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      Old San Francisco

      1927 1h 22m Drama List
      Reviews 30% 50+ Ratings Audience Score In San Francisco in 1906, Don Hernandez Vasquez (Joseph Swickard) and his granddaughter, Dolores (Dolores Costello), are desperately in need of money. Lawyer Michael Brandon (Anders Randolf) offers to buy the family's land, however Vasquez refuses. Brandon asks his nephew to persuade Vasquez, but the young man falls in love with Dolores and won't go along with the plan. Things are further complicated when scheming Chris Buckwell (Warner Oland) sets his sights on both Vasquez's ranch and Dolores. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Jan 30 Buy Now

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      Critics Reviews

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      Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Stereotypes Chinese-Americans in an ugly way, and should be forgotten except it's a good reminder of Hollywood's early racism. Rated: C- May 8, 2022 Full Review Robert E. Sherwood LIFE [Old San Francisco] is about the silliest of all the silly melodramas that the screen has known. Oct 5, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Murty C This is a quite a terrible movie due to its appalling racism; but it should be watched for historical reasons. Additionally, "yellow facing" is rampant, with the principal villain being a Chinese masquerading as a white in San Francisco's upper echelons; naturally, he wants to gobble up the ranch rightfully granted to the lovely heroine's (Delores Costello) family by the original conquistadors. (Who wrongfully grabbed it from the native Americans, in the name of the king of Spain. But that's a different matter, I suppose.) The evil Chinese mobster is played by Warner Oland, and is not particularly distinguishable from any white person. But, the heroine's Christian faith sees through the mask! Thankfully, it is a silent movie for I'm able to quote here verbatim from the related frame: "In the awful light of an outraged, wrathful, Christian God, the heathen soul of the Mongol stood revealed"! I really couldn't have made up such trash. There is so much crass Chinese misrepresentation that this film is a blot on the diversity landscape. (Before I forget, to complete the picture, there is a Chinese midget too.) And the talented and beautiful Anna May Wong has only a bit part in this movie as a confidant of the villain. I hope I've given enough of a foretaste of this movie - it should be watched only for historical and sociological reasons. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/04/22 Full Review Audience Member comes off extremely racist Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member Spoiler: God caused the Great SF Earthquake to punish a Chinese man "passing" for white in high society. Way to git-r-done, G. Oland plays the baddie in yellow-face, who keeps his "Mongolian" dwarf brother in a cage next to his secret idols. He's also holding a nice Christian girl's fiancee hostage and finally abducts her for life as a sex slave. Luckily, her prayers for vengeance are answered with massive collateral damage. Absurdly racist propaganda that seethes with stereotypes and paranoia. Not content to merely be out of touch with reality, this film reverses any practical notion of history or common sense. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a bad movie. I mean, even aside from the hideously racist interpretations and the overly pro-Christian sentiment...it's a bad movie. Some of the visuals are very nice, though, and Anna May Wong makes the most of a tiny role. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member It's pretty much about how the San Francisco earthquake occurred because a Chinese guy tried to get it on with a nice Catholic girl. Warner Oland plays yet another Chinese stereotype, Costello plays the Catholic girl, and Charles Mack is actually pretty endearing as the Irish hero. In the end, the (admittedly impressive) earthquake kills all the bad guys and spares the good guys. Anna May Wong is in this too, and although the part's small, she still makes an impression. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Old San Francisco

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis In San Francisco in 1906, Don Hernandez Vasquez (Joseph Swickard) and his granddaughter, Dolores (Dolores Costello), are desperately in need of money. Lawyer Michael Brandon (Anders Randolf) offers to buy the family's land, however Vasquez refuses. Brandon asks his nephew to persuade Vasquez, but the young man falls in love with Dolores and won't go along with the plan. Things are further complicated when scheming Chris Buckwell (Warner Oland) sets his sights on both Vasquez's ranch and Dolores.
      Director
      Alan Crosland
      Screenwriter
      Anthony Coldeway
      Production Co
      Warner Bros.
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jun 21, 2020
      Runtime
      1h 22m
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