A Day at the Races (1937)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Sam Wood

Writers:

Robert Pirosh (story) &
George Seaton (story) ...

Release Date:

11 June 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Three Great Laff Stars ! . . . more gags and gals . . . more songs and dances !

Plot:

A vet posing as a doctor, a race horse owner and his friends struggle to help keep a sanitarium open with the help of a misfit racehorse.

Plot Keywords:

Sanitarium | Horse | Singer | Hypochondriac | Steeplechase

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 26

4:15 AM

TCM

Cast

Groucho Marx	...	Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush
Chico Marx	...	Tony
Harpo Marx	...	Stuffy
Allan Jones	...	Gil Stewart
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Judy Standish
Margaret Dumont	...	Emily Upjohn
Leonard Ceeley	...	Whitmore
Douglass Dumbrille	...	J.D. Morgan
Esther Muir	...	Flo Marlowe
Sig Ruman	...	Dr. Leopold X. Steinberg (as Sig Rumann)
Robert Middlemass	...	Sheriff
Vivien Fay	...	Speciality Dancer (as Vivian Fay & Her Ballet)
Ivie Anderson	...	Specialty Singer
The Crinoline Choir	...	Musical Ensemble

Runtime:

111 min | Germany:105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Black and White (Sepiatone) | Black and White (blue tinted)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:Btl | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Santa Anita Park - 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Groucho Marx's character was initially to have been named Dr. Quackenbush, which he and everyone else thought was too silly a name to offend anyone. However, MGM's legal department discovered at least a dozen legitimate U.S. doctors named Quackenbush, so for legal reasons and to Groucho's dismay, the name was changed to Hackenbush.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Groucho is officially hired, he removes his hat twice.

Quotes:

Tony: Have you got a woman in here?
Dr. Hackenbush: If I haven't, I've wasted 30 minutes of valuable time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Village of the Giants (#6.23)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

All God's Chillun Got Rhythm

An Underrated Classic

Though I'll admit it is not on par with the great A Night at the Opera, it is close enough to be considered one of the better comedies of alltime. The same comedic formula that worked so well in the previously mentioned film is applied in A Day at the Races. They even had the same director. Sometimes I wish the Marx Brothers would get more credit than they have received, especially in comparison to the ridiculously stupid 3 Stooges. In any event, Grouch Marx will always be one of my heroes.