The silver screen has always been a place where audiences flock to a larger-than-life spectacle. This was as true in the 1930s as it is today. One narrative pathway that creatives have followed for years is the blending of real-life events with a fictionalized story to bring about a hybrid tale that conjures up palpable emotions within the audience while giving them the safety net of a curated Hollywood gloss. One of the notable examples of this is the 1936 musical-disaster film San Francisco from director W. S. Van Dyke (After The Thin Man) which brought the earthquake that rocked the titular city in 1906 to vivid life. By the time the film was released, the memories of that calamitous day were thirty years in the rearview mirror, but such an event is one that never truly leaves the minds of a curious public. Throw in the combined star power of Clark Gable (Mutiny on the Bounty), Jeanette MacDonald (Rose Marie) and Spencer Tracey (Libeled Lady) and you have a recipe for a sure-fire hit. The film was successful both financially and critically, earning the equivalent to a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards. Once again Warner Archive has given a beloved treasure a new life which is a real treat for classic film fans.
To watch this film solely for the earthquake would be quite a taxing experience given how minor a part of the overall story that event will be. The true narrative at hand is the tale of Blackie Norton (Clark Gable), owner of one of the coolest clubs in town who lives his life as a real rake. Gable uses every ounce of his innate charm to bring about some semblance of likability to this larger-than-life character. Most nights Blackie is the life of the party as he does his fair share of imbibing, gambling, skirt-chasing…all of the calling cards for a gentleman of a certain lifestyle. His immoral ways are not something that sit completely well with his best friend Father Tim Mullen (Spencer Tracy), a Roman Catholic priest who has been friends with Blackie since childhood. Yet, where others may see an incorrigible fellow, Tim knows that Blackie has a good heart underneath his devilish exterior. As is typical for these types of pictures, nothing ushers in personal change faster than the promise of love from a good woman – but for Blackie it may take a bit longer than normal.
The angelic Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald) finds herself new to town and nearly penniless, but manages to find a place for her classically-trained voice at Blackie’s establishment. The inevitable romance between the two is not one that provides the smoothest path forward. Blackie is not one to give up his free-wheeling lifestyle so easily, and his greed and carelessness often wins out when handling Mary’s emotions. While Gable may have the raw magnetism that makes him someone you want to root for to reform his ways, there are times where you wish Tracy was not playing a priest due to his lovely chemistry with MacDonald. The performances from all of the key players are really great all around, but the script sometimes feels a bit erratic or sparse. The key players seem to fall into a bit of a cyclical pattern as they wait for the climactic incident to occur and shake them up both figuratively and literally. Throughout the journey, you are treated to some enjoyable numbers that show off the immense vocal talents of MacDonald. It would be a lie to say the title song has not stayed wedged in my brain since watching this film.
The core drama of the story is a bit melodramatic at points, but the actors keep the action anchored when it counts. The character development that is set up throughout is paid off when we finally reach the grand spectacle that serves as one of the main draws of the film. Even from a modern perspective, the earthquake that rocks San Francisco is mighty impressive in its sheer level of destruction. The sequence itself is fairly brief considering what cinema has offered up in the interim, but the effectiveness of watching this city fall apart cannot be questioned. Even when you see the seams of the special effects during the chaos, you have to marvel at the brutal nature of scenarios that had to be somewhat novel at the time, such as structures crushing citizens or women falling from tall buildings. As a technical achievement, this movie is an excellent showing from the time period. As the film wraps up, it leans a little too heavily on the sentimentality and the rallying of American resolve, but it is a nice enough conclusion for those with a less jaded perspective. The film is imperfect in its script, but the top-notch performances and technical wizardry makes this one more than worthy of a viewing from fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Video Quality
San Francisco makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Warner Archive with a brand new 1080p remaster from nitrate preservation elements. This lavish and ambitious production really shines in this spectacular presentation. The gorgeous black-and-white photography shot by Oliver T. Marsh sparkles in high definition with natural grain intact. The new transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s production design from the glitzy nightlife in Blackie’s club to the destruction in the wake of the earthquake. Black levels are very deep with no trace of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is well defined, and there is virtually no print damage to be found. There is a fantastic amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing, such as the outfits worn by Mary on stage. Warner Archive once again proves why they are one of the best in the business.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that is much of a knockout as the video portion. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements so that nothing sounds muddy in the mix. This track shows no discernible age related wear and tear such as popping or hissing. The music in the film is one of the most important aspects of the track, and the score from Herbert Stothart and Edward Ward sounds excellent alongside the many musical numbers. The destruction that comes late in the film packs quite a punch in a way that feels more powerful than most pictures from this era. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. This audio presentation is an A+ effort from Warner Archive.
Special Features
- Clark Gable – Tall, Dark & Handsome Hosted by Liam Neeson: A 47-minute special from 1996 which gives an enjoyable look at the career and personal life of the iconic Gable. There are copious amounts of film clips interspersed with interviews from various figures including his children. This piece mostly serves as a love letter to the late actor without going too in-depth into anything that might be controversial. A really enjoyable watch for classic film fans.
- Bottles: A ten-minute Happy Harmonies cartoon in which a pharmacist gets shrunk down and interacts with personified versions of various items in his shop including baby bottles, a hot water bottle and more. This is a really fun short for animation fans.
- Cavalcade of San Francisco: A nine-minute James A. FitzPatrick’s Traveltalks short from 1940 which takes you on a tour of “modern” San Francisco and offers up nuggets of history.
- Night Descends on Treasure Island: Another eight-minute James A. FitzPatrick’s Traveltalks short from 1940 which tells you about the Golden Gate Expo of 1939, which seemed like a lot of fun.
- Alternate Ending Sequence: A quick 40-second sequence in which the wreckage of San Francisco silently dissolves into the thriving city of the modern day.
- Reissue Trailer: A two-minute trailer announcing the return of the classic film to movie theaters which plays up the grand spectacle of the feature.
Final Thoughts
San Francisco makes really good use of the triple-threat of Gable, MacDonald and Tracy. These three sizzle when they are on screen with one another, but the script leaves a bit to be desired as it circles back to certain plot elements one too many times. Nevertheless, the performances mixed with the spectacle of mass destruction that caps off this film is enough to recommend a viewing. Warner Archive has given this one a splendid Blu-Ray with a magnificent A/V presentation and some particularly worthwhile special features. If you are a fan of any of the performers, this one should be added to your list. Recommended
San Francisco can be purchased directly through Warner Archive or various other online retailers. The movie will be officially released on February 16, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
