Broadway Bill

1934

Broadway Bill (1934)

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Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

53%

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Movie Info

Just after completing It Happened One Night, director Frank Capra churned out a bread-and-butter picture titled Broadway Bill. Warner Baxter plays the carefree scion of a wealthy, highly-respected family. Baxter's cold but socially correct wife Helen Vinson forces her husband into the family business, but Baxter would rather spend his time at the racetrack. He buys a nag named Broadway Bill and tries to build the horse into a winner--if he doesn't bankrupt himself first. Only Baxter's sister-in-law Myrna Loy and black stable hand Clarence Muse have faith in Broadway Bill. The horse wins a crucial race, but dies suddenly at the finish line. Baxter is comforted and given encouragement by Loy, who is now his sweetheart, Vinson having long since washed her hands of her "irresponsible" husband. Broadway Bill was remade by Capra as Riding High (1950), utilizing generous portions of stock footage and even going so far as to rehire several of the original film's cast members (Douglass Dumbrille, Clarence Muse, Charles Lane, Raymond Walburn, Margaret Hamilton, Frankie Darro) to recreate their roles and match up their scenes from the earlier production. Long withheld from distribution due to Riding High, Broadway Bill was made available for videocassette in the mid-1980s. Keep an eye out for Lucille Ball as a blonde telephone operator and Alan Hale Sr. as a racetrack announcer.

Cast

Warner Baxter
as Dan Brooks
Myrna Loy
as Alice
Walter Connolly
as J.L. Higgins
Helen Vinson
as Margaret
Douglas Dumbrille
as Eddie Morgan
Margaret Hamilton
as Edna
Raymond Walburn
as Colonel Pettigrew
Lynne Overman
as Happy McGuire
Clarence Muse
as Whitey
Frankie Darro
as Ted Williams
Inez Courtney
as Mae
Dennis O'Keefe
Lucille Ball
as Bit Part
Robert (Tex) Allen
as Reporter
Irving Bacon
as Hotdog stand owner
Herman Bing
as Waiter
James "Doc" Blakely
as Interne
Clara Blandick
as Mrs. Peterson, secretary
Stanley Blystone
as Jailer
Ward Bond
as Morgan's henchman
Edmund Breese
as Presiding judge
George Cooper
as Joe
Helen Flint
as Mrs. Early
Bess Flowers
as Secretary
Gladys Gale
as Head nurse
Kit Guard
as Cab driver
Forrester Harvey
as Horse trainer
Paul Harvey
as James Whitehall
J. Frank Holliday
as Deputy sheriff
Harry Holman
as Rube
Edward Keane
as Headwaiter
George Meeker
as Henry Early
Charles B. Middleton
as Veterinarian
Helene Millard
as Mrs. Winslow
Jason Robards Sr.
as Arthur Winslow
Ky Robinson
as Deputy sheriff
Harry Semels
as Conductor
Joan Standing
as Secretary
William Strauss
as Pawnbroker
Harry Todd
as Pop Jones
Charles C. Wilson
as Collins
Ernie S. Adams
as Patient
Harry C. Bradley
as Bookkeeper
Eddy Chandler
as Onlooker
Claude Gillingwater
as J.P. Chase
Alan Hale
as Orchestra leader
John Ince
as Mayor
Charles Lane
as Morgan's henchman
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Critic Reviews for Broadway Bill

All Critics (4)

Fine, early Capra--basis for later Crosby musical 'Riding High' (also Capra directed).

Jan 1, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Video-Reviewmaster.com

Early Capra comedy that's worn well.

Aug 14, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
View All Critic Reviews (4)

Audience Reviews for Broadway Bill

½

Loy is cute in this movie. Although the story is predictable and I really don't like horse movies, this movie was entertaining, well acted, and funny at times.

Aj V
Aj V

Super Reviewer

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