SAN FRANCISCO
US, 1936, 115 minutes, Black and white.
Clark Gable, Jeanette Mac Donald, Spencer Tracy.
Directed by W. S. Van Dyke.
San Francisco was one of the big MGM hits of 1936.
It tells a Barbary Coast story, the Paradise gambling halls run by characters like Clark Gable’s Blackie, the Tivoli Opera House with singers like Mary Blake, played by Jeanette Mac Donald, and priests like Spencer Tracy’s Father Tim Mullin. The Barbary Coast had a reputation for lawlessness and liveliness.
The film is a melodrama, with Clark Gable putting pressure on Jeanette Mac Donald to be a singer at his gambling hall whereas her heart was in the opera house. However, she marries him. This aspect of the film is a little unbelievable: Jeanette Mac Donald and Clark Gable were not an immediate couple for consideration. However, Spencer Tracy is able as the priest – and he was to play Father Flanagan in Boys’ Town and Men of Boys’ Town as well as the priest in The Devil at Four O’ Clock, 1962.
The film is best remembered, perhaps, for the presentation of the San Francisco earthquake. It had happened only thirty years prior to the making of the film and so was still in the public memory. The special effects for 1936 are quite spectacular and the film was nominated for sound engineering for an Oscar. The film has the song ‘San Francisco’ – sung in a rousing way by Jeanette Mac Donald – and resumed at the end of the film with the focus on the modern city of 1936.
1 . How enjoyable a film? Why has it lasted so popularly since the thirties? Why is it a classic of the thirties? What film values and styles of the thirties does it portray? The black and white photography, the music and songs, the big studio sets, the special effects, the impact of the stars, the sentiments for Americans, the pride and entertainment values?
2. How did San Francisco itself become a central character in the film? The history and its frontier sensuousness? The change into a civilized city? pride in the city, the relishing of the frontier past, the sijnificance of the chances? Did the city change for the better? The importance of traditions and history for a city and for a people? The impact of the song and its continued use throughout the film, San Francisco spirit? how well portrayed was the life of San Francisco and the city as a microcosm of America at the turn of the century? Blackie and the Barbary Coast, its style and roughness, gambling end happiness? The contrast with the Burleys and Nob Hill, pioneers who became rich and aristocratic? The opera house and the intensive culture? The old buildings and the fire hazard and the lack of organization? The politicking? Fr Tim, his life and history, his style and the role of the Church? How typical of America around 1900?
3. The importance of the initial New Year celebrations and atmosphere of festivities? The foreboding of disaster? The New Year celebrations as summing up the life of the city? The implications of the fire and its influence?
4. How attractive a hero was Blackie? Clark Gable's personality and style? The film's reliance and use of this? Blackie as a symbol of the old San Francisco? As an attractive but sceptical man? Generous and honest? His relationship with Burley, the other owners of inns and taverns, his strong will? The role of gambling and his place, the girls, the style? The importance of the confrontation with Mary and the challenge to him? The change in attitude and love? His response to the politics and the politicking? discovery of the opera and the change that Mary made? His generosity with her contract? The fact that he was moulded in a particular style and could not get out of it? Wanting to mould Mary in this style and own her? His pride? The relationship? With Father Tim - the significance of sparing with him? The impact of Mary's engagement to Burley, the police taking his place, the winning of the competition, the earthquake and its chance in his life? How convincing was his seeking out of Mary and his praying?
5. How attractive a heroine was Mary? The use of Jennette Mac Donald's personality and style? Her singing capabilities? As a person from Colarado with honesty and integrity? Her reliance on Blackie? Changing him and his changing her? Her entering into the singing, San Francisco? Her opera ambitions and their fulfilment? Singing in the church? Her relationship with Father Tim and his interest in her? Why did she become engaged to Burley? The importance of the discussion with Mrs Burly and the history of San Francisco? Mrs Burly and her pattern for marrying for Mary? The impact of Blackie’s humiliating her when she won the competition? The impact of the earthquake on her and her helping others? Was she a convincing heroine? How attractive was her singing? Was this important? For the thirties audiences?
6. How interesting was Spencer Tracy’s portrayal of the priest? The humanity, the official ecclesiastical role? Sparring with Blacky? provoking Blacky and differing from him? The explanation of their backgrounds? His common sense, passion, supporting Mary against Blackie, bringing them together at the end?
7. How interesting was the portrayal of the aristocrats like Burley? The ‘big deals' and the possession of power? The hazards of the buildings and not changing the style of the Barbary coast?
8. Comment on the verve of life in San Francisco? ordinary people, the police, the final competition?
9. How dramatic was the earthquake? How well filmed? The use of special effects, the impact at the stage of the film? Its repercussions on people's lives? Its realism, the dynamiting of buildings? The destruction of the Burley house?
10. How convincing was the reassessment of the people and the city after the quake?
11. The sense of resolve and ambitions for the future? The high morale of the finale song and procession? How convincing was this? How necessary is morale boosting?
12. How strong was the film on entertairment values? On human values? A positive outlook on life and people?
