Tonight's Movie: Saratoga (1937) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The frequent '30s screen team of Clark Gable and Jean Harlow reunited for a final time in SARATOGA (1937), just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

The making of the film was interrupted by real-life tragedy. Harlow was unwell during the filming, and looks it onscreen, including dark shadows under her eyes in some scenes; she would pass away in June 1937, only 26 years old.

MGM decided to complete Harlow's final scenes with the use of physical and vocal doubles; the doubling is quite obvious in the last section of the film, making the movie something of a sad curiosity. It was released only a month and a half after Harlow's death.

The film concerns bookie Duke Bradley (Gable) whose friend Frank Clayton (Jonathan Hale) gives him the deed to his horse farm in payment for gambling debts.

Clayton knows he has a "bad ticker" and isn't long for this world but is reassured his daughter Carol (Harlow) will be well provided for thanks to her impending marriage to wealthy Hartley Madison (Walter Pidgeon).

While viewers can follow the lead love triangle, the script by Anita Loos and Robert Hopkins focuses far too much of its time on boring topics such as gambling and horses; it's a bit challenging keeping up with all the horse-related machinations, which in the end don't matter all that much anyway.

There was potential in the story, but the script badly needed some reworking. And needless to say, even if the studio recognized the need for improvements, the production was overtaken by real-world events.

The characters spark to life only occasionally. A friendly dining car conversation between Gable and Una Merkel late in the film is one such moment, and Harlow trying to explain away a smoking cigar Gable has left behind in her bedroom to Pidgeon is another.

Pidgeon is quite engaging in his care and concern for Harlow's Carol. One of the film's issues is that while the charismatic Gable was "King," Pidgeon really shines here in a much more appealing performance. One wonders if Carol switching her affections to the relatively unstable Duke gave her the better end of the deal. Gable and Pidgeon, incidentally, reunited the following year in TOO HOT TO HANDLE (1938).

In the end, despite an excellent cast the film itself is only moderately entertaining, with a desultory 92-minute pace. Several minutes could have been saved by deleting a musical number on a train, "The Horse With the Dreamy Eyes," which seems to be trying to emulate the "Man on the Flying Trapeze" bus scene from Gable's IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934); it's cute, but it also slows down an overlong film.

Returning to the subject of Jean Harlow, it's frankly a bit uncomfortable for classic film fans to watch SARATOGA, as much of the plot is focused on Carol's health, and Harlow looks genuinely ill. The camera often stays with medium shots, avoiding many close-ups.

There's one scene in particular where she disembarks from a train (seen here) and looks bloated and puffy. Carol gets "loud" at times, yelling at Duke, but Harlow's performance for the most part lacks genuine energy, which is not surprising if one reads about the course of her health during that time period.

In the last third of the film "Carol's" face is hidden as the character is filmed from the back, hidden behind binoculars, and under a large picture hat. There's a particularly notable party sequence with a double shot from the back indoors intercut with Harlow appearing in scenes filmed on a patio.

I'm glad for film history's sake that the movie was released, but it's more of a sad historical footnote than a truly entertaining film. I've seen all but one of Gable and Harlow's films, and SARATOGA is a comparative disappointment. Gable and Harlow completists will want this very nice Blu-ray print, but don't expect a crackling film along the lines of RED DUST (1932) or HOLD YOUR MAN (1933).

The supporting cast includes Lionel Barrymore (sporting unusual makeup and hair), Frank Morgan, Hattie McDaniel, Cliff Edwards, Margaret Hamilton, Frankie Darro, Henry Stone, and George Chandler.

Dennis O'Keefe, whose career was encouraged by Gable, has a couple of lines dancing at the party late in the movie.

SARATOGA was directed by Jack Conway and filmed by Ray June and the uncredited John F. Seitz. The costume designer was Dolly Tree.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray print looks and sounds good, nicely showing off the film's crisp black and white photography.

Disc extras consist of the trailer and the short subject THE ROMANCE OF CELLULOID (1937). The unusual trailer is worth a look, as actor Lewis Stone addresses the audience and discusses MGM's decision to complete and release SARATOGA in response to popular demand.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Amazon Warner Archive Collection Store, Movie Zyng, or from any online retailers were Blu-rays are sold.

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