In the year 1906, the city of San Francisco was rocked with the worst earthquake it had ever seen, and it still holds the record for the most destructive. In 1936, Hollywood decided to memorialize that event with the movie “San Francisco,” starring Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald, and Spencer Tracy.
The most amazing thing about the movie is the use of special effects. Today we have computers to digitally enhance the images and create spectacular effects, but in 1936 they didn’t have those luxuries. Nevertheless, the effects are quite astounding.
Gable plays Blackie Norton, a casino owner with a taste for liquor and women. Owner of one of the most notorious joints on the Barbary Coast, he’s seen it all. Into his saloon wanders Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald) the daughter of a preacher from the Midwest. She’s come to California in the hopes of finding a career as a classical singer, but hasn’t found anything yet. Out of desperation, she asks for a job. Blackie is not only irreligious; he’s more interested in her appearance than in her singing. Before he even asks for a recital, he asks to see her legs. She raises her skirt to the knee, he approves, and then hears her sing. Jeanette MacDonald possesses a beautiful operatic soprano voice, and uses it to her great advantage in the film. Blackie hires Mary and they begin a tempestuous work relationship.
Blackie wants her to sing jazzy, upbeat numbers, and Mary prefers slower, more somber melodies. They argue over this time and time again, but never so much as when Mary is offered the chance to go sing for an opera company, and Blackie refuses to sell her contract. She is heartbroken.
The earthquake is introduced into the movie suddenly, without any buildup, just as an earthquake occurs in real life. Blackie and Mary are separated before they have a chance to patch up their rift. Buildings fall and crash to the ground, the earth splits open, and the beautiful landscape is marred. Once the shaking has subsided, Blackie starts looking for Mary, not knowing if she’s dead or alive. After hours of searching, he finally finds her singing songs of comfort at a refugee camp, and he falls to his knees to thank God for her safety.
There are many positive things about this movie. As I mentioned, the spectacular special effects are a major draw. The history of San Francisco and the surrounding area is mentioned, and you really get a feel for what the earthquake must have been like. I probably wouldn’t show this movie to a young child who is sensitive to natural disasters, but once they’re a little older, it would be a great tool for them to learn the history behind it. My only gripe with this movie is that I take opera in small doses. I enjoy an aria as much as the next person, but my toleration gets worn down fairly quickly and I thought they overused Jeanette’s voice, almost to the point where you wished she would just stop singing, already. Beyond that, however, this movie is a definite classic.
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And That’s Why They’re Called Classics!