Boots Malone was released 11 January 1952 and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film was directed by William Dieterle and produced and written by Milton Holmes. The film falls under the genre of drama and sport. The running time of Boots Malone is 102 minutes.
The Cast
The Boots Malone cast includes William Holden as Boots Malone, Johnny Stewart as Thomas Gibson Jnr, Stanley Clements as Stash Clements, Basil Ruysdael as Preacher Cole, Carlton Benton Reid as John Williams, Ralph Dumke as Beckett, Ed Begley as Howard Whitehead, Hugh Sanders as Matson, Harry Morgan as Quarter Horse, Ann Lee as Mrs Gibson, Anthony Caruso as Joe and Billy Pearson as Eddie Koch.
The Plot
Boots Malone is a jockey agent who has not represented a client for 2 years ever since a stable accident where his client died. He owes Matson, a online gambling Ghana gambler, repayment on a loan. Boots and Stash notice a teenager at the diner trying to pay for dinner with $100 bill. Boots discovers that Tommy has an interest in horses and so sees him as an easy mark. Boots convinces Tommy to stay at Preachers room and then tries to steal his money. The following day Tommy, impressed by Boots speech asks him to represent him and train him. Tommy offers to pay Boots and he agrees.
Preacher has one horse, Mother, and Howard Whitehead is convinced by Brady to buy the horse as he believes the horse could win in the next race. Boots then arranges with Whitehead’s trainer to get one of his horses, White Cargo and they put weights on the horse’s legs. White Cargo does not perform well and he sells the horse at the auction. Boots gets all the jockeys together to donate money to buy the horse and $1400 is raised. At the auction the price goes up to $1500 and Tommy gives his $100 to make up the amount. Boots takes White Cargo south to train him and reluctantly allows Tommy to go with. On the way there White Cargo is startled by a snake and runs away. Tommy manages to calm the horse down and Boots is impressed by his ability. Stash convinces Boots to train Tommy as White Cargo’s jockey even though he is not of age yet. Boots and Preacher weigh down White Cargo so that he does not perform in order to raise the odds for the next race. Tommy is devastated.
Tommy then rides a different horse and wins. On the way back Boots notices that they are being followed and discovers that it is a private detective. Boots questions the detective and finds out that Tommy has run away from boarding school and lied to his mother who is a wealthy businesswoman. Tommy’s mother comes to fetch him just before he is to race and tells Tommy that Boots only contacted her for the reward. Boots contacts Tommy’s mother and persuades her to allow Tommy to ride in the race. Meanwhile Brady tells Matson to place all bets on Whitehead’s horse and tells him that White Cargo will lose. Boots finds out about the bets and tries to get Tommy to throw the race, but Tommy refuses. Tommy wins the race despite the other jockeys trying to push him against the rails. Tommy’s mother promises to buy Tommy a stable and he returns to school and Boots becomes the manager of the stable.
Boots Malone is a wonderful movie with a happy ending.