Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

MartinHafer The casting in this film is rather unusual. While Freddie Bartholomew was apparently supposed to be in the movie, he was either in a contract dispute or in seclusion until his voice changed (according to Judy Garland)...and the studio tried to find a Bartholomew-like actor to take his place. That is why Ronald Sinclair (a New Zealander) was chosen to appear in this film...one of only a small number of films in which he acted. Interestingly, Sinclair has quite a few Hollywood credits--most of them as an Editor!"Thoroughbreds Don't Cry" is monumental because it is the first pairing of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. They'd go on to make many more films together...and this being the first might explain why Rooney does NOT play a typical sort of part for a Garland-Rooney film. Instead of the usual likable guy, he's a fat-head jockey--one that definitely needs to be taken down a peg or two. As for Garland, she 's a nice girl who likes to find excuses to sing...and so her role is very typical of their later films.When the movie begins, Sir Peter Calverton is preparing to take his prize horse, the Pookah, to America for some big race. No, this IS a horse and it's NOT invisible...despite the name for the creature being the same as Harvey in the famous Jimmy Stewart film! His grandson, Roger (Sinclair) accompanies him and eventually makes friends with Timmie (Rooney) and Cricket (Garland). But alas, things do NOT go swimmingly--and I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the plot. Suffice to say that Timmie and Cricket need to work together to help poor Roger and his horse.Overall, this is a very entertaining film--one that would probably appeal more to kids but still have appeal to all ages. It has all the typical MGM polish and the story well worth seeing. I particularly liked that there wasn't that much singing and no dancing...unlike many of the other Garland- Rooney films. I know some folks like the singing and dancing, but to me it often got in the way of the story...and that's why the story here is stronger than I expected.By the way, there is a hospital scene where Timmie talks to the receptionist. This lady is none other than Marie Blake ('Blossom Rock' from "The Addams Family")....who also played the hospital receptionist in the Dr. Kildaire films (also from MGM).

wes-connors In a role obviously intended for an absent Freddie Bartholomew, British teenager Ronald Sinclair (as Roger Calverton) arrives in the United States with his grandfather's potentially prize-winning horse "Pookah". At the race-track, young Sinclair admires brash jockey Mickey Rooney (as Timmie Donovan) and wants him to ride "The Pookah" to victory. Sinclair meets perky Judy Garland (as Cricket West) at Mr. Rooney's boarding house, which is run by her assertive aunt Sophie Tucker...Rooney is typically commanding and Sinclair is a good stand-in for Bartholomew. Accurately predicting she will be a successful singer and actress, Ms. Garland shines in support. Of the other jockeys, tough Frankie Darro (as "Dink" Reid) stands out; he will try to beat Sinclair in the climactic big race. The ending suggests the three leads, plus Ms. Tucker and funny Forrester Harvey (as Wilkins) were on their way to a potential series. The title "Goin' to Town" would have fit nicely...The most interesting scene has Rooney ardently massaging Sinclair's upper thighs while Garland, outside the bedroom, sings about "Goin' to Town". If director Alfred E. Green asked Rooney to try and avoid Sinclair's buttocks, the advice was ignored. Also, Rooney repeatedly pulls down Sinclair's pants and throws him on his bed. This comes after an unintentionally sexual scene with Rooney teaching Sinclair how to ride a horse. Today, this sort of horseplay is interpreted differently.****** Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (11/25/37) Alfred E. Green ~ Ronald Sinclair, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker

mark.waltz A year after playing a jockey over at Warner Brothers in "Down the Stretch", his home studio of MGM cast him in a similar role where he shamelessly overacts. The story actually focuses on a young British boy (Ronald Sinclair) who wants Rooney to ride his horse in an upcoming race, and top-bills Judy Garland as a "Little Miss Fix It" who is at first a thorn in their side but ends up being their biggest champion. Rooney is manipulated by his con-man father into throwing a race which, like in "Down the Stretch", gets him banished as a jockey. Sinclair takes over as jockey on his own horse after his beloved grandfather (the always lovable C. Aubrey Smith) passes away and leaves only the horse to him. Of course, in typical MGM fashion, everything is resolved in the nick of time.People will mainly watch this to see the 15 year old Judy Garland who was rising as a young radio star who had made a couple of films and was yet two years away from film immortality as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz". Judy, of course, has more talent in her little finger than MGM had stars, so she is deserving of being the legend she is today. She especially shines while singing, and her song, "Gotta Pair of New Shoes", is right for her talents, although it appears in the film four times. The best performance of it is when she interrupts Mickey massaging the wounded Sinclair. It is comical to watch Rooney continuously pull down Sinclair's pants every time Judy tries to get into the room. This is an unintentional bit of humor that censors probably didn't catch, as is another scene with Rooney and Sinclair riding the same horse. Judy also is amusing in a scene where she "emotes" for her new pal, Sinclair.As for the wonderful Sophie Tucker, it's great to see her in one of her few screen roles, and she works well with Judy. She has many funny lines, but her character is never fully developed. Her retort to an usher in a private box at the race track is priceless. The first half of the film is comical, while the second half is strictly dramatic. The scene where Judy searches through a crowded city for Rooney just seems absurd, but it's obvious that when Judy has her mind made up, she will accomplish what she has set out to do. Her fans will adore this movie to see her develop her screen style, but as a typical MGM programmer, it is simply passable. Rooney did better acting in "Down the Stretch", but Sinclair is very good. As a screen team, Mickey and Judy really didn't pick up steam until their follow-up picture, "Love Finds Andy Hardy", so this must count as their weakest teaming.

bkoganbing The first film to feature Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland came up short in the music department as there was only one song written for the film Got A Brand New Pair Of Shoes and it was Judy's. I've a feeling that a lot might have been left on the cutting room floor because Sophie Tucker was also in this film as Judy's grandmother and she sung not a note. Thoroughbreds Don't Cry features Mickey as a jockey famous for his daring come from behind wins in the stretch and Judy the granddaughter of Sophie Tucker who runs a jockey's boardinghouse where Mickey resides. Into their lives comes C. Aubrey Smith and his young grandson Ronald Sinclair who are titled, but cash poor with only one asset, a prize winning stakes horse called The Pooka. Yes, I do believe it is named for that spirit who manifested himself as a six foot white rabbit in Harvey.Mickey's the best there is at his profession, but he's fatally compromised because of a no-good gambler of a father in Charles D. Brown who pretends he's on death's door. That's to extort a pledge from Mickey to throw the race The Pooka is running in. Mickey does it and finds out he's been framed. He's put everybody in a jackpot because of this and there is one death that results from it.Ronald Sinclair substitutes nicely for Freddie Bartholomew who this role was originally intended. But the chemistry with Mickey and Judy was readily apparent and MGM would team them several more times until Words And Music in 1948 which was Mickey's last film for MGM. But I like more singing and dancing when I see Mickey and Judy and I think more was originally intended. Just the mere fact that Sophie Tucker was in the film leads me to believe she must have had a number that ended up on the cutting room floor. Perhaps one day we'll see a director's cut.The racing sequences at Santa Anita were handled well, the track was only a few years old at the time and the movie land crowd were frequent visitors and owners of race horses out there. I've seen newsreel footage of Mickey Rooney enjoying the sport of kings there when he was not on a shooting schedule.Thoroughbreds Don't Cry is a good start for a most auspicious star team, but a whole lot better was to come.