The Dark Horse *** (1932, Warren William, Bette Davis, Guy Kibbee, Vivienne Osborne, Berton Churchill) – Classic Movie Review 6856

Director Alfred E Green’s 1932 comedy is a bright and breezy Thirties political lampoon with silly idiot Zachary Hicks (Guy Kibbee) aiming for office and getting elected to the Progressive Party as delegate for governor with the help of jailbird Hal Blake (Warren William) as his campaign manager and Kay Russell (Bette Davis) as Party secretary.

His Conservative Party opponent William A Underwood (Berton Churchill) spouts the same Abe Lincoln speech that William has Kibbee learn, leading Kibbee to brand Churchill as a plagiarist, then William’s greedy former wife Maybelle Blake (Vivienne Osborne) appears on the scene…

The script by Joseph Jackson and Wilson Mizner is too broad to score direct hits on its targets, but the yarn never stops being amiable and entertaining. With Kibbee ideally cast, the performances are highly engaging and the handling is fast, crisp and professional.

Also in the cast are Frank McHugh, Sam Hardy, Robert Warwick, Harry Holman, Charles Sellon, Robert Emmett O’Connor, Berton Churchill, Louise Beavers, Harry Bradley, Wilbur Mack, Paul Panzer, Cyril Ring, Jim Thorpe, Charles Sherlock, Harry Seymour, Henry Otho, Wilfred Lucas, Cliff Saum and Tom McGuire.

The Dark Horse is directed by Alfred E Green, runs 75 minutes, is released by Warner Bros, is written by Joseph Jackson and Wilson Mizner, is shot in black and white by Sol Polito, is produced Hal B Wallis, Darryl F Zanuck and Samuel Bishoff, scored by Leo F Forbstein, and designed by Jack Okey.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6856

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