El tramposo

I have lived and worked with thoroughbred racehorses for over thirty years and "thoroughly" enjoy re-watching and recommending "Boots Malone." It is an actual "Hollywood Classic" because it tells a story and tells it well. It is distressing to read the many poor synopses of the movie and the "I'm-a-cineaste-and-you'll-never-be" attitude of the reviewers. Boots is charging Tommy for "jockey" lessons after Tommy reveals that he has a lot of money. Boots is also considering "selling" Tommy back to his mother. This is the exact same character which he portrays in the also excellent Stalag 17 (scum of the earth with lots of class).

The film has everything you could possibly want to tell your friends about the racetrack. From organized gambling, win-mad owners, touts, corner-cutting sharpies (that's Boots), claiming races, auctions, the joke with the muck sack (Tommy falls in the pit), the Stewards review of the objection, and especially the scene in the Jock's Room where Tommy calls a rider "rail-shy." The man really is a jockey and beats the snot out of the kid.

Just a few things wrong, though, and it's almost like the mistakes were made deliberately. First, jockey agents are not permitted in the saddling paddock before a race. This is a rule. Second, the racetrack, Dellington, is on the East Coast, north of Baltimore according to the train destination board. Since the movie appears to have been made at Del Mar, there are palm trees in the background. Third, I've never been to an auction where there are drunken men in tuxedos and women in evening gowns. These things are strictly business. If you think you're smarter than the rest of the people there, you'd better be prepared to prove it.

Oh, and one more thing. Had I been a Steward, "White Cargo" would have been disqualified for interference. The objection was that Tommy hit the other horse with his whip, which he did not do because he is whipping with his left hand. But the horse is "getting out" badly precisely because the rider is whipping left-handed and pulling the horse to the right with the hand holding the reins. Watch for it when you go to the races, it is a frequent occurrence.

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 couldn't give this film a 10 primarily because I didn't know how accurately this film captured its subject. For example, I never knew that jockey's had Agents, although I suspected the more successful ones had someone to represent and manage their contracts. I enjoyed watching this film recently on TCM for the first time. It was a very enjoyable film, and I thought one of William Holden's best acting performances, which means credit should also go to the Director.

Unlike nearly ever sports film I have ever seen, I wasn't certain who was going to win the race. In most other films about sport, there never seems to be a doubt as to who will finish first or win, whether its Rocky or Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit was based on a real and famous horse. Obviously it was going to win most of his races. I purchased Seabiscuit on a DVD and was disappointed, because I doubt I will ever watch it again.

Boots Malone was one of the few films about sports that I could not guess the outcome. Wining the race, was not central to the film's theme,which was about the friendship that developed between a young, naive, rich kid, who had every material thing, but lacked something that money can't buy.

Holden's character is a cynical, far from lovable cad who tries to steal the kid's money the first time they meet. I thought his character was a little like Robert Louis Stevenson's Long John Silver, a cad by any measure, but someone that the kid couldn't hate. Like Long John, Malone continually acts in his own interests. In the last moments of the film, he tries to talk the kid into throwing the race, and one has to wonder whether the kid will, because of his devotion to Holden. The viewer really doesn't know who to root for because a win means serious trouble for Holden from the gamblers. Gamblers are a pox to any sport because they make their living with fixes and threats to anyone who can give them an edge in betting and profits. I do know something about that problem.

This film was one of Holden's best. David Lean didn't get as good a performance from Holden in Bridge on the River Kwai

This film reminds me of Holden's early performance in Rachel and the Stranger in which Holden demonstrates his ability as an actor capable of moving his role from one position to another.

For the critics who didn't like this film, I would offer the comment that this film made in 1952 and bad year for the movies, and was not high budget film. Holden was not a big star, and the film had to rely on some great number of familiar character actors. The "kid" was also a tough role to play, and he didn't measure up to star quality as evidence by his quick disappearance from film. A movie without sex, or violence that couldn't be shown on TV was not likely to make a splash, considering that Holden's career didn't get jump started until Stalag 17. I thought Holden, as an actor, was better in this relatively obscure film. The Oscar's have a spotty record of picking out the best performances. Making up for past mistakes seems to be a tradition on Oscar night.

Perhaps this was the case in 1952 and 1953.

I had never heard of the film, BOOTS MALONE, but William Holden has always stood as one of my all time favorite actors, so I decided to watch it - and, boy, am I glad I did!, because in the process I hit upon a superlative example of unpretentions filmmaking and peerless direction.

In addition, I had the great pleasure of watching one of Holden's career-best shows. Here, he is a near-bum horseracing jock agent, moneyless and ready to steal candy from the comparative babe that is Johnny Stewart, a boy who lost his father and is on the run from his Paris, France-based business-running dictatorial mother, and just wants to realize a personal dream of running as jockey.

Holden is a gray hero. He takes a beating for causing racetrack bet losses to a heavy, seemingly does not have the moral force to get even, and instead trains the opportunity spotlight on the youngster... but Holden is the one who gets taught a lesson.

In keeping with his two- or three-timing character, at the end Holden is on the run from the mob for failing to throw the race, and he catches the train of opportunity - his American Dream may yet be in Paris, France... even if Stewart's mother looks a bit too shrewish for comfort!

Fitting, realistic cinematography, strong dialogue, solid acting across the board make this a must-see. 8/10.

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.