Salty O'Rourke

7/23/2025

The suit he wears and the part he plays are just too big for a lacklustre Alan Ladd in this caper, but it is rescued to an extent by a lively effort from Stanley Clements as his wide-boy jockey “Johnny”. “Salty” (Ladd) is in hock to his bookie “Baxter” (Bruce Cabot) for twenty big ones, and with only thirty days to settle up, he’s in desperate straits. He does, however, have an horse and a best pal/trainer “Smitty” (William Demarest) and so all he needs is a light-weight lad to steer their way across the winning line. Initially, the already banned young “Johnny” is up for the task - he likes the sound of the $13,000 he will get for winning, but he’s a recalcitrant kid who rebels by nature. That comes to an head when they tell him he has to go to school. He hates that idea, sasses the teach