Amazon.com: Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney were both incredibly popular with the movie-going masses and extremely lucrative for MGM Studios. In Thoroughbreds Don't Cry (1937), Garland plays Cricket West, an aspiring singer who helps her Aunt Edie (Sophie Tucker) run a boarding house for jockeys. Rooney is Timmie Donovan, the best jockey on the turf--and he ain't afraid to tell you so (Timmie's known as a "swellhead" around town). When young Englishman Roger Calverson (Ronald Sinclair) arrives with his grandfather Sir Peter (C. Aubrey Smith), Cricket is taken. Roger and Sir Peter intend to race their prize stallion, "the Pookah," and want Timmie as jockey. The genteel Roger and cocky Timmie get off to a rough start, but soon bond over their love of the turf.
But all is not as smooth as it seems. Timmie's rascally father "Click" Donovan wants a piece of the action and tests Timmie's loyalties to both Roger and racing. When Sir Peter dies suddenly, Roger is left destitute and must sell the Pookah unless he can somehow get the $1,000 entry fee for the Cup--and get Timmie to ride for him again. The intrepid Cricket tracks down a remorseful Timmie and convinces him to help Roger. But a last-minute maneuver by Click throws their plans out of whack, forcing Roger to make an unexpected decision about the big race.
Though not a musical, Garland gets to display her powerful pipes with the recurring "Goin' to Town." Thoroughbreds Don't Cry ends with the three friends happily riding their horse trailer into the British sunset. --Dana Van Nest
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - fine early Garland/Rooney vehicle
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry provides us with the first look at the wonderful pairing of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. The plot moves along at a good pace and there are a few twists and turns to hold your attention as well.
The action begins in England when Sir Peter Calverton (C. Aubrey Smith) decides to take his racehorse, The Pookah, to America to enter the horse in a race. Sir Calverton takes along his grandson Roger Calverton (Ronald Sinclair) for the trip. They arrive in America and want to engage the rather arrogant Timmie Donovan (Mickey Rooney) to be the horse's jockey. At first ... Read More
Rating: - And They're Off!
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry is the first of the Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland teaming that lasted through their teenage years. They make a great pair even though it isn't always obvious here as they are not often in the same scenes. Roger Calverton (Ronald Sinclair) and his grandfather (C. Aubrey Smith) come to America to promote their horse in the states. They need a wonderful jockey to build him up and go after the cockiest one in town, Timmy Conovan (Mickey Rooney). He lives in the home of Cricket West (Judy Garland) whose family runs a boarding house for jockeys. The three form a team and hope to win ... Read More
Rating: - judy garland takes the lead
this is a cute film its funny mickey play,s a stubborn rude jockey judy as ( cricket west ) is just so cute although theres only one song in the film ( got a pair of new shoes ) it,s really entertaining- roger the english well mannered kid comes from england with his grandad hoping to enter lapooka in a race & has to convince mickey ( whos really rude at first ) to have faith in his thoughbred.
Rating: - My All-time favorite movie!
Thoroughbreds Don't Cry is a wonderful movie! It is the first of eight movies that Judy Garland (who is only 15 in this movie) and Mickey Rooney did together. Judy Garland, playing Cricket West, is the niece of a "dame who runs a boarding house" (played by Sophie Tucker). She befriends a perfect young gentleman from England named Roger Calverton, who is trying to convince a very good jockey, Timmie Donovan (Mickey Rooney), to ride his horse for the Cup. Judy Garland is sensational as the spunky Cricket, and Mickey Rooney portrays the cocky "swellhead" very well. Ronald Sinclair is also good ... Read More
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