mmallon4
The disaster film is a genre thought of as being low brow but San Francisco is one of the few with class and sophistication. Like in James Cameron's Titanic, the viewer is left waiting in suspense for the impending disaster as the emotional stakes rise. When the night of the earthquake arrives the movie draws out the final moments before the disaster; I'm left thinking to myself "It's coming, it's coming". Also was it common back then to hold a ball at 5 in the morning?The earthquake itself ranks among one of cinema's greatest disaster sequences with the special effects and studio pyrotechnics making up for the less than stellar projection effects at the beginning of the film. The sequence shows the close up reactions of individuals just before they are killed by incoming debris as it lasts for the same amount of time which the actual earthquake itself did on Five- Thirteen A.M, April 18th, 1906 (or at least according to the movie, other sources state it occurred at 5:12 AM). This is followed by the harrowing sight of death and destruction as Blackie Norton (Clark Gable) walks through the ruins of San Francisco as he observes the horrifying, brutal aftermath in a remarkable section of the film. Even famous silent directors D.W. Griffith and Erich Von Stroheim worked on the film without credit which shouldn't come as a surprise as the plot of San Francisco would have been ripe for a grand silent melodrama.On my first viewing the ending of San Francisco felt far-fetched. I can see many people having an "Oh come on!" reaction but for me at least even on that first viewing it still worked on an emotional level. However after contemplating about the ending I have come around to accept the idea that a person, even a non believer may turn to religion after experiencing something as horrendous as a natural disaster which leaves a trail of death and destruction. Although considering how religious the entire movie is I should have seen it coming not to mention the ending can be justified when looking at the deeper religious parallels within the film. During the movie Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald) performs the opera Faust on stage as we are shown recreations of various portions of the opera; throughout San Francisco there are parallels to the story of Faust. The clash between the moral and immoral, Mary's tendency to refuse Blackie's advances, the fire seen at the beginning of the film to lines such as "You can't take a woman and then sell her immortal soul". Even during the earthquake's aftershock the underworld itself opens up (and one poor sucker falls into it); and at the very end of all this Blackie repents his sinful ways. If you can accept Blackie's conversion then you still have to deal with the extremely corny, patriotic finale but I can still get a kick out of such cheese.Jeanette MacDoanld, what a voice! The reaction of the church goers listening on in awe when she sings in the choir is the same reaction as the viewer; San Francisco is after all a vehicle designed for the full range of her talents. Plus that title song is one catchy tune and I'm happy to hear it multiple times throughout the film. Likewise Spencer Tracy appears in the film for 15 minutes and 58 seconds but he is the actor who leaves the biggest impression acting wise. Father Tim Mullin is the predecessor to Tracy's Father Flanagan in Boy's Town. Tracy was an actor who had the ability to play such a saintly character without it being sickly even as he inhabits the office of his church amongst the most heavenly lighting. Is Blackie an atheist or just non religious? The first dialogue between him and Father Mullin suggests he may not believe in God; "So you still believe in Santa Claus?" followed by Mullin's response, "Trouble with you is that you don't believe in anything". The character relationship between Blackie and Father Mullin is the same which was seen in Manhattan Melodrama (in which Gable plays a similar character also called Blackie) and later in Angels With Dirty Faces. The two childhood friends who end up taking very different paths in life (one of moral servitude and the other of crime and corruption) yet their friendship prevails despite such contrasting lifestyles and views. Blackie Norton couldn't be more of a Clark Gable character; a man under great pressure, business owner, runs for political office, has a way with women, cocky, street smart and a lovable jerk. It's not clear to what extent his criminality runs to other than that he (along with numerous business owners in San Francisco) run his establishment without a license; there was still a bit of the Wild West in 1906 San Francisco.
