''Spendthrift'' is a 1936 American romantic

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh (born Albert Edward Walsh; March 11, 1887December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent cinema actor George Walsh. He wa ...

and starring

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Bo ...

Pat Paterson Patricia Elizabeth Paterson (born Eliza Paterson; 10 April 1910 – 24 August 1978) was an English film actress. Although she made more than 20 films, she is best known as the wife of actor Charles Boyer. Childhood and early life Paterson wa ...

Mary Brian Mary Brian (born Louise Byrdie Dantzler, February 17, 1906 – December 30, 2002) was an American actress who made the transition from silent films to sound films. Early life Brian was born in Corsicana, Texas, the daughter of Taurrence J. ...

and George Barbier. It was produced by

Walter Wanger Walter Wanger (born Walter Feuchtwanger; July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an American film producer active from the 1910s, his career concluding with the turbulent production of ''Cleopatra,'' his last film, in 1963. He began at Paramo ...

for release by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

Plot

The once fabulously wealthy Townsend Middleton has to sell his

polo Polo is a stick and ball game that is played on horseback as a traditional field sport. It is one of the world's oldest known team sports, having been adopted in the Western world from the game of Chovgan (), which originated in ancient ...

horses in order to enter his

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...

Black Mamba in the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

. He loses everything he has left, but then marries

gold-digging A gold digger is a person, typically a woman, who engages in a type of transactional sexual relationship for money rather than love. If it turns into marriage, it is a type of marriage of convenience. Etymology and usage The term "gold dig ...

Sally Barnaby who mistakenly believes he is still a millionaire. Valerie, Middleton's loyal trainer manages to hide Black Mamba so it isn't repossessed by his creditors. Despite being broke, Middleton finds it impossible to resists his new wife's extravagant demands. Ultimately Middleton realizes he is better suited to Valerie and, with the help of a very wealthy uncle, he restores his fortunes while Black Mamba wins a key race.

Cast

as Townsend Middleton *

as Valerie 'Boots' O'Connell *

as Sally Barnaby * George Barbier as Uncle Morton Middleton *

Edward Brophy Edward Santree Brophy (February 27, 1895 – May 27, 1960) was an American character actor and comedian, as well as an assistant director and second unit director during the 1920s. Small of build, balding, and raucous-voiced, he frequently portr ...

as Bill McGuire *

Richard Carle Richard Carle (born Charles Nicholas Carleton, July 7, 1871 – June 28, 1941) was an American stage and film actor as well as a playwright and stage director. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1915 and 1941. Carle was born in Some ...

as Popsy * J.M. Kerrigan as Pop O'Connell *

Spencer Charters Spencer Charters (March 25, 1875 – January 25, 1943) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 220 films between 1920 and 1943, mostly in small supporting roles. Biography Charters was born in Duncannon, Pennsylvania. Until aroun ...

as Col. Barnaby *

June Brewster June Brewster (born Kathleen Anderson; August 8, 1913 – November 2, 1995) was an American film actress of the 1930s. When Brewster was young she took lessons in piano, violin, and voice from three cousins. On Broadway, Brewster performed ...

as Topsy Martin *

Halliwell Hobbes Herbert Halliwell Hobbes (16 November 187720 February 1962) was an English actor. Early years Hobbes's schooling came at Trinity College in Stratford-upon-Avon. Career Hobbes's stage debut was as a member of Frank Benson's company, in th ...

as Beuhl - the Butler *

Jerry Mandy Jerry Mandy (June 5, 1892 – May 1, 1945) was an American film actor. He appeared in 114 films between 1923 and 1945. He was born in Utica, New York and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart attack at age 52. Selected filmography * ...

as Enrico *

Miki Morita Mitsugi "Miki" Morita (sometimes credited as Mike Morita) was a Japanese character actor who worked in Hollywood from the 1920s through around 1940. He had worked as a stage actor before beginning his career onscreen. Partial filmography *'' Sou ...

as Valet *

Greta Meyer Greta Meyer (7 August 1883 8 October 1965) was a German actress in motion pictures beginning in the silent film era. Biography Meyer belonged to a German family that was comparable to the Barrymore family in America. At age 3 she debuted on st ...

as Hilda - the Maid * Robert Strange as Ransom

Reception

The film recorded a loss of $126,925.

References

External links

* 1936 films 1930s romance films Paramount Pictures films Films produced by Walter Wanger Films scored by Gerard Carbonara Films scored by John Leipold American black-and-white films American romance films Films directed by Raoul Walsh 1930s English-language films 1930s American films 1936 comedy films American sports comedy films American horse racing films Films set in Kentucky Films set in New York City 1930s sports films English-language romance films English-language sports films {{1930s-romance-film-stub