc. Nothing works out.

In the end, he's a real loser following the horses in a way he never expected to--and still a loser.

Passes the time, but nothing special.

Trivia note: The spoof of LOST WEEKEND provides a few funny moments.

So You Want to Play the Horses (1946)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Joe McDoakes comedy has him being an obsessive horse gambler who decides to go all out and bet on a deformed horse with 999 to 1 odds. I've seen over twenty films in this series but this one here is one of the weaker entries. That's not to say there aren't any laughs here but not enough to keep the film moving. I should also admit that I prefer the later films in the series that feature less narration and more physical work by George O'Hanlon. The best moments here are a scene where the deformed horse walks out, which will certainly make you take a double look. Also worth waiting for is when the wife finds out how much he has bet on this horse. Clifton Young, a familiar face to the series, makes an appearance here as the announcer. In the middle of the movie there's a rather strange spoof of THE LOST WEEKEND, which considering the subject matter seems a bit strange.

I recently bought a DVD collection of all the Joe McDoakes shorts from Warner brothers. I like watching them from the beginning--that way you can see the evolution of the series. In particular, I have noticed how unfunny the early films are---with a much greater emphasis on education than laughs. However, "So You Want to Play the Horses" is funny...the first of them to emphasize humor.

In this installment, Joe is addicted to betting on the horses and much of the film shows Joe's insane way of predicting the winners...a method that almost invariably fails. Many of his methods provided a lot of laughs and writer/director Richard L. Bare FINALLY got the formula right with this one, as I found myself laughing again and again. Well worth seeing in order to know how good these films COULD be.

*** Nominated for an Academy Award, Best Short Subject of 1946. Should have won.

Famed director and writer Richard L. Bare (known for GREEN ACRES) originated the Joe McDoakes film series, it's humble beginnings as "training films" for students at USC, where he was teaching a course. He took the finished product to Warner Brothers and the rest is history.

The first few experimental films, inspired by Pete Smith's famous documentary shorts, were more or less silent movies (on a shoe-string budget) with narration solely done by announcer Art Gilmore. This first post-war short featured both goofy dialogue and narration, all about the average guy (hilariously played by George O'Hanlon) digging himself into a deep hole at whatever he tried.

Both Bare and O'Hanlon wrote the scripts, this one his favorite, taking a cue from the LOST WEEKEND. Instead of battling the bottle, Joe can't resist playing the ponies -- in an insane sort of way. Rather than hide whiskey bottles, Joe hides racing forms around the house from his wife? Just bananas. He also cooks up a goofball mathematic scheme to insure a winner.

He enters the "Porterhouse Stakes" (Get It?), mixing with some slick bookies...

THE HORSE WINS!

But... but... Joe gets burned because, after all, they're crooks and he's a big dope. We love him anyway! Fitting ending? Regardless, Joe never gives up his connection with horses, now working as a street sanitation guy with a shovel?

Salute to George O'Hanlon, later to inspire all us kids as the cartoon voice of George Jetson. Silent screen and western star Monte Blue portrays the colonel, and looking the part. Fred Kelsey, who played opposite Laurel & Hardy and the Three Stooges, returns as a hard-boiled detective.

Art Gilmroe, later gained fame as the announcer for RED SKELTON.

FYI; Richard L. Bare passed in 2015 at age 101. An inspiration to directors if there ever was.

Thanks much to Warner Brothers for re-issuing this legendary series on dvd. Always on sale. Also thanks to TCM for running all the episodes non stop.

Joe McDoakes (George O'Hanlon) is one of many guys who spend their time at the races. He uses all the tricks and they never seem to work out. He falls further and further in the hole. His wife threatens to leave him. None of this makes him stop. He's hooked. Most of this series is meant to be funny and that is the intention here. However, I found it much darker than the intention. It is really a story about addiction. He can't quit. He may as well have a needle in his arm.