Today at Disneyland: Chinese New Year

We made our first visit of the year to Disneyland this evening. We had a nice dinner at the Plaza Inn, checked out the brand-new Jolly Holiday Bakery, and took in the Chinese New Year decorations along the walkway to It's a Small World.

January flowers on Main Street U.S.A.:

It was a nice day today, although the wind was picking up enough by early evening that tonight's fireworks show had to be cancelled.

The Matterhorn is being rehabbed:

The path to It's a Small World, decorated for the Chinese New Year:

Twilight at Disneyland:

I'll be back to share some photos of the new Jolly Holiday Bakery later in the weekend.

Tonight's Movie: Colleen (1936)

COLLEEN is a mixed bag of a movie, with the pleasures of the ever-charming Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler struggling to push aside the leaden goofball antics of Hugh Herbert and Jack Oakie. For the most part Dick and Ruby succeed, which makes the movie worth watching, even if it has more than its share of groaner moments.

In their seventh and final teaming, Dick is the responsible nephew of a crazed millionaire (Herbert), while Ruby is the poor, honest bookkeeper working at a struggling dress shop the uncle purchases on a whim. Dick plans to shut down the shop and chalk it up as one more of his uncle's irresponsible mistakes, but before he can close it, Ruby is turned loose to run the shop and it becomes a success. Dick and Ruby fall in love, have a misunderstanding, and he proposes. The End. (You don't really consider that a spoiler, do you? Don't Dick and Ruby always end up together?!)

This time around the Warren-Dubin score didn't introduce any songs which became lasting hits, but Dick Powell's crooning of "I Don't Have to Dream Again" and "An Evening With You" is pleasant. Ruby has two very enjoyable dances with Paul Draper which I liked as much as any of Ruby's past work; her movements are very fluid and she doesn't do the tapping hunched over and looking at her feet as she sometimes did in earlier films. I've always found Ruby endearing, and I love watching her teamed with Powell, who's one of my favorites.

One of the film's delightfully ersatz moments is when the struggling dress shop puts on a fashion show...and suddenly the shop has a gigantic stage and dozens of models performing a Busby Berkeley style dance number! Even better, bookkeeper Ruby, who has just invited Dick to watch the fashion show with her, is suddenly the dancing star of the show. She does a marvelous tap number with Paul Draper depicting a courtship and marriage. And when it's over, she's back in her bookkeeper wardrobe without a hair mussed or a drop of sweat; you'd never know she'd just been tapping her heart out! Draper and Bobby Connolly created the dances.

Another of the really fun things about the film is watching the faces that float by. There's Charles Coleman, the perennial butler...Mary Treen as Hugh Herbert's secretary/baby-sitter...the tall second process server turns out to be Ward Bond...and if you watch verrrrry closely, Dennis O'Keefe is an extra who dances right behind Dick and Ruby on the ship.

Other highlights include the gorgeous art deco ship, Joan Blondell as a "candy topper," and risque bits of dialogue and song lyrics which almost seem as though they belong in a film of the pre-Code era, which had ended a couple years before COLLEEN was released.

Then there's the down side, which I alluded to earlier. I believe it was Ivan of the blog Thrilling Days of Yesteryear who described Hugh Herbert as the equivalent of a "cinematic toothache" a couple of years ago, and the description was certainly apt. I have a hard time finding any humor at all in a man who is so imbecilic that he can't string a sentence together and comes across as a serious mental case. I like my humor to spring from smart people saying witty things, not idiots in need of round-the-clock observation.

A couple years ago John of Greenbriar Picture Shows, who otherwise enjoyed the movie, wrote "Maybe if Warners told you enough times that Hugh Herbert’s funny, you’d eventually wear down and agree he was... Suppose folks actually found him amusing? What does that say about our forebears?"

Jack Oakie isn't much better, although at least he's capable of talking coherently. By all accounts he was a lovely, popular gentleman off the screen, not to mention a generous contributor to the USC School of Cinematic Arts. But I just didn't find him fun to watch in this.

