Tonight's Movie: Wine, Women and Horses (1937) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

Barton MacLane plays an inveterate gambler in WINE, WOMEN AND HORSES (1937), newly released on DVD from the Warner Archive.

It isn't often that a movie leaves me wondering "What was the point of all that?" but WINE, WOMEN AND HORSES was such a film. Jim Treacher (MacLane) constantly wins and loses his shirt at the racetrack and elsewhere, but when he falls for pretty small-town girl Marjorie Mayhew (Peggy Bates), he pledges to leave gambling behind and hold a steady job.

After he works for a while, proving he can do it, Marjorie and Jim marry, but it isn't long before's tempted back off the straight and narrow. Moving to California and hanging out around Santa Anita Racetrack doesn't help matters! Jim's old racetrack pal Val (Ann Sheridan) and Broadway Willis (Charley Foy) take him out, ostensibly just to "watch" them gamble; Jim, of course, breaks down and plays too. He wins a pile of dough but Marjorie isn't having it and goes back home.

It's no surprise when the gambling-addicted Jim loses everything he'd won and becomes a tramp, while Marjorie has their child, who dies. Jim isn't around for that, which makes him even more of a loser, but when he shows up in town ready to try once more Marjorie gives him every chance, although by now she's in love with her childhood sweetheart Pres (Walter Cassel).

Fortunately the film's only 64 minutes long so it's pretty quick getting to the bizarre wrap-up!

Warner Bros. loved to reuse their properties, and this film was no exception. It's a remake of DARK HAZARD (1934) which starred Edward G. Robinson, Genevieve Tobin, and Glenda Farrell in the roles played here by MacLane, Bates, and Sheridan. Both films were based on a book by W.R. Burnett.

I will typically find things to enjoy even when watching lesser films, but about the most exciting thing in this movie for me was recognizing a familiar street I've toured on the Warner Bros. backlot. Otherwise it was one head shake after another. It's just not very enjoyable watching someone make an endless string of bad life choices, straight through till "The End."

WINE, WOMEN AND HORSES was directed by Louis King. It was filmed in black and white by James Van Trees.

WINE, WOMEN AND HORSES is a good print. There are no extras.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection at the WBShop or from any online retailers where DVDs and Blu-rays are sold.