Saratoga (Film)
- Clark Gable: Duke Bradley
- Jean Harlow: Carol Clayton
- Lionel Barrymore: Grandpa Clayton
- Walter Pidgeon: Hartley Madison
- Frank Morgan: Jesse Kiffmeyer
- Una Merkel: Fritzi Kiffmeyer
- George Zucco: Dr. Bierd
- Jonathan Hale: Frank Clayton
- Hattie McDaniel: Rosetta
- Cliff Edwards: Tip
- Frankie Darro: Dixie Gordon
- Margaret Hamilton: Maizie
Saratoga is an American comedy film from 1937 by Jack Conway. The main roles were played by Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.
Action
Only reluctantly takes the bookie Duke Bradley to a promissory note to the horse farm of his friend Frank Clayton. But out of love for Frank and his father, he accepts. When Frank dies during an important horse race of a heart attack, the Duke promises just returned from a trip to Europe daughter Carol to forget the promissory note. Her fiance, the millionaire Hartley Madison plans to pay a Duke, but Carol vows to repay the debt themselves before their wedding. To this end, she wants to accompany Duke on his travels from racetrack to racetrack and collaborate. Duke and Carol, who were previously friends, begin to fall in love.
Duke tried to persuade Hartley to bet large sums. Hartley had won a large sum at Duke years ago. Carol has to be exploited to the suspicion of Duke. She promises Hartley, she 'll marry him as soon as her horse has won the big " Saratoga Race ". Hartley sets a high amount on Carol horse at Duke. However, the favorite of the race is a horse of Fritzi Kiffmeyer, an old friend of Duke. The race must be decided by a photo finish. Carol hopes that Kiffmeyers horse wins, because she does not want that Duke is ruined. Kiffmeyers horse is declared a winner. Carol and Duke find each other again.
Background
The film premiered on 23 July 1937 in the United States. While the film was in Austria in 1938 shown in cinemas, he appeared in Germany only on 16 September 1988 in a television premiere of the station ARD.
Worldwide, the film played a 3.3 million U.S. dollars. MGM made the film in Lexington in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and at the Saratoga Race Track, a horse race track in Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, turning.
The title song " Saratoga ", sung by Grace Saxon and the " Four Esquires " comes from Walter Donaldson ( melody ) and Bob Wright and Chet Forrest ( text). These three also composed the song "The Horse with the Dreamy Eyes ". Cliff Edwards, a well-known at the time singer with the stage name " Ukulele Ike" accompanied the song on his ukulele.
For the role of Carol Clayton Carole Lombard was first provided for contractual reasons - they stood at the time at Paramount Pictures under contract - could not participate. Clark Gable and Jean Harlow had already made seven films together, so studio head Louis B. Mayer decided to assign the role to Harlow.
The film is the last one with Jean Harlow. In May 1937, when about 90 % of the movie were filmed, Harlow collapsed on set and died a week later. The remaining scenes were filmed with Mary Dees, which was filmed only from behind. The voice was dubbed by Paula Winslowe. First, Mayer wanted to reshoot the Harlow - scenes with another actress. Actresses like Virginia Bruce or Jean Arthur were considered. But preview screenings with the old scenes had shown that the public would not accept the movie without Jean Harlow.
For the interior of the film attended art director Cedric Gibbons and Set Decorator Edwin B. Willis. Sound engineer Douglas Shearer was.
Reviews
The lexicon of the International film described the film as " entertaining, but conventionally staged comedy. "
Variety described the film as glamorous comedy drama, with one of the best performances of Jean Harlow.