Released in 1988, Hot to Trot is a comedy film that blends humor with an unlikely premise—talking animals. Directed by Michael Dinner and starring Bobcat Goldthwait and a talking horse named Don, the film is an absurdist take on the underdog story, where a young man finds success in the stock market with the help of his equine financial advisor. Despite being a curiosity in the landscape of 80s comedies, Hot to Trot was a box office flop and received negative reviews from critics. This article explores the plot, themes, and impact of Hot to Trot within the context of 1980s film comedy.
Plot Summary
Hot to Trot follows the life of John Candy (Bobcat Goldthwait), an unemployed advertising executive whose life takes an unexpected turn when he inherits a fortune from his late father. John is introduced as a down-and-out young man struggling to make ends meet. He spends his days attending job interviews that end in disappointment and his nights at the track, betting on horses in a desperate bid to turn his luck around. His outlook changes dramatically when he inherits his father’s stock market account, complete with a talking horse named Don.
Don (voiced by John Candy) is no ordinary horse. Don is able to speak and possess advanced knowledge of the stock market, having gained his abilities through a freak accident involving a comet’s tail and a pair of wireless headphones. The film quickly establishes Don as the film’s unique comedic device—an articulate, savvy investor who can read the stock market with impressive accuracy. Don’s character is somewhat of a stereotype, reflecting the 1980s’ fascination with greed and excess in the financial world. His horse demeanor, however, provides endless opportunities for humor, particularly in his deadpan delivery and confusion with human idioms.
John’s initial reaction to Don’s ability to speak is one of disbelief and confusion. However, as Don begins to reveal his insights into the stock market, John begins to trust him. The dynamic between John and Don drives the film’s plot. Don guides John through the ups and downs of the stock market, predicting stock trends and using his equine knowledge to make investments that turn John’s financial fortune around. This relationship provides the film with a unique comedic twist—an animal using business jargon and discussing market analysis with the precision of a Wall Street broker.
As John’s financial success grows, he quickly becomes wealthy and well-known. His new status allows him to move out of his crummy apartment and into a luxurious penthouse. However, his newfound wealth also attracts unwanted attention from opportunistic people who want a piece of his success—namely, his stockbroker, Ozzie MaGaff (played by Dabney Coleman). Ozzie sees John’s rise to wealth as a chance to manipulate him into making disastrous investments, particularly when he realizes John has the guidance of a talking horse.
The film’s plot thickens when Ozzie schemes to take control of John’s stock account by convincing him to make increasingly reckless trades. Don’s warnings and insights are met with skepticism and manipulation from Ozzie, who dismisses Don’s abilities as the rantings of a horse. This conflict between man and beast—one relying on business acumen, the other on animal instinct—provides the film with its central tension. John’s struggle to believe in Don’s abilities, even as he finds himself becoming more reliant on them, is a key theme of the film.
Don’s role extends beyond being a financial advisor; he becomes a true friend to John, offering advice and encouragement in moments of personal doubt. Their relationship is reminiscent of the buddy comedies of the era, where the odd couple pairing—human and animal—becomes the crux of the story. The humor in their dynamic comes from Don’s frequent misunderstandings of human behavior and his frustration with John’s cluelessness about the stock market. For example, when John tries to teach Don about romance, Don mistakes it for a literal understanding of love, leading to a series of absurd misunderstandings and slapstick humor.
The climax of the film occurs when John realizes that his wealth is being used by Ozzie to manipulate the stock market for his own gain. In a final showdown, John must outsmart Ozzie and save his financial portfolio. Don’s role becomes crucial as he must use his knowledge and horse sense to prevent John from making a catastrophic mistake. The resolution is a blend of humor and tension, with John and Don making a desperate attempt to reverse the damage caused by Ozzie’s schemes. The film concludes with a twist ending, reinforcing the bond between John and Don and leaving the audience with a light-hearted message about friendship and believing in the unlikely.
Themes and Social Commentary
Hot to Trot uses its absurd premise to explore themes of friendship, belief, and the pitfalls of wealth. While the film was primarily marketed as a comedy, it also offers a satirical look at the 1980s obsession with financial success and materialism.
- Friendship and Trust: The relationship between John and Don is central to the film’s plot and themes. It explores the idea that friendship can transcend species and social status. John’s initial reluctance to trust Don—due to his skepticism about talking animals—reflects the challenges people face in believing the improbable. Don, for his part, represents an idealized form of friendship, loyal and supportive even when the world around John is increasingly untrustworthy. Their bond underscores the importance of loyalty and the idea that true friendship doesn’t need a shared language or understanding—it just needs faith.
- Wealth and Materialism: Hot to Trot also satirizes the 1980s obsession with wealth and the financial market. The film’s depiction of John’s rise to riches through the stock market is played for laughs, emphasizing the absurdity of seeing financial success as the key to happiness. The film suggests that material wealth can be a distraction from more important aspects of life, such as relationships and personal fulfillment. John’s initial elation over his new wealth is quickly tempered by the manipulations of Ozzie, highlighting the dangers of being too focused on financial gain.
- The Unlikely Hero: In many ways, Hot to Trot is a subversion of the traditional underdog story. John Candy’s character starts as a loser—unemployed, desperate, and down on his luck. His rise to wealth is not due to hard work or cleverness but rather sheer dumb luck, symbolized by Don’s speaking abilities. This reversal of the typical narrative, where the hero must struggle to prove themselves, emphasizes that sometimes success can come from the most unlikely places—such as talking horses.
Impact and Legacy
Hot to Trot was poorly received both by critics and at the box office, largely due to its absurd premise and uneven humor. Despite featuring a talented ensemble cast—including Dabney Coleman, who was known for his comedic work in the 80s—the film’s reliance on visual gags and surreal humor failed to resonate with audiences. It was seen as an attempt to replicate the success of Beethoven and Babe, talking animal movies that resonated with a broader audience.
However, Hot to Trot has found a niche audience over the years and is often remembered for its oddball premise and the unique performance by John Candy. Candy’s portrayal of Don the horse, who is both sarcastic and wise beyond his equine years, provides the film with its most memorable moments. The film’s use of talking animals as a comedic device also reflects a broader trend in 80s and 90s cinema, where anthropomorphized characters were used to explore themes of human nature in fantastical settings.
Conclusion
Hot to Trot may not have been a success in its original release, but it remains a film that exemplifies the creativity and absurdity of 1980s comedy. While it may not have had the lasting impact of other comedies from the era, its willingness to push the boundaries of conventional humor makes it a film worth revisiting. Hot to Trot is an example of a film that tried to be different—using a talking horse to explore financial markets and human relationships—but ultimately struggled to find an audience. As a piece of cinematic history, it serves as a reminder of the risks that filmmakers took during the 80s to create something new and unexpected.
This post has already been read 64 times!
