Bob Goldthwait. A talking horse named Don. John Candy’s voice coming out of an animal’s mouth. If you grew up in the late eighties or caught a weird cable rerun in the nineties, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The Hot to Trot film is one of those cinematic artifacts that feels like it shouldn't exist, yet it does, and it's weirder than you remember.
It’s weird.
Really.
There is a specific kind of 1980s comedy that relied entirely on a high-concept gimmick and a manic lead performance. Hot to Trot takes that formula and turns it into a chaotic sprint through corporate satire and equine advice. It arrived in 1988, a year that gave us masterpieces like Die Hard and Rain Man, but it carved out its own niche in the "so bad it might be good" hall of fame. Honestly, looking back at it now, the movie is a fascinating time capsule of a Hollywood era where literally any pitch could get a multi-million dollar budget if it had a recognizable face from Police Academy.
The Plot That Shouldn't Have Worked (And Barely Does)
Fred P. Chaney, played by Bobcat Goldthwait, is a high-strung guy who inherits a stock brokerage from his late father. Standard stuff, right? But wait. He also inherits a horse named Don. And Don talks. Except, only Fred can hear him.
The horse is voiced by John Candy, who, let’s be real, is the only reason this movie has any soul at all. Don isn't just a horse; he’s a stock market genius. He spends his days giving Fred tips on which companies are going to skyrocket and which are going to tank. It’s a premise that feels like it was written on the back of a cocktail napkin during a very long lunch at Chasen's.
Critics absolutely mauled it. Roger Ebert gave it a half-star, famously calling it "one of the most dismal, painful, agonizing experiences" he'd ever had at the movies. But critics often miss the point of a movie like this. It’s not trying to be The Godfather. It’s trying to be a movie where a horse wears sunglasses and talks about insider trading.
Why the Hot to Trot film struggled at the box office
Timing is everything in comedy. By 1988, the "talking animal" trope was already feeling a bit dusty. Mr. Ed had done it decades prior, and the novelty was wearing thin. The movie also suffered from a troubled production. Originally, it wasn't even John Candy in the booth.
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Did you know that Elliott Gould was originally cast as the voice of Don? He even recorded his lines. But after some test screenings that presumably didn't go well, the producers brought in Candy to re-record everything. You can almost feel that friction in the final cut. The humor is abrasive. Bobcat’s signature screeching voice—which he later admitted was a character he eventually grew to dislike—is at an eleven for the entire ninety-minute runtime. It’s a lot to take in.
The Cast: A Strange Collection of Talent
Beyond Bobcat and the voice of Candy, the supporting cast is actually pretty stacked for a flop. You’ve got Virginia Madsen playing the love interest. She’s an incredible actress who would later go on to do Candyman and get an Oscar nod for Sideways. Seeing her navigate a scene where Bobcat is arguing with a horse is genuinely surreal.
Then there’s Dabney Coleman.
He plays the villain, Walter Sawyer. Coleman was the king of playing the "jerk boss" in the 80s, from 9 to 5 to WarGames. In the Hot to Trot film, he’s doing his classic routine, and honestly, he’s great at it. He brings a level of professional grumpiness that grounds the movie just enough so it doesn't float away into total madness.
The film also features:
- Tim Kazurinsky (another Police Academy alum)
- Mary Pat Gleason
- Gilbert Gottfried (in a small but predictably loud role)
It’s a lineup that screams "comedy club green room in 1987."
Why We Still Talk About It (Sorta)
Why does this movie keep popping up in "bad movie" podcasts and retrospectives? Part of it is the sheer audacity of the concept. But mostly, it’s about Bobcat Goldthwait’s career arc.
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Bobcat eventually moved away from the "crazy guy" persona and became one of the most interesting indie directors in the business. When you watch World's Greatest Dad or God Bless America, it's hard to believe the same guy was once starring in a movie about a horse that understands the Dow Jones Industrial Average. He has been very vocal over the years about his disdain for the film. He once joked that the movie was a "punishment" for his fans.
That honesty is refreshing. Most actors will try to spin their flops as "misunderstood gems." Bobcat just says it was bad.
But is it actually unwatchable?
If you like "weird" cinema, no. It’s a riot of bad choices. The animatronics used to make the horse "talk" are both impressive for the time and deeply unsettling. There’s a certain uncanny valley effect happening when Don’s lips move. It doesn't look like a talking horse; it looks like a horse having a neurological event.
Visual Style and 80s Excess
The Hot to Trot film is drenched in 1980s aesthetics. The suits are too big. The hair is too high. The offices are filled with clunky CRT monitors and dot-matrix printers. It captures that specific "greed is good" era of Wall Street through a distorted, cartoonish lens.
Director Richard Benjamin, who had previously directed My Favorite Year, seems to be trying to find a balance between slapstick and satire. It doesn't always land, but the effort is visible. The cinematography is bright and flat, typical of comedies from that decade, making it feel like a very expensive sitcom episode.
One thing that stands out is the physical comedy. Bobcat is a physical performer. He flails. He falls. He vibrates with anxiety. If you don't find his specific brand of energy funny, this movie will be a long slog. But if you have a soft spot for the chaotic energy of late-night 80s TV, there’s a weird comfort in it.
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The Legacy of Don the Horse
There’s an old Hollywood saying: "Never work with children or animals." This movie proves why. The production reportedly went through several horses to find one that could handle the demands of the "acting" required.
The movie basically ended the "talking horse" genre for a long time. It wasn't until the advent of high-end CGI that we saw animals talking on screen again in a big way, like in Babe or Dr. Dolittle. But those movies had a sweetness to them. Hot to Trot is cynical. It’s about money, betrayal, and a horse that’s kinda a jerk.
A Note on the Soundtrack
You can't talk about an 80s movie without mentioning the music. The score is exactly what you’d expect—lots of synthesizers and upbeat brass. It’s designed to tell you "this is funny!" even when the script isn't doing the heavy lifting. It’s a fascinating look at how sound was used to drive comedy during that period.
Actionable Takeaways for Cinephiles
If you’re planning on hunting down the Hot to Trot film for a "bad movie night," here is how to get the most out of it:
- Watch the credits: Look at the names involved. It’s a "who’s who" of people who would go on to do much better things.
- Compare it to Bobcat’s later work: If you’ve seen his directorial efforts, watching this is a masterclass in how an artist can completely reinvent themselves.
- Focus on John Candy: Even in a role where he’s just a voice, Candy’s timing is impeccable. He tries so hard to make the material work.
- Look for the 80s tech: The stock market scenes are a hilarious reminder of how far technology has come.
The movie is currently available on various streaming platforms and often shows up on digital rental stores for a couple of bucks. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a piece of history. It represents a moment when Hollywood was willing to take a massive swing on a bizarre idea just to see if it would stick. Most of the time, those swings resulted in a strikeout, but the replays are always worth watching.
To truly understand the era of 80s high-concept comedy, you have to watch the failures as well as the hits. This film is a loud, sweaty, equine-filled failure that remains strangely unforgettable.
Next Steps for Your Movie Night
If you're diving into this specific era of Bobcat Goldthwait, your next move should be watching his 1991 directorial debut Shakes the Clown. It’s a cult classic that shows the darker, more brilliant side of the man who once spent a summer talking to a horse. Alternatively, seek out the "Police Academy" sequels to see how this brand of slapstick evolved (or devolved) over the decade.