William A. Seiter directed Hot Saturday, a Pre-Code movie, starring Nancy Carroll, Cary Grant, in his first lead role, and Randolph Scott.
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Based on the novel “Hot Saturday” by Harvey Fergusson, the film centers on a young bank clerk, Ruth Brock (Nancy Carroll), who attracts the men’s attention in the small town of Marysville.
Rich playboy Romer Sheffield (Cary Grant) is one of them, scandalizing the town because he has already a woman Camille (Rita La Roy) at his mansion.
Ruth agrees to go on a date on Saturday with fellow employee Conny Billup (Edward Woods). Conny gets Ruth alone on a nighttime boat ride, but she jumps ashore to avoid his unwanted pawing of her. Out of spite, he leaves her behind.
Conny eventually finds her there, but she does not want to see him, and Romer makes him drive away without her. Romer sends Ruth home in his chauffeured car; she is seen arriving home early in the morning by Eva Randolph (Lilian Bond), the daughter of a bank executive.
Ruth is pleasantly surprised to find childhood friend and geologist Bill Fadden (Randolph Scott) in the kitchen. He has returned to do some surveying after seven years away. Bill makes it clear he is in love with her.
When Eva questions Conny about what happened the night before, he lies. The lies quickly spread, and soon the local gossips distort the story so much that everybody thinks that Ruth and Romer are having an affair.
After quarreling with her mother (Jane Darwell), Ruth flees to Bill’s campsite. Caught in a rainstorm, she faints outside Bill’s shelter. When she does regain consciousness, they become engaged, though she does not tell him about the rumors.
Bill hears the vicious gossip and breaks off the engagement. The next morning, when Bill has second thoughts, Ruth informs him that she did spend the night with Romer, and that they plan to marry in New York.
Cast
Nancy Carroll as Ruth Brock
Cary Grant as Romer Sheffield
Randolph Scott as Bill Fadden
Edward Woods as Conny Billop
Lilian Bond as Eva Randolph
William Collier, Sr. as Harry Brock, Ruth’s father
Jane Darwell as Mrs Ida Brock
Stanley Smith as Joe
Rita La Roy as Camille
Rose Coghlan as Annie Brock
Credits:
Directed by William A. Seiter
Screenplay by Josephine Lovett, Joseph Moncure March, Seton I. Miller, based on Hot Saturday 1926 novel by Harvey Fergusson
Produced by William LeBaron
Cinematography Arthur L. Todd
Music by John Leipold
Production company: Paramount Pictures
Distributed by Paramount
Release date: October 28, 1932
Running time: 72 minutes