A Day at the Races (1937)

A Day at the Races (1937) is a fast-moving comedy-musical about a plucky sanitarium on the verge of collapse and the ragged band of misfits who try to save it. When town schemer Morgan plots to seize Judy’s sanitarium and turn it into a casino, a bogus director — veterinarian Dr. Hugo Hackenbush — teams up with Tony and Stuffy and Judy’s boyfriend Gil to raise the money. Gil has put his last savings into a temperamental racehorse, Hi Hat, and when they discover the animal is a jumper rather than a runner, the friends hatch a madcap plan to win a major steeplechase. Morgan and his henchmen do everything they can to keep Hi Hat off the track, while wordly wealthy hypochondriac Margaret Dumont provides comic foil and possible salvation. If you see the movie you’ll get broad 1930s screwball comedy and physical slapstick, intercut with lighthearted musical numbers and a climactic, tension-filled horse race. Expect mistaken identities, escalating gags, scheming villains, and heartfelt loyalty as the underdogs try to save a beloved institution. The tone is broadly comic and theatrical — loud, fast, and joyful — with plenty of pratfalls, wisecracks, and showy set pieces that build to a lively sporting finale. Who it’s for: viewers who enjoy classic studio-era musicals and comedies, affectionate satire of high society, and an energetic blend of song, sight gags, and crowd-pleasing race-day excitement.

Actors: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx

Director: Sam Wood

Runtime: 111 min

Genres: Comedy, Musical, Sport

7.7 /10 7.5 /10 7.6 /10