20. Hot Saturday (1932)
A young banker Ruth Brock (Nancy Carroll) is a fun-loving woman who likes to have fun and flirt with the men around town. She is the object of many of their affections, she receives invitations from several of them at her job. One such man is the rich playboy Romer Sheffield (Cary Grant), who although has a woman living with him, is smitten with Ruth.
At the bank, Romer tries to get Ruth to go out with him, when she rebukes his advances, she agrees instead to go on date with fellow banker Connie Billop (Edward Woods) on Saturday. Romer becomes aware of this and invites Ruth and Connie along with Connie’s crew to his mansion with free food and booze with the hidden intention of wooing Ruth.
When Connie arrives at the party, Romer gets Ruth way from Connie and the two spend the day together by walking around the lake. Connie finally catches up with Ruth and takes her on a nighttime boat ride, when she turns down Connie’s advances, she leaves him on the shore and runs to Romer’s home. While there, we learn that Romer is not the playboy he is made out to be but a thoughtful, and caring person.
The next morning, out of spite Connie spreads a rumor about Ruth that becomes the talk of the town. Ruth, heartbroken that everyone believes the lie, runs into the arms of the dashing Bill Fadden (Randolph Scott). Will he ignore the rumors and except Ruth for who she is, or will she end up with Romer?
Hot Saturday is a really interesting look at the power of words and how they can affect a person. Ruth’s reputation takes a hit, but what is more shocking is how not only her friends, but her family accept this as fact without any evidence. The film seems more relevant today as well because of the toxic climate we find ourselves in currently.
Nancy Carroll is great in the lead role of Ruth. She is flighty and flirty at first but becomes heart broken and resilient towards the end. She anchors the film with humor, charm and a healthy dose of defiance. Cary Grant makes his 6th film appearance and he really starts to own the screen in this film. He plays Romer as the cocksure playboy he is, but pulls the layers back to reveal a misunderstood hopeless romantic.
Grade: B+
Hot Saturday Video Quality
Hot Saturday takes a lovely stroll along the beach with a really well-done video transfer. The image is clean and almost free of scratches and distortion. They do exist put do not hinder the viewing experience. I own this film on Universal’s MOD Vault Series and this new transfer is leaps and bounds better.
Grade: B+
Hot Saturday Audio Quality
Hot Saturday parties down with a solid audio track. The film was released in 1932 and the limitations on the disc have more to do with the era than the actual disc. Having said that, the film is clear from noise pops and scratches with dialogue crystal clear. I enjoy the film more now because the sound quality is that much better.
Grade: A
Hot Saturday Bonus Features
Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Lee Gambin: A really fun and informative commentary track, Gambin keeps momentum throughout with only a few quiet moments. One of my biggest pet-peeves on older films is a lot of times the commentary track is dry and although informative tend to be on the boring side, not so on Gambin’s.
Theatrical Trailer
The slipcover is also reversible!
Grade: B+
Hot Saturday is a good, pre-code Hollywood melodrama. With star turning performaces by Nancy Carroll, Cary Grant and Randolph Scott, it is a must own for fans of Golden Age Hollywood.
Overall: A-