JohnHowardReid
Copyright 22 June 1936 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. A W. S. Van Dyke production. New York opening at the Capitol, 26 June 1936. U.S. release: 25 June 1936. Australian release: 19 August 1936. 12 reels. 115 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Out-of-work singer (MacDonald) is given a job by a surly Barbary Coast saloon-keeper (Gable) who objects to her leaving his employ to take a principal role in grand opera, sponsored by the aristocratic Jack Burley (Holt).NOTES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 1936 award for Sound Recording went to Douglas Shearer, defeating Banjo On My Knee, The Charge of the Light Brigade, Dodswortb, General Spanky, Mr Deeds Goes To Town, The Texas Rangers, That Girl From Paris and Three Smart Girls.Also nominated for Best Picture (The Great Ziegfeld), Best Actor, Spencer Tracy (Paul Muni in The Story of Louis Pasteur), Directing (Frank Capra for Mr Deeds Goes To Town), Assistant Director (Jack Sullivan for The Charge of the Light Brigade), Original Story (The Story of Louis Pasteur).Best Picture of 1936 — Photoplay Gold Medal Award. Number 4 on the annual Film Daily poll of U.S. film critics. The top-grossing picture of 1936 in the U.S.A. and Canada. MGM's top-grossing picture (over $5 million) of the 1930s.COMMENT: From the moment the lion roars and we start in on the ornate roller title while Ward's glorious arrangements of "San Francisco" and "Would You" are deftly brought up on the sound track, San Francisco strikes an emotional high that continues right to "The End" title. The lavishly staged and fluidly directed scenes of New Year revelry at the opening are capped by immediate action and suspense as Gable races to a fire. A clever tracking shot soon after has him brushing MacDonald aside on his way to his club. Few films so adroitly introduce both their leading characters in a flurry of such frantic opening activity. MacDonald is superbly photographed, and no-one (not even Fred Astaire) can wear a top hat and tails with such elegance and style as Clark Gable. And if you think these few opening minutes are exciting, wait till you see the rest of the movie! Unlike many modern pictures in which a thin story is served up as an excuse for an over-indulgence in entertainment-defeating special effects, "San Francisco" has a strong story with solidly interesting characters with whom we become so involved that the climax spurs our interest in their fate. Spectacularly thrilling as it is, the earthquake is merely an added tension to a plot of already powerful, super-gripping suspense.
disinterested_spectator
Blackie Norton is an atheist who runs an establishment catering to vices such as drinking, gambling, and ogling pretty women. However, we also see that he has a good heart underlying his sneering façade. Tim tells Mary about Blackie's good heart, saying in general that no one is all bad, an absurdity on which I will not bother to comment. The important thing about this conversation he has with Mary in this regard, however, is the smug know-it-all look he has on his face, which only gets worse as the movie wears on. A lot of people suppose that belief in God and moral goodness are linked together in some essential way, and this was especially true in 1936, when this movie was made. Therefore, Blackie's atheism in conjunction with his good heart, we are being guided to believe, is unsustainable.Early in the movie, we see Blackie and Tim in the boxing ring, in which Tim knocks Blackie to the mat, as he usually does, according to Blackie. It is important to establish that Tim can lick Blackie in a fight, because later in the movie, when Blackie and Tim are arguing over Mary, Blackie punches Tim, who just stands there and takes it with a hurt look on his face, the blood trickling down from his lip. In other words, Tim is turning the other cheek in spite of his superior ability at fisticuffs. If the movie had not featured that boxing scene early on, we might suppose that Tim's reluctance to strike back is out of cowardice and weakness, that he is hiding behind his collar.Though Mary loves Blackie, yet it bothers her that he doesn't believe in God. Blackie responds, "God? Hey, isn't he supposed to be taking care of the suckers that come out of the missions looking for something to eat and a place to sleep?" Some might answer that it is God that inspires the people that run the missions. But as Mark Twain once noted, "If you will look at the matter rationally and without prejudice, the proper place to hunt for the facts of His mercy, is not where man does the mercies and He collects the praise, but in those regions where He has the field to Himself."This challenge returns to us toward the end of the movie where God indeed has the field to Himself. In other words, when the earthquake begins, God does nothing to prevent it, and the result is that many people die or suffer crippling injuries. As Blackie wanders around looking for Mary, he keeps running into people looking for God. The mother of the man whom Mary was planning to marry says of her son's death that