This film is famous for being known as the film Jean Harlow was working on when she died suddenly, and was replaced for long shots, back of head shots and side shots by a stand-in. The material they have of Harlow is wonderful, but sadly, it noticeably changes 3/4 way through the film.
The story is about an American girl (Harlow) coming back from Europe with a hoity toity British accent (like Ginger Rogers did in several films) engaged to race track enthusiast Walter Pidgeon but slowly falling in love with bookie Clark Gable whom she initially can't stand. Gable held a note from her late father (Otto Kruger) for gambling debts, so Harlow initially resents him. But Gable & Harlow are TNT, and Pidgeon, here in the unfortunate Ralph Bellamy role, can't win. Frank Morgan plays "Harriet Hale", the cold-cream queen, whose wife (Una Merkel) is a flirtatious "old acquaintance" of Gable's. He begins to think there's hanky panky going on between the two & conspires with Harlow against Gable at the racetrack.
The major highlight is "The Horse with the Dreamy Eyes", a song started by Cliff "Ukeilele Ike" Edwards on the train ride to Saratoga that soon gets everybody singing. The biggest surprise is how the passengers urge black maid Hattie McDaniels to sing a verse, and she lights up with those rolling eyes as she warbles. Having sung the year before in "Show Boat", she was known for her singing talent, but this is her in modern times practically an equal long before civil rights came along. McDaniels may be playing a maid, but its obvious that she is doing it on HER terms. Her heart glows through those eyes, making her a total scene-stealer in this film. Also worth mentioning is the scene where future "Wizard" and future "Witch" Frank Morgan and Margaret Hamilton meet with Merkel and Gable. While they had worked together in an RKO film called "By Your Leave", they did not appear together in "The Wizard of Oz", so this being easier to find than "By Your Leave", it is a delight to see them together in a very funny scene. I found Lionel Barrymore's performance to be a bit overacted as Harlow's grandfather.
Sadly, "Saratoga" shows a slight weakness towards the end as Harlow is obviously replaced by her stand-in. Only the back of her head is shown, and the voice meant to sound like her is a pale imitation. It isn't the fault of the actress, simply unfortunate circumstances. The scene where Harlow starts coughing profusely in character is really an unfortunate moment considering what would happen only a few months later.
The story is about an American girl (Harlow) coming back from Europe with a hoity toity British accent (like Ginger Rogers did in several films) engaged to race track enthusiast Walter Pidgeon but slowly falling in love with bookie Clark Gable whom she initially can't stand. Gable held a note from her late father (Otto Kruger) for gambling debts, so Harlow initially resents him. But Gable & Harlow are TNT, and Pidgeon, here in the unfortunate Ralph Bellamy role, can't win. Frank Morgan plays "Harriet Hale", the cold-cream queen, whose wife (Una Merkel) is a flirtatious "old acquaintance" of Gable's. He begins to think there's hanky panky going on between the two & conspires with Harlow against Gable at the racetrack.
The major highlight is "The Horse with the Dreamy Eyes", a song started by Cliff "Ukeilele Ike" Edwards on the train ride to Saratoga that soon gets everybody singing. The biggest surprise is how the passengers urge black maid Hattie McDaniels to sing a verse, and she lights up with those rolling eyes as she warbles. Having sung the year before in "Show Boat", she was known for her singing talent, but this is her in modern times practically an equal long before civil rights came along. McDaniels may be playing a maid, but its obvious that she is doing it on HER terms. Her heart glows through those eyes, making her a total scene-stealer in this film. Also worth mentioning is the scene where future "Wizard" and future "Witch" Frank Morgan and Margaret Hamilton meet with Merkel and Gable. While they had worked together in an RKO film called "By Your Leave", they did not appear together in "The Wizard of Oz", so this being easier to find than "By Your Leave", it is a delight to see them together in a very funny scene. I found Lionel Barrymore's performance to be a bit overacted as Harlow's grandfather.
Sadly, "Saratoga" shows a slight weakness towards the end as Harlow is obviously replaced by her stand-in. Only the back of her head is shown, and the voice meant to sound like her is a pale imitation. It isn't the fault of the actress, simply unfortunate circumstances. The scene where Harlow starts coughing profusely in character is really an unfortunate moment considering what would happen only a few months later.