Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

boblipton Oh you kid! But which one? When Clara Bow and Jean Arthur are sisters and Jean Harlow has a small role, it's hard to make up your mind which is the Saturday Night Kid for you.At least we can be sure it's not Edna May Oliver in her first talkie role. In this remake of 1926's LOVE THEM AND LEAVE THEM. Miss Bow and Miss Arthur are sisters who share a room in a boarding house . They're both sweet on fellow lodger James Hall -- who thinks of Clara as his girl -- and they all work at the same department store. When Miss Arthur, who is the pet of the store's formidable Miss Oliver, winds up in charge of the employees' welfare fund, she not only blows it on the horses, she makes a play for Mr. Hall and blames the loss on her sister.There are a lot of problems with this movie. Overlay a nasal dem-dese-dose accent on Miss Arthur's squeaks, and you've got something very annoying; Miss Bow had been stress eating and was a few pounds over zoftig here, and the film was edited down to 64 minutes, so short that a lot of plot points are left hanging. B.P. Schulberg had been complaining for some time that Miss Bow needed better vehicles. Despite a formidable cohort, this was not it for the It Girl.

Jay Raskin Clara Bow and Jean Arthur both started starring in movies around 1924. Bow was 19 and Arthur was 24. In 1927, Bow reached super-stardom as the "It" girl in "It" and playing in first Academy Award Winning movie "Wings." So, now two years later you have superstar Bow, age 24 and star Arthur age 29 playing sisters.Oddly, Arthur seems to be playing the younger sister. In the opening scene, Bow brazenly pulls up Arthur's dress and reveals Arthur's underwear for the camera. She accuses her sister of stealing her "step-ins". It establishes Clara as the dominant personality.Later, there's a wonderful scene where both are in their underwear about to go to bed. Arthur has just stolen Bow's boyfriend. Bow prays, while Arthur hops into bed. She moans innocently, "I can't help it if he like me more than you." Bow snaps back, "Shut up, I'm saying my prayers." Bow is strong and gives a great performance, but its Arthur with a thin, almost squeaky, voice who steals every scene.The movie moves briskly with nice scenes in a department store, on the street and on an apartment porch beneath what could be the Brooklyn Bridge.Nice comic support is given by Edna Mae Oliver who plays a store manager putting on a pageant for Goldberg's, the store where the sisters work. In the play that she puts on, she casts Arthur as virtue and Bow as pleasure to show the triumph of virtue over pleasure. This is ironic as in the movie, they are playing the opposite roles.Charles Sellon, the unforgettable Mr. Muckle in W.C. Fields "Its a Gift," also gives a great performance. He's gambler-neighbor who cons Arthur to give him money by reassuring her, "With me its not a gamble, but an investment." Bow would go on to make eight more films over the next four years and then quit movies forever in 1933 at the age of 28. On the other hand, Jean Arthur continued starring for twenty more years in classics like "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington".Some people will be disappointed because the film is pretty light weight. It is barely over an hour and basically climaxes just when it is getting most interesting. Still, watching Bow at the top of her game and Arthur rising to match her is delightful.

kidboots Even though "Love 'em and Leave 'em" had been a Louise Brooks vehicle in 1926, that didn't stop Paramount from lifting the plot and refashioning it into "The Saturday Night Kid" for Clara Bow in 1929. As Clara often said she was given "any old story that was fished out of a rubbish bin"!!! To add personal insult to injury, Edward Sutherland was assigned to direct it. Louise Brooks, who was married to Sutherland, wrote that Sutherland always excluded Bow from parties and gatherings - he didn't think Bow was of their "class" - even though Brooks begged him to invite Clara.Mayme (Clara Bow) and Janie (Jean Arthur) are sisters - they both work at Ginsbergs' Department Store - but while Mayme is in love with dependable Bill (James Hall), Janie is on the look out for money. "Poor kid, she doesn't know what it's all about" worries Mayme, then when they see her driving past in a flashy car Bill quips "I'd hate to see her when she wises up"!! From the first scene Janie shows she is not to be trusted - borrowing Mayme's "step ins" and perfume - she is also not above betting heavily on the races. Jean Arthur steals the movie "on a red hot platter". Her's is the only role with any get up and go and her husky voice is very pleasing. Janie does her best to drive a wedge between the cute couple and at a rooftop party, Mayme gets fed up - "I'm just a Saturday Night Kid, the love 'em and leave 'em kind" - I thought now for some Clara Bow action, but it was not to be. She was the good girl, the nice sister and as such had to hang around while her "bad" sister got all the attention. Janie gets deeper and deeper into debt and gambles with the store's welfare fund (she is the treasurer). She confesses what she has done to Mayme, who wins back the money in a crap game. Janie, though, has already told Mrs. Streeter (the glorious Edna May Oliver) that Mayme is the thief and when Mayme turns up with the money she (Mayme) is sacked. All ends well for Mayme and Bill - he overhears the girls talking and realises Janie is the sneak - not that he ever doubted Mayme's honesty.True to Clara's generous spirit - there was one actress, a bit player, whose confidence was really boosted - that was Jean Harlow. Bow, as always, took the newcomer under her wing. There was a beautiful evening dress that was designed for Clara but she insisted that Jean wear the dress. Not only that but Clara also insisted that they both have photographs taken together - that apparently was simply not done - stars just didn't pose with beautiful bit players!!! Not Clara, who said "She's a good kid, I just want to help her out!!!Recommended.

wes-connors Boarding house sisters Clara Bow (as Mayme Barry) and Jean Arthur (as Janie Barry) both work as salesgirls in "Ginsberg's Department Store". Ms. Bow is in love with dashing James Hall (as William "Bill" Taylor). Conveniently, Mr. Hall rooms at the same boarding house, and also works at "Ginsberg's". Her friends think Bow may give up her reputation as "The Saturday Night Kid", and marry Hall. But, Ms. Arthur has other plans; Bow's sneaky little sister "borrows" her underwear, perfume, money - and, finally, her man.This sound re-make of "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em" puts Bow in the successful department store setting of "It". The locale, and situations, really don't work; but, the makeshift terrace party area looks great. Bow is fine as "Mayme", but she might have been better than Arthur as "Janie". Arthur's character is so transparent, and annoying, it's difficult to understand her extraordinary ability to deceive; and, this version of the play leaves her character "unresolved". Edna May Oliver (as Miss Streeter) makes an impressive sound debut, and Jean Harlow has a small role.**** The Saturday Night Kid (10/25/29) A. Edward Sutherland ~ Clara Bow, Jean Arthur, James Hall