The Gay Dog

A miner named Jim Gay, Wilfred Pickles, owns a greyhound with a remarkable run at Rodney Park—the speedy “Raving Beauty.” Even though the dog dominates the local races, Gay’s winnings are modest, so he crafts a plan to nudge the starting odds in a more profitable direction. With the help of his fellow miner and friend, Peter Nightingale, John Blythe, they stage a ruse—pretending that Raving Beauty is ill—to spark rumors that ripple through the town and betting rings.

Their scheming leads them to the vicar, Cyril Raymond, who is looking after his brother’s greyhound, Prince of Erin, the rival they’ll face on race day. Peter digs deeper into Prince of Erin’s pedigree and performance, and his investigation draws him closer to Peggy Gowland, Margaret Barton, the vicar’s daughter. Peter learns that Prince of Erin has solid form from Shelbourne Park and carries bloodlines tied to Mick the Miller, making the other dog a formidable competitor.

Armed with this insider knowledge, Jim and Peter tell the local crowd that Raving Beauty is in fine shape, knowing Prince of Erin is likely to win and hoping for a better starting price. The plan is a gamble that blends luck with calculated information, and the town adjusts its bets accordingly, while Jim’s mind stays focused on the payoff.

Meanwhile, Jim’s daughter Sally, Petula Clark, attends the Women’s Institute to dodge Peter, who is pressing his suit. At the Institute, she meets a final-year medical student who is delivering a first-aid lecture, and a spark forms between them, complicating the entangled web of affections around the characters.

Race day arrives with tension and expectation. Jim and Peter place a bet on Prince of Erin at 7-1, while the local crowd sticks with Raving Beauty at 1-1 odds. Both dogs perform admirably, but Prince of Erin pulls ahead to win. The revelatory moment leaves the community realizing Jim and Peter knew more than they admitted, and Jim ends up with a bruised eye as a price for the deception. Yet the winnings prove substantial enough to secure a taxi ride home, donate to the vicar’s charities, and reimburse four family members their stakes.

In the aftermath, Peter offers to be Sally’s best man for her wedding and leaves with Peggy Gowland. The film closes with Jim and Maggie Gay, Megs Jenkins, heading to Blackpool in a new motor car, Jim riding in the back beside Raving Beauty. A light subplot threads through the finale as Jim’s daughter and the vicar’s son become engaged to be married, adding a gentle note of hopeful continuity to the tale.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:34