Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Nice effects though.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Frank Capra spotted Broadway BILL (1934) between IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) and MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (1936). The Director did not think much of the film at the time nor in his memoirs. Critics remarks mainly praised the cast and little else. They were right, there are better Race-Track films out there, from CHARLIE CHAN AT THE RACE TRACK (1936) too SEABISCUIT (2003). This film has a first rate cast starting with Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy, the leads. The rest, competent character actors from Capra's stock company at COLUMBIA the producing studio. So what went wrong?The screenplay has 'whiskers' on it even for a mid 1930s' programmer. There is every corny and trite cliché that can be imagined in the script. They even have Franky Darro as BILL's Jockey, TED WILLIAMS! Darro made a Hollywood career out of playing Jockey's. The worse portrayal is Baxter's DAN BROOKS. Maybe in the 1930's being a irresponsible and obnoxious jerk was somewhat enduring, it certainly is not in the 21st Century. This film should be viewed solely as a curiosity piece or for the real Frank Capra fanatics.For some reason Capra felt the need to remake this film with Bing Crosby as DAN BROOKS. RIDING HIGH (1950) though longer is no better and we also rate it IMDb Four****Stars. Capra, post WWII seemed to have lost his 'touch'. He would also remake LADY FOR A DAY (1933) as POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES (1961) his last film. His time had run out.

"Broadway Bill" is one of Frank Capra's lesser known gems. Made in 1934 and starring Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy, it is the story of a man who is willing to walk away from a life of wealth to follow his dream. In many ways it is the typical Capra film.Adapted from a story by Mark Hellinger, "Broadway Bill" has all of the feel and characters one might expect from a Damon Runyon tale. Baxter as the owner of Broadway Bill and Loy as his sister-in-law, who is also in love with him are first rate. As are Walter Connolly, Clarence Muse, and especially Raymond Walburn, who walks off with the best role.Dated and a little sappy, but full of good cheer from start to finish."Broadway Bill" is a good bet.8 out of 10

Dan Brooks is tired of his dull life as the manager of a paper box manufacturing company, given to by his father in law, J.L. Higgins, a man obsessed with acquiring as many businesses and properties as he can. The only thing Dan seems to enjoy is racing his horse, Broadway Bill. When Higgins forces Dan to choose between his work or the horse, Dan continues the movie by choosing the latter, which causes his wife, Margaret, to stay behind and be disowned by the family. Dan, along with his stablehand Whitey, plans to race Broadway Bill in the $25,000 sweepstakes (and show Higgins that he wasn't wasting his time working on Broadway Bill), but needs to come across $500 for the entry fee. Dan, Whitey, Margaret's sister Alice (who really has a crush on Dan) and one of Dan's old friend's from his racetrack days, Col. Pettigrew, come up with every trick they know to get the money, while still dealing with a gambling syndicate trying to clean up on a rival horse by driving up the odds, Broadway Bill suffering from a cold, and Dan locked up for failing to pay the stable & feed bill. Very good film, but lacks the magic Capra had with his other films (It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, etc.) Baxter is good as Dan, but just doesn't seem right for the hopeful characteristics needed. Loy is a delight as Alice/Princess, Connelly repeats the same role he played in It Happened One Night, & Muse, Walburn, & Overman lend fine support as Whitey, the Colonel, and Happy respectively. Good script, using nice humorous touches, and a touching ending. Rating, 8.

A failed racehorse fancier, desperate to emerge from the shadow of his dictatorial father-in-law, pins all his hopes on his magnificent new steed, BROADWAY BILL.This rather obscure Frank Capra film - made after IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT - has a lot going for it, including fine performances, a well-written story, good production values & a hilarious example of an expertly crafted film montage.Warner Baxter deserves some credit in being willing to play a flawed and somewhat unlikable fellow. Besides being an alcoholic shyster, he's also physically abusive to those he feels are beneath him. And he's a racist. Despite these major disqualifications, Baxter still displays enough enthusiasm to make the viewer actually care what happens to the lout.Although it's difficult to fathom why her character adores Baxter so much, it's actually quite easy to see why audiences love Myrna Loy. Beautiful, vivacious, classy, this lady exuded charm for decades. As Baxter's infatuated sister-in-law, she is a pleasure to watch, even though we don't really feel Baxter deserves her.Playing his role with great dignity, Clarence Muse stands out as Broadway Bill's groom. An actor of enormous competence, Muse perhaps brought more of a well-rounded characterization to his performance than was originally expected. That he could play a role subject to racial slights and still make it something memorable, speaks very well of the actor.The supporting cast contains a fine collection of character actors: blustery Walter Connolly as Loy's tyrannical, yet tenderhearted, father; Raymond Walburn as a pompous confidence trickster; Lynne Overman as his laconic assistant; Douglass Dumbrille as a race-fixing mobster; and vinegar-faced Margaret Hamilton as Connolly's stern boardinghouse landlady.Movie mavens should have fun picking out the uncredited appearances of several performers: Clara Blandick as Connolly's overworked secretary; former OUR GANGer Mickey Daniels as a messenger for Connolly; Ward Bond & Charles Lane as a couple of racing touts working for Dumbrille; Herman Bing as a most unfortunate waiter in a fancy restaurant; Irving Bacon as the owner of a sandwich stand; Charles Middleton as a veterinarian; elderly Claude Gillingwater as the ‘richest man in the world' whose impetuous purchase of $2 worth of tickets on Broadway Bill precipitates merry mayhem; and pretty Lucille Ball as a telephone operator.After filming began Capra discovered that Baxter, although he loved horses, was afraid of them. Some imagination on the part of the director was needed to realistically put Baxter & Bill into the same scenes.