So You Want to Play the Horses

So You Want to Play the Horses (1946)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Joe McDoakes comedy has him being an obsessive horse gambler who decides to go all out and bet on a deformed horse with 999 to 1 odds. I've seen over twenty films in this series but this one here is one of the weaker entries. That's not to say there aren't any laughs here but not enough to keep the film moving. I should also admit that I prefer the later films in the series that feature less narration and more physical work by George O'Hanlon. The best moments here are a scene where the deformed horse walks out, which will certainly make you take a double look. Also worth waiting for is when the wife finds out how much he has bet on this horse. Clifton Young, a familiar face to the series, makes an appearance here as the announcer. In the middle of the movie there's a rather strange spoof of THE LOST WEEKEND, which considering the subject matter seems a bit strange.