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San Francisco

Play trailer Poster for San Francisco Released Jun 26, 1936 1h 55m Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Blackie Norton (Clark Gable) is a nightclub owner who hires a down-on-her-luck singer for his club, Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald). The two hit it off and even become romantically involved, but soon she is courted by real-estate magnate Jack Burley (Jack Holt) to sing at the Tivoli Opera House. At first she refuses, but when she sees questionable posters of her put up by Blackie, she leaves, forcing Blackie to find a way to win her and his business back.
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San Francisco

Critics Reviews

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Mattie Lucas From the Front Row It's really only of interest now due to its influence on the disaster genre, combining turgid melodrama with the grand backdrop of a natural disaster. Mark this one as "for Oscar completists only." Rated: 2/4 Mar 5, 2021 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy MacDonald is the weak link in this otherwise bustling film. But the final portion of the movie, when the earthquake comes a-callin', is truly astonishing. Rated: 3/4 Feb 12, 2021 Full Review Alberto Abuín Espinof The film's visual effects throughout its final section continue to dazzle until this day, and became an example to follow in future productions. [Full Review in Spanish] Apr 28, 2020 Full Review Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine Spencer Tracy steals the picture... Apr 23, 2020 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine Well worth seeing, but too alarming for the very young. Aug 8, 2019 Full Review Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy Achieves something that has evaded disaster movies since as long as they've existed: it depicts its disaster in an engrossing, spectacular way, while also making sure that we're not just exulting in mass death. Rated: 7/10 Jun 4, 2015 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Martin B I saw this yesterday-had not heard of it before- well done even if a bit dated and drawn out-, until the earthquake- very powerful filmmaking-and 90 yrs old. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/27/24 Full Review Roxanne B Similar to The Greatest Show on Earth, the chemistry of the cast doesn't quite work, as is rumored by Gable hating uptight MacDonald, but the special effects for the time (like the train wreck in the aforementioned Greatest Show...) are trauma evocative and worth the 'price of admission'. Besides, Spencer Tracy seems sincere. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/27/24 Full Review Luca D Not as melodramatic as other melodramas from this era. The acting was not entertaining and the plot was dull in my opinion. Thought the movie would have more to do with the city it's named after but it didn't. I dont get the high ratings, there are many other melodramas I would put above this. Probably won't watch again. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/11/23 Full Review Ashley H San Francisco is an okay film. It is about a saloonkeeper and an impresario are rivals for the affections of a beautiful singer in 1906 San Francisco. Clark Gable and Jeanette MacDonald give decent performances. The script is a little slow in places. W.S. Van Dyke did an alright job directing this movie. I like the motion picture because of the drama and romance. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/13/23 Full Review Russ G One of dozens of films in which the King of Hollywood starred that were not entitled "Gone With the Wind" or "It Happened One Night" and is largely unknown to modern audiences. It's perhaps your one and only chance to see Gable and Tracy share star billing. It's one part love triangle, one part musical, one part opera, maybe two parts Irwin Allen disaster, and one part redemption story. Yes, the ending is a little heavy-handed with Blackie's Come-to-Jesus moment, The many musical interludes make the pacing a bit slow but gave Depression-era audiences their two-bits' worth of entertainment. Fun Fact: this is one of TWO films in which Clark Gable plays a character named "Blackie;" in the other he ends up on Death Row. Miss McDonald is lovely and coiffed and gowned gorgeously throughout and give her props for the voice. MGM spared no expense on the special effects. Those had to be nightmare to direct and film as there wasn't going to be 2nd take. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Sarah W San Francisco is an absolute classic that 1936 has to offer for the whole family and Clark Gable fans Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/01/23 Full Review Read all reviews
San Francisco

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Movie Info

Synopsis Blackie Norton (Clark Gable) is a nightclub owner who hires a down-on-her-luck singer for his club, Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald). The two hit it off and even become romantically involved, but soon she is courted by real-estate magnate Jack Burley (Jack Holt) to sing at the Tivoli Opera House. At first she refuses, but when she sees questionable posters of her put up by Blackie, she leaves, forcing Blackie to find a way to win her and his business back.
Director
W. S. Van Dyke II
Producer
John Emerson, Bernard H. Hyman, W. S. Van Dyke II
Screenwriter
Anita Loos
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre
Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 26, 1936, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 55m
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