Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Hot Saturday Blu-ray Movie Review

A fun and charming classic starring Cary Grant.

Hot Saturday is an entertaining and charming pre-code era Hollywood film. Adapted from the novel by Harvey Fergusson, Hot Saturday is produced by William LeBaron (Lovin’ the Ladies, It’s the Old Army Game). Starring Cary Grant, Nancy Carroll, and Randolph Scott, Hot Saturday is a perfect matinee antidote for a Saturday afternoon at home.

Romer Sheffield (Cary Grant) hosts a summer party at his luxurious lake house estate. When the young and beautiful Ruth Brock (Nancy Carroll) attends the party, the after-effect is a rumor swirls about the girl bedding Romer while at the lake house. As Ruth is now being whispered about as a “bad girl” she becomes the center of scandal, with the small-town community feeling she is nothing more than a seductress gold digger. Now Ruth is faced with the most difficult decision of her life to date. Can overcoming her vixen image be possible or should Ruth learn to live up to it?

The performances make the film special. The central leads are both wonderfully cast opposite each other and there is a real sense of chemistry between the performers on screen. Cary Grant is a Hollywood legend and Nancy Carroll is impeccable in her supporting role. The two actors have enormous fun together and it is clear that the actors were both perfectly cast for the feature production. There is a wonderful dynamic between Grant and Carroll and it carries the film.

The production has excellent costumes by Eugene Joseff (Gone with the Wind, Camille). There were many wonderful costumes featured throughout the film. Both Grant and Carroll are well dressed to impress. The costumes fit the characters and the time-period of the film. The effort by Joseff is well appreciated. Outstanding.

"Hot Saturday, indeed!"

The cinematography by Arthur L. Todd (Naughty But Nice, I’ve Got Your Number) is one of the most beautiful and romantic elements of the film. The cinematography provides the story with a great aesthetic that showcases the evocative beauty of the black and white visuals. Todd brings the storytelling forward with a cinematographic touch that fits the tone of the material perfectly.

The score composed by John Leipold (The Big Wheel, Massacre River) adds a sense of whimsy and fun to the production. The music certainly feels well suited to the production and provides the filmmaking the right ingredients for a fun classic. Leipold crafted some excellent music for the film and added to the production in all the right ways.

The screenplay by Seton I. Miller (The Adventures of Robin Hood, Here Comes Mr. Jordan) is entertaining and creative. The script finds a good tonal balance between the dramatic and comedic elements of the story. There is a good foundation for the story and the characters are well fleshed out and given good depth. The dialogue is well written.

Directed by William A. Seiter (Belle of the Yukon, The Cheerful Fraud), Hot Saturday is quite the fun surprise. The director capably brings the story to life. Seiter brings forth superb performances and manages to showcase the unique strengths of both Grant and Carroll. The filmmaking style is truly excellent and never dull. A worthwhile classic.

Hot Saturday Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Hot Saturday is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The release is impressive on the whole. The print is crisp and engaging. Though the release does showcase some print damage, the occasional marks on the print are fleeting. There are thin scratches on occasion but nothing too detrimental (such as burn marks or telecine wobble). The excellent scan has good detail and is certainly worthwhile. Not a top-tier restoration for a classic but certainly an enjoyable presentation, nonetheless.

Hot Saturday Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. The lossless audio is excellent and is a good component of the release. Dialogue remains surprisingly crisp during the presentation. Though fidelity is somewhat aged, the audio track is still surprisingly robust and clean sounding (without too much in the way of audio damage such as hiss, crackle, and warps). A solid audio encoding by Kino.

Hot Saturday Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Author/Film Historian Lee Gambin

The Eagle and the Hawk – Trailer (SD, 1:40)

I'm No Angel – Trailer (SD, 1:58)

Supernatural – Trailer (SD, 2:04)

Pittsburgh – Trailer (SD, 2:05)

Hot Saturday Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Hot Saturday is an entertaining gem. The filmmaking is fun and whimsical. There is charm on display with the performances by Cary Grant and Nancy Carroll. Hot Saturday is a suave classic: one that audiences should consider watching on a breezy Saturday. The Blu-ray release includes a solid video presentation and lossless audio. Another solid release from distributor Kino Lorber. Recommended.