| The Lady's from Kentucky | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Alexander Hall |
| Written by | Malcolm Stuart Boylan (screenplay) Rowland Brown (story) |
| Produced by | Jeff Lazarus |
| Starring | George Raft Ellen Drew ZaSu Pitts |
| Cinematography | Theodor Sparkuhl |
| Edited by | Harvey Johnston |
| Music by | John Leipold Leo Shuken |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 67 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Lady's from Kentucky is a 1939 film directed byAlexander Hall and starringGeorge Raft andEllen Drew. It was written by Malcolm Stuart Boylan from a story by Rowland Brown. Thescreenplay involves a failing bookie (Raft) who becomes half owner of a racehorse, with aKentucky lady (Drew) owning the other half.ZaSu Pitts plays a supporting role.
A gambler, Marty Black, wins a fifty percent interest in a thoroughbred owned by Penelope "Penny" Hollis, a prim and proper Kentucky horsewoman. Marty can't wait to wager on his new possession, Roman Son, but the health of the horse is foremost to Penny, who would rather nurture it than race it.
After he enters Roman Son in a race without her knowledge, Marty sees the horse's condition deteriorate. Penny permits him to run Roman Son in the Kentucky Derby and a romance develops after the horse's victory, particularly when Marty agrees to retire Roman Son rather than race any more.
The film was originally known asRacing Form.[1] It always seems to have been a vehicle for Raft;Frances Dee was the first female star announced thenShirley Ross.[2] ThenFrances Lee was announced as star andRaoul Walsh director.[3]
Raft was suspended by Paramount for refusing to makeSt Louis Blues He rejoined the studio on 5 October 1938.[4] Walsh was replaced by Alexander Hall and Dee/Ross was replaced byEllen Drew.[5]
The film was shot partly on location at Oceanside near San Diego.[6] A real foal was born during the making of the film.[7]
The film was the last George Raft made under his contract with Paramount Pictures.[8] Filming ended in January 1939 and Raft left the studio that money after he refused to makeThe Magnificent Fraud.[9][10]
After filming the title was briefly changed toThe Gambler and the Lady but it soon reverted toThe Lady's from Kentucky.[11]
The New York Times said film "affirms the old Hollywood faith in good breeding, two-legged and four, by demonstrating once again that the New York gambler turned loose to graze in the Bluegrass inevitably comes a spiritual cropper and awakens a new and better man" conceding that "the picture moves briskly enough".[12]
TheLos Angeles Times called the film "enjoyable.".[13]