"My Old Man" is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway, published in his 1923 book Three Stories and Ten Poems, which published by a small Paris imprint. The story was also included in his next collection of stories, In Our Time, published in New York in 1925 by Boni & Liveright. The story tells of a boy named Joe whose father is a steeplechase jockey, and is narrated from Joe's point-of-view. "My Old Man" was written in 1922. As one of Hemingway's earliest stories, it is generally regarded by critics as juvenilia, along with "Up in Michigan", also published in Three Stories and Ten Poems. Critical attention focuses chiefly on three issues: Sherwood Anderson's influence, the story's narrative structure, and the question of whether Joe's father is moral or immoral.
Adaptations (2)
My Old Man has been adapted 2 times, across film and television film, from 1950 to 1979.
Under My Skin1950 · film · 86 min · dir. Jean Negulesco · IMDb ↗IMDb6.5After defying a gangster in Italy, American jockey Danny Arnold flees race-fixing accusations and escapes to Paris with his son. There, he learns that his old friend has been murdered and finds work through British jockey George Gardner. Despite his son’s hopes, Danny compromises his integrity by winning money on a fixed race.
My Old Man1979 · television film · 100 min · dir. John Erman · IMDb ↗IMDb5.9An unlucky horse trainer, Frank Butler, wins big at the track and buys his 16-year old daughter a horse to salvage their relationship. When Frank is hurt prior to the opening race, Jo must go it alone.
