Search - San Francisco on DVD

Memorable film treatment from MGM at its peak

Simon Davis | 01/07/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

""San Francisco" is the epitome of excellent 1930's filmaking at its best. Boasting a rousing story scripted by Anita Loos, crackling direction by the prolific W.S. Van Dyke (a director unfairly neglected in Hollywood history), and beautiful costumes and sets, the film is most justly famous because of the unforgettable special effects depicting the famous San Francisco earthquake of 1906. These sequences have gone down in Hollywood folklore as possibly the finest of their kind ever created.The film offers a top notch cast in Clark Gable as Blackie Norton the rough around the edges entrepeneur in the dance hall area of the Barbary Coast, Spencer Tracy in the first of his famous priest roles as the caring Father Tim Mullin, a childhood friend of Blackie's, and last but not least Jeanette McDonald as Mary Blake the singing sensational torn between her strict upbringing and her love for Blackie. They make a memorable trio of performers in their only film together. Gable and Tracy would go on to make two more films together, "Test Pilot" and "Boom Town". Despite it being well known that Gable and McDonald did not get along during shooting they combine well in their acting depite their very different personalities. Spencer Tracy is on screen for less time than is desirable and certainly his father Tim is not as well written a character as the priest he played so wonderfully 2 years later in the classic "Boy's Town". Tracy always had a way with no frills sympathetic characters and he brings conviction and feeling to his role as the self appointed protector of Mary in Blackie's world of dancing girls, card sharps and crooked deals. Gable apparently was very reluctant to undertake his part which in some ways could be classified as a "typical Clark Gable role" however I feel he delivers a wonderfully rounded performance as the heel without a heart who learns about what is important from the person he never thought he would fall in love with in a dozen lifetimes. Many people have commented on the apparent lack of chemistry between Gable and McDonald on screen but I feel that opposites can attract and the two make a most welcome and refreshingly different type of team to Gable's usual pairings with leading ladies such as Jean Harlow or Joan Crawford. The film was a definite showcase for Jeanette McDonald's vocal talents and indeed she was the one that campaigned to get Gable as her leading man. She was then in the middle of her successful teamings with Nelson Eddy and was anxious to work with other leading men on the MGM lot. Her musical numbers at times do tend to slow down the progression of the story but they are beautifuly staged and her voice has never been in finer form. Gifted designer Adrian's stunning costumes for the Mary Blake character are both historically well researched and beautiful to look at and no expense is spared in creating truly breathtaking outfits for one of the Queens of MGM in the mid 30's.No review or mention of "San Francisco" could be made without a special nod going to the amazing special effects that were created for the famed earthquake scenes near the end of the film. Almost every technician on the MGM lot was involved in the huge undertaking that involved the filming of the earthquake sequences. The sight of tall buildings collapsing, street lights shaking, streets opening up and whole walls falling on people are superbly recreated and even now have a frightening look about them. Never in this era of film making have they ever been surpassed and they still hold up against all the technology now available to filmmakers. Nominated for a number of Academy Awards the film was an outstanding success and MGM's biggest moneymaker of 1936.Rousing entertainment is what you get in "San Francisco" and it is always a pleasure to watch as it displays the expertise that a major studio like MGM possessed at its peak in the golden era of the 1930's. Known for its perfectionist approach to all aspects of filmmaking here MGM excelled itself and created a memorable classic that has stood the test of time and will surely continue to amaze film watchers with its spectacle for generations to come."