First time viewers of Thoroughbreds Don't Cry may be surprised to discover that Judy Garland is hardly the star of the movie -- indeed, she's not too much more than a featured supporting player. But that's of little matter -- she does enough with that role, and the screen time that she does have to hold her own with Mickey Rooney, and the chemistry between them is there, albeit in embryonic form. Alfred E. Green brings the same mix of energy and sincerity to this movie that he later brought to The Jackie Robinson Story, only with great force and potency, and with a good script -- Mickey Rooney gets a very juicy part and runs with it for all it's worth -- the picture is pretty engrossing on its own terms. The character relationships are interesting, the portrayals are very good, and the fact that this was the first pairing of Rooney and Garland in the same picture is almost incidental to its appeal. Sir C. Aubrey Smith and Ronald Sinclair play key roles that are just as important as either of their parts, as does Sophie Tucker in a meaty role as a boarding house owner. Between the lively horse-racing background and the charismatic players, this remains one of the most enjoyable of MGM's mid-1930's vehicles. Additionally, Garland -- then all of 14 years old -- is so charming, that the movie is worth seeing just for her. And the movie offers a glimpse of Ronald Sinclair, a child actor who didn't quite make it to major stardom, in one of his more pleasing and well-written roles.