Sporting Blood is a 1931 American MGM pre-Code sports drama film directed by Charles Brabin. The film stars Clark Gable (in his first starring role), Ernest Torrence, and Madge Evans. Two other pictures bore this same title, one released in 1916 by Fox and another by MGM in Sporting Blood (1940). Although they, too, centered on horse racing, none of the plots had any direct connection with the others.
Contents
Plot
Gambler Rid Riddell works for Tip Scanlon, a crooked gambler, who buys Tommy-Boy, a racehorse from a wealthy man whose spoiled wife loses interest. Tip and Rid consistently win with the horse in both honestly and dishonestly run races. But before long, Tommy Boy loses a race he wasn't supposed to, and the mob is after Tip.
Tip is murdered but not before giving Tommy Boy to his girlfriend who sets out to rehabilitate herself and the horse. The horse rebounds. After an attempt at sabotage, the horse wins the Kentucky Derby, and Rid wins the girl.
Cast
Clark Gable as Warren 'Rid' Riddell
Ernest Torrence as Mr. Jim Rellence
Madge Evans as Miss 'Missy' Ruby
Lew Cody as Tip Scanlon
Marie Prevost as Angela 'Angie' Ludeking
Hallam Cooley as Bill Ludeking
J. Farrell MacDonald as MacGuire
John Larkin as Uncle Ben
Eugene Jackson as Sammy
Harry Holman as Jerry Hartwick (uncredited)
Box office
According to MGM records, the film earned $547,000 in the US and Canada and $346,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $148,000.