Review of Saturday Night

Leatrice Joy was a 28-year-old veteran actress when DeMille began casting for a replacement of Gloria Swanson for his primary on-screen protege. Her first role with the director was January 1922's "Saturday Night," as a upper crust socialite who falls for her chauffeur. On the opposite end of the spectrum is her wealthy former boyfriend, acted by Conrad Nagel, who is suddenly attracted by a laundress. Both couples get married to those outside their economic and social class. The Jeanie MacPherson script comes right out and states in its opening title that "most stories stop where the real drama of life begins." Fairy tales like Cinderella conclude before extending the story to reflect the tension between the couple's opposing economic backgrounds. DeMille unpeals the layers of the initial fantasyland, exposing the real differences the two couples experience because of their varied backgrounds.

Conrad's sister (in the movie) Elsie, played by Julia Faye, is the one person who realizes these pairings will be undergoing some rough crinkles in their marriage. "Satuday Night's" plot was especially personal to DeMille because, despite being wed to actress Constance Adams since 1902, he had been known to have a wandering eye. Faye first met the director in 1917 and was included in his circle of mistresses. The Richmond, Virginia born actress played a wide variety of roles, from maids to queens. Her on-screen association with DeMille lasted well into the 1950's, retiring after appearing in his 1958-produced 'The Buccaneer.'