Vocation secrète

Stars bill holden. The 1950s were HUGE for him; he had just made sunset boulevard, and would go on to make sabrina and stalag 17. Won the oscar for stalag. Here, he's a washed up jockey's agent. His star jockey died, so now he's sleeping in the back room. Until a kid (johnny stewart) shows up who wants to be a rider. And that keeps malone around for a while. The gangsters show up and want to control the outcome. It's pretty contrived, but i'm sure stuff like this actually did happen. There's always someone looking to make a buck! Small roles for harry morgan (from dragnet and MASH), and stan clements. It's all cute, and silly, and over the top. The kid has kind of run away from home. Will they ever contact his mother? Can he learn to ride? Directed by william dieterle. Clement died young at 55. He was married to beautiful gloria grahame for three years! Grahame also died young at 57. The kid (stewart) seems to have had about ten roles in the 1950s, and then disappeared. The film is okay, if the story is a bit silly. P.s. The goose is home is a line from the movie!

So many likable characters are played by so many excellent actors, it's hard to know where to start bragging about "Boots Malone."

But brag I will.

Billed as "introducing" is young Johnny Stewart, though he had performed two roles previously, but for TV. His eager young apprentice is likable, but also vulnerable, except when he flares up at being mistreated. He gives a great performance, but is credited with only 10 roles. Again I ask, What's wrong with Hollywood casting directors?

Starring in the title role is the iconic William Holden, someone I've admired for a very long time. His character is not so admirable. At first. Holden, though, shows that character as being many-faceted so we have hope for him, right up to the end.

Almost stealing the show is Stanley Clements, who is supposedly best-known for the his roles in The Bowery Boys, but again and again he has shown, especially here, that he is an actor, obviously capable of many types of roles. His might be the most likable character in this movie.

Again, all the actors here deserve praise, even if they don't get screen credit. The director and writers have created and produced a good story, showing what seems to be a good slice of actual race-track life and the intriguing "little people" (no pun intended) who populate it.

Between films like this and the books of Dick Francis, I am pretty sure I'll never place another bet on a horse race. By "another," I mean I'll never place that second bet. But I can still admire the horses and many of the people who train and ride them.

Director William Dieterle has shown some great racing shots, exciting even to us who see horse-racing only in movies or on TV. I highly recommend "Boots Malone" and there is a good print at YouTube, at least today, 1 May 2021. I hope you get to see it.

I only watched "Boots Malone" because it was one of William Holden's early starring roles. However, I was not excited about having to watch a film that seemed like a B-movie about horse racing...a topic I couldn't care less about in the first place. However, I was shocked....despite a relatively low budget and a no-name actor in one of the leads, it was terribly entertaining.

Boots Malone (Holden) is a down and out agent for jockeys. He apparently lost his big money jockey and has hit upon hard times...and is forced to sleep in the stables with his buddy, Stash (Stanley Clements). Their fortunes change when a rich runaway teen (Billy Pearson) joins up with him and wants to learn the business.

The movie is like a behind the scenes look at the folks who are often overlooked in the horse racing industry and it never failed to keep my interest. Very well written and a nice film with heart...an excellent film and one which shocked me in so many positive ways.

By the way, it's odd that newcomer Pearson was billed around 8th in the movie...he was clearly the co-star of the picture.

William Holden (he's Boots) is an agent for jockeys (horse, not disc); he's in debt, and out-of-luck. Along comes young Johnny Stewart (he's Tommy) - skipping school during Easter vacation, he wants to ride the horses. Mr. Holden senses the Kid has money, and decides to take him for a ride. He allows the runaway to stay with himself and pal Stanley Clements (he's Stash). Unbeknownst to Holden, the Kid takes him for the ride of his life.

An indispensable film, for several reasons, chief among them:

#1 -- The amazing performance of Johnny Stewart, mainly; though, everyone is fine. I did wonder, though, what Holden was thinking in some of the emotional scenes with Stewart - Holden looked, perhaps, a little dumbfounded at the younger actor's flawless performance. Production cast and crew should be credited; and, obviously, director William Dieterle.

#2 -- The apparently realistic backdrop of horse-racing, jockeys, and Dellington Park. If this isn't accurate, it sure seems close enough. To top that off, the movie uses the setting to effectively tell a bigger story. It's not that difficult to figure out, but you'll get the full picture in a brief scene between Tommy the Kid and the crusty old trainer Preacher (Basil Ruysdael).

The film takes some relieving trips off the beaten track. For example, the "Big Race" at the end is tremendous because you aren't sure what Stewart is going to do; and, the whole "mother falls in love with the boy's hero…" solution is dispensed with.

Highly recommended.

********* Boots Malone (1/11/52) William Dieterle ~ William Holden, Johnny Stewart, Stanley Clements, Basil Ruysdael

I was actually amazed how much I enjoyed this movie. William Holden makes most people think about "The Bridge on the River Kwai", for me I think of "Stalag 17" -- but this was a great fit.

If you have ever spent any time at the track, you will love this movie. The work out back, being with the horses and the people, the training and the thrill of the races, every part of the this movie brought back great memories and a smile to my face.

The supporting characters all felt perfect, and even the run-away boy being a natural rider idea is pure fun. Highly recommended for everyone.