Getting Off At Saratoga

I just caught Saratoga, a 1937 comedy-drama from Clark Gable and Jean Harlow, notable for being her last film. In fact, she died--only 26--during production and some of her scenes were shot with a double.  MGM was going to reshoot the entire film with another actress, but Harlow's fans demanded to see her final appearance.  Here's Jean mostly not appearing in her own film:



The plot has a successful bookie, Gable, trying to set up a rich sucker, Walter Pidgeon.  Harlow, engaged to Pidgeon, is onto Gable.  There's a lot of horse racing, and other MGM names like Lionel Barrymore and Frank Morgan, as well as old reliable (if rarely inspired) director Jack Conway. But the whole thing adds up to very little.

The main trouble is the script.  A fast-talking bookie is a good role for Gable, but the love story between him and Harlow (yes, they get together--wasn't that obvious?) is ridiculous.  She's supposed to be falling for Gable's charm--which is pretty easy when the competition is stuffy Pidgeon--but she keeps turning on a dime, now loving him, now loathing him.  And Gable's plan doesn't make too much sense. He's going to make enough money with a final killing against Pidgeon so he can quit and be with Harlow, but it's the very no-nonsense all-business side of him that's turning her off, and he knows it.

Gable and Harlow made several films together, and were a good team. Too bad they had to bow out with Saratoga. (I suppose it has some fans, but that's what makes horse races.)