It is a performances centric movie

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Broadway Bill is Frank Capra's forgotten follow up to It Happened One Night, likely due to the film being out of circulation until the 1990's and what a shame too. Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy are not romantic leads as she is his sister in law but both of them have great admiration for each other with Dan Brooks (Baxter) referring to her affectionately as The Princess and Loy clearly in love with the man and holding the same ideals as him but unable to go any further due to family ties; I find this dynamic is more interesting than a standard romance. Capra originally wanted Clark Gable in the lead role but had to settle with Warner Baxter who at least seems to be the next best thing as he holds much of the same rugged, footloose appeal of Gable.Broadway Bill features many of the same Capra-isms as seen in his other films. The small town of Higginsvillie being run by business mogul J.L Higggins played by Walter Connolly is a much more light hearted version of Mr Potter from It's a Wonderful Life. He is in control of his entire family who run his individual enterprises and even their own national bank as visualised in a gag in which the entire Higgin's family proceed to eat dinner in perfect unison. They're not the Rothchilds but they're wealthy and powerful ("Higgins, that's not a family, that's a disease"). Yet at the end of the film J.L. gets rid of his businesses or as he puts it, gives back institutions to the people who founded them. Like the Sycamore family in You Can't Take It With You, Dan Brooks want to leave behind his life of work in favour of leisure and enjoyment, ideals comparable to the counter cultures of the 1960's. After all what could be more dull than running a paper box company? Unless you're Seymour Skinner.One of the most pivotal scenes in Broadway Bill involves one of the richest men in the world, J.P. Chase putting a $2 bet on Broadway Bill at 100/1 as a means to pass time will in hospital. When word gets out it spreads like wild fire and the claims of what the amount of money he placed on the best become exaggerated from $2 to $20,000 to $50,000 all the way up to a quarter million. Simple message - don't believe everything you hear.I love Broadway Bill for its simple cheerful Innocence. This is one of several films which has managed to tug my heart strings over the fate of a horse. One plot element even involves the horse Broadway Bill refusing to race because he doesn't have his pet chicken called skeeter. You wouldn't find this kind of innocence today in a film which is supposedly made for adults.

Frank Capra, who gave us so many well known films, such as "It Happened One Night," "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," and "It's a Wonderful Life," also gave us the lesser known "Broadway Bill" in 1934. The movie was remade later as "Riding High" with Bing Crosby, though it is not a favorite of Frank Capra.The story concerns Dan Brooks (Warner Baxter), married to a wealthy woman and working for her father (Walter Connelly). Dan is miserable. He walks away from the job and his wife, who refuses to accompany him, to pursue his dream of working in the racing industry. He gets behind a horse named "Broadway Bill." Bill is super-fast, but even with everything stacked against the horse, Dan knows he can win.Myrna Loy costars as Dan's sister-in-law, who believes in what he's doing and is secretly in love with him."Broadway Bill" is a sentimental film, with some satisfying moments. However, I have to admit I'm not crazy about the racing footage - I believe wire was used to trip the horses, which is disturbing.Not Capra's best, but not bad either if you can stomach accidents with horses.

"Broadway Bill" is one of Frank Capra's lesser known gems. Made in 1934 and starring Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy, it is the story of a man who is willing to walk away from a life of wealth to follow his dream. In many ways it is the typical Capra film.Adapted from a story by Mark Hellinger, "Broadway Bill" has all of the feel and characters one might expect from a Damon Runyon tale. Baxter as the owner of Broadway Bill and Loy as his sister-in-law, who is also in love with him are first rate. As are Walter Connolly, Clarence Muse, and especially Raymond Walburn, who walks off with the best role.Dated and a little sappy, but full of good cheer from start to finish."Broadway Bill" is a good bet.8 out of 10

This movie is a pleasure, from start to finish. The supporting cast is a pleasure, Warner Baxter gives a fine performance and Myrna Loy made this movie just before she played Nora Charles in THE THIN MAN -- Capra figured out how to direct her and MGM reaped the benefit.