Hot To Trot

Since the Kentucky Derby took place last weekend, I thought it was appropriate to take a look back at one of the finest horse films of all time. I'm not talking about Seabiscuit or The Black Stallion, I'm talking about the 1988 Bobcat Goldthwait vehicle Hot To Trot.

Goldthwait stars as Fred Chaney, a man who has been pushed around his entire life. After his mother passes away, she leaves him half of her brokerage firm and a horse named Don. Don just happens to be a talking horse, voiced by John Candy, and a stock market wiz. Fred uses Don's knowledge and becomes a top broker, angering his stepfather and the other half owner of the firm Walter, Dabney Coleman.

After stealing scenes from Bill Murray, Whoopi Goldberg, and Steve Guttenberg, ok Guttenberg wasn't that tough, it wasn't long before Hollywood found a starring role for Goldthwait. At first Goldthwait turned it down, asking his agent why he would even consider it. His agent said, "Money," something Goldthwait has made fun of in his standup routines.

This was originally a Joan Rivers movie with Elliott Gould as the voice of Don. After that didn't work, they tried to hire Tim Burton to direct. He rejected it immediately. They then brought on Michael Dinner to direct with Goldthwait starring. They kept Gould's voicework, but after it tested poorly, they hired Candy and had Andy Breckman rewrite all of the horses dialogue, which Candy ignored and just ad libbed his own lines.

This film gets dogged on, and it's not a masterpiece, but it still puts a smile on my face. Probably because I'm such a Goldthwait and Candy fan. Coleman is also good as the slimy, bucktoothed villain.

Hot To Trot isn't going to win any awards, but it's still a fun flick.

It's available on dvd via Warner Archive.