it is God's will and that it's God's help they both need now. This brings out the great paradox regarding the connection between religion and suffering. The more suffering people experience, the more likely they are to turn to God. And yet, the more suffering people experience, the more we wonder why an all-powerful, loving God would allow it.Eventually, Blackie finds a place where the injured are being cared for, where Tim is offering them comfort. One might expect that in the face of all the death and destruction that has befallen the city, Tim would look as grief stricken and overwhelmed as everyone else including Blackie. But no, Tim has a look of serenity on his face when Blackie sees him, and that look stays on his face right through the end of the movie. Earlier in the movie, when the Barbary Coast was indulging in all its wantonness—drinking, gambling, carousing—Tim's facial expression was often grim and disapproving. But now, with all the misery and suffering around him, Tim is in his element. As the city burns, as people die before his eyes, as he hears people cry out for the loss of their loved ones, Tim is truly at peace. This is especially so when he sees Blackie. Now, at last, Blackie will see. There must be a God after all."Wait a minute!" you say. "How does this prove the existence of God?" Well, actually what it proves is that people need God. And if people need God, then they need priests like Tim. For years, Tim had to endure all of Blackie's scoffing and sneering, but now the day of triumph is at hand. Blackie is truly humbled, confused by all the suffering and misery that he does not comprehend, as he stands before Tim, who has known all along that this day would come, and whose heart is filled with joy.When Blackie asks Tim if he has seen Mary, Tim takes him to a place outdoors where survivors of the earthquake have found refuge. There is Mary, singing "Nearer My God to Thee," accompanied by those around her, while a mother holds her dead child in her arms until others gently take him away from her and she collapses in tears. It is all so heavenly.When Blackie sees Mary, he says to Tim, "I want to thank God." And then we see it, the spectacle that exceeds even the earthquake: Blackie Norton, on his knees, tears in his eyes, giving thanks to God, while Tim looks on smiling sweetly.When Mary sees Blackie on his knees in prayer, she comes to him, and now we know that Blackie will finally have Mary's love. Just then, someone yells that the fire is out, at which point everyone becomes happy, shouting that they will rebuild San Francisco, marching over the hill, back to the city, as they sing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." When you consider that within less than the length of one full day, husbands have lost their wives, wives their husbands, parents their children, and children their parents, they all seem to be holding up amazingly well. God be praised.
bbmtwist
No doubt about it - this is one of Hollywood's greatest films. Well written, acted, directed and edited, it is a love story set against the events leading up to the 1906 earthquake, both political and economical.The resulting fire that really destroyed the city after the earthquake (due to broken water mains making it impossible to resource water) is made the focus of the last half hour (the first quake occurs at 1:33:30 into the film and the aftershock occurs at 1:38:15).Only four of MacDonald's films were nominated for best picture Oscars and this was the most deserving of them all.Gable and MacDonald are a sensational team - what tremendous chemistry they had and what a pity they never made another film together. Though I don't begrudge Tracy his first Best Actor nom as the priest, Father Mullin, he really deserved a supporting nod, not a leading one. That belonged to Gable, giving a lusty and thoughtful performance as a man who must change his character during the course of the action. He is truly the star of the film. His and MacDonald's love scene in his office where he recognizes she is afraid of the woman inside of herself is one of film's most subtle and beautifully handled.A nod to Jessie Ralph for her heart-breaking cameo as Maisie Burley.The only negatives are the excessively long excerpts from Gounod's FAUST (part of Miss MacDonald's contract to have as much opera to sing in her films as possible, even changing characters such as backwoods tomboy Rose Marie into an established opera star in the film of that name) and the stupid cheerful march to view the ruined city singing away at the end.Also a writing faux pas- when Gable asks MacDonald how long this opera stuff has been around she answers 150 years. Wrong by that amount of time as well - opera began around 1600, making that 300 years at the early 1906 date the question was asked.Let's not quibble though. The special effects were so great the category was established that next year at the Oscars. This deservedly won for Sound but for my money deserved another Oscar for Editing. Still the six noms it got can't be denied.It endures however and is a great example of Hollywood at its finest.
