I don't suppose MGM thought this was going to be such a memorable movie. Mickey Rooney was not yet a top star - he was still stealing movies from other stars, ie "Little Lord Fautleroy", "Captain's Courageous", "A Mid Summer Night's Dream". Judy Garland had her voice but MGM still didn't know what to do with her (she was still "Just an In-Between"). The other young actor in the cast was Ronald Sinclair, a Freddie Bartholomew clone (Bartholomew, I suspect was at one of his court appearances and Sinclair was substituted).
But when Mickey and Judy came together something special happened. The confrontation, when Mickey has decked the snotty little English kid and Judy dares him to sock her as well and then gives him a piece of her mind.
Roger and his grandfather (C. Aubrey Smith) arrive in America to race their horse "The Pookha" in the cup. At the track they see Timmy Donovan (Mickey Rooney) - "the best jockey on the track - but a swellhead" - and convince him to ride their horse.
In the meantime Timmy's father has sent for him, claiming to be dying, and to get him to throw a race so they can collect $5,000 and buy an iron lung. Timmy does throw the race and discovers his father is not sick and is up to his old crooked tricks.
He gets another chance to ride the horse in the big cup but because he has been found out over throwing the race, he is barred from the track. Roger then rides "The Pookha" to victory.
Sophie Tucker is wonderful with her glib come-backs and one-liners - she plays Aunt Edie.
Frankie Darro (who seemed to spend his time in films playing jockeys and fighters) plays "Dink" the crooked jockey. Elisha Cook Jnr, also has a role (uncredited) as a jockey, "Boots" MacGuire, sitting around the boarding house dinner table.
Henry Kolker, a great film "heavy" plays "Doc" Godfrey.
Judy is just wonderful as Cricket West - her first big role. She is such a natural, very bubbly and full of fun and also gets to sing a very catchy tune "Gotta Pair of New Shoes" that really shows off her beautiful voice.
But when Mickey and Judy came together something special happened. The confrontation, when Mickey has decked the snotty little English kid and Judy dares him to sock her as well and then gives him a piece of her mind.
Roger and his grandfather (C. Aubrey Smith) arrive in America to race their horse "The Pookha" in the cup. At the track they see Timmy Donovan (Mickey Rooney) - "the best jockey on the track - but a swellhead" - and convince him to ride their horse.
In the meantime Timmy's father has sent for him, claiming to be dying, and to get him to throw a race so they can collect $5,000 and buy an iron lung. Timmy does throw the race and discovers his father is not sick and is up to his old crooked tricks.
He gets another chance to ride the horse in the big cup but because he has been found out over throwing the race, he is barred from the track. Roger then rides "The Pookha" to victory.
Sophie Tucker is wonderful with her glib come-backs and one-liners - she plays Aunt Edie.
Frankie Darro (who seemed to spend his time in films playing jockeys and fighters) plays "Dink" the crooked jockey. Elisha Cook Jnr, also has a role (uncredited) as a jockey, "Boots" MacGuire, sitting around the boarding house dinner table.
Henry Kolker, a great film "heavy" plays "Doc" Godfrey.
Judy is just wonderful as Cricket West - her first big role. She is such a natural, very bubbly and full of fun and also gets to sing a very catchy tune "Gotta Pair of New Shoes" that really shows off her beautiful voice.