Riding High (1950)

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Anxious to remain active in the 1950s, director Frank Capra wanted to prove to Paramount Pictures that he could deliver an "A" picture on a modest budget. To that end, Capra bought the rights of his 1934 film Broadway Bill from Columbia, and remade it under the title Riding High. He then hired many… More Anxious to remain active in the 1950s, director Frank Capra wanted to prove to Paramount Pictures that he could deliver an "A" picture on a modest budget. To that end, Capra bought the rights of his 1934 film Broadway Bill from Columbia, and remade it under the title Riding High. He then hired many of the supporting actors who'd appeared in Broadway Bill -- including Clarence Muse, Douglass Dumbrille, Ward Bond, Charles Lane and Frankie Darro -- so he could match up his newly shot scenes with stock footage from the earlier film. Capra even kept the musical costs down by having star Bing Crosby sing such public-domain favorites as "Camptown Races" (though there is one delightful original song, "We Ought to Bake a Sunshine Camera" performed without dubbing by Crosby, Muse, and leading-lady Colleen Gray). Crosby steps into the old Warner Baxter role as Dan Brooks, scion of a wealthy family who prefers hanging around racetracks to the responsibilities of his family business. Scheduled for a "proper" marriage to Margaret Higgins (Frances Gifford), the snooty daughter of millionaire J. L. Higgins (Charles Bickford), Dan infinitely prefers the company of Margaret's younger sister Alice (Coleen Gray), who loves horses as much as he. Hoping to declare his financial independence, he pins his future on a racehorse named Broadway Bill. Though not in the same league as Capra's earlier classics, Riding High is lots of fun. It is especially enjoyable for film buffs, thanks to Capra's decision to fill the picture with uncredited celebrity cameo appearances -- including Oliver Hardy, minus Stan Laurel, as an apoplectic horse player. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 52 min.
Directed By: Frank Capra
Written By: Robert Riskin
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 12, 1950 Wide
On DVD: Aug 31, 2004

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Cast

            Bing Crosby as Dan Brooks

            Coleen Gray as Alice Higgins

            Charles Bickford as J.L. Higgins

            Frances Gifford as Margaret Higgins

            Raymond Walburn as Prof. Pettigrew

            William Demarest as Happy McGuire

            Clarence Muse as Whitey

            Margaret Hamilton as Edna

            Douglas Dumbrille as Eddie Howard

            Ward Bond as Lee

            Charles Lane as Erickson

            Frankie Darro as Jockey Williams

            Paul Harvey as Whitehall

            Marjorie Lord as Mary Winslow

            Rand Brooks as Henry Early

            Willard Waterman as Arthur Winslow

            James Gleason as Racing Secretary

            Dub Taylor as Joe

            Stanley Andrews as Veterinarian

            Irving Bacon as Hamburger man

            M.A. Bogue as Musician

            Candy Candido as Musician

            Harry Davenport as Johnson butler

            Roger Davis as Butler

            Edgar Dearing as Deputy

            Ann Doran as Nurse

            Tom Fadden as Whitehall's trainor

            Margaret Field as Maid

            Byron Foulger as Maitre d'

            Joe Frisco as Himself

            Oliver Hardy as Horse player

            Percy Helton as Pawnbroker

            Marjorie Hoshelle as Mary Early

            Ish Kabibble
            
            Percy Kilbride as Pop Jones

            Gene Lockhart as J.P. Chase

            Jim Nolan as Deputy

            Garry Owen as Harry

            Victor Romito as Barber

            Max Baer Jr. as Bertie

            Richard Kipling as Jailer

            Douglass Dumbrille
            
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