This movie was directed by Alfred E. Green. It runs 89 minutes. The supporting cast includes Marie Wilson, Louise Fazenda, Luis Alberni, J.M. Kerrigan, and Hobart Cavanaugh.

COLLEEN is available on DVD-R from the Warner Archive. The sound struck me as slightly muffled early on, but the print was otherwise acceptable. The disc includes a trailer.

This film can also be seen on Turner Classic Movies. The trailer is on the TCM website; it's pretty cute.

Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler movies previously reviewed here at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (1933), FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933), 42ND STREET (1933), FLIRTATION WALK (1934), and DAMES (1934). When I catch up with SHIPMATES FOREVER (1935), I'll have completed seeing all seven Powell-Keeler films.

Book Review: A Maverick Life: The Jack Kelly Story

When I was a teenager I discovered the TV series MAVERICK in syndicated reruns shown on what was then known as KHJ Ch. 9 in Southern California. I fell in love with everything about the show -- the terrific stories and scripts, the recurring cast members, the running jokes ("As my old Pappy used to say..."), and the lead actors, James Garner and Jack Kelly.

As surprising as it may have been, given the series was then 20 years old, I was also fortunate to develop friendships with a couple other people my age who were equally interested in the show. Perhaps just as surprising was that, pressed to choose a favorite, I think we all shared a preference for the less famous Maverick brother, Jack Kelly. As the years went by, the three of us were fortunate to meet both Mr. Garner and Mr. Kelly on multiple occasions, and both men couldn't have been more gracious to their fans.

I looked forward to MAVERICK each day after school, doing whatever I could to avoid missing it; this was before the advent of the home VCR! I became familiar with every episode by name and collected as much information about the show as I could, going so far as to quickly dictate names from the end credits into a tape recorder as they flew by.

In that pre-VCR, pre-cable, pre-IMDb era, movies and TV shows were fleeting events which might not be available again for years, and gathering information about them was usually a solitary and painstaking process. There was no "rewind" for the credits on those shows and no comprehensive reference source. For the most part, save for brief references in my film books, any data I had on the show was what I put together on my own. I even created a card file for each actor who guest-starred on the program, listing their episodes. Now, of course, all these credits are available via the Internet with just a few keystrokes!

In my quest for more information, I even once wrote a letter to Jack Kelly's business office, which happened to be located in a neighboring city, in which I asked if he was the same Jack Kelly who appeared as a child in the 20th Century-Fox films YOUNG MR. LINCOLN (1939) and THE STORY OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL (1939). I reasoned that it was likely him, since his older sister, Nancy Kelly, was then appearing in films such as JESSE JAMES (1939) at Fox. I was gratified when Jack's wife sent me a quick note back confirming that it was indeed the same person!

Back then I mused about the possibility of writing a book on MAVERICK one day in the vague future -- a task I never undertook, but which was ably completed by Ed Robertson in his 1994 book MAVERICK: LEGEND OF THE WEST.

Never, however, did I dream that one day someone would publish a full biography on Jack Kelly's life and career. The introduction to this review hopefully helps to illustrate how delighted I am that that day has arrived with the publication of A MAVERICK LIFE: THE JACK KELLY STORY by Linda Alexander. It's from Bear Manor Media.

Ms. Alexander previously wrote RELUCTANT WITNESS: ROBERT TAYLOR, HOLLYWOOD, AND COMMUNISM which I reviewed back in 2008. Her Kelly biography has been in the works for several years, and coincidentally James Garner happened to publish his autobiography within weeks of the Kelly book, making MAVERICK fans quite happy indeed.

A MAVERICK LIFE was written with the cooperation of Jack Kelly's wife, daughter, and close associates, including his first wife, actress May Wynn. Jack's MAVERICK costar Roger Moore was, according to the author, "extraordinarily helpful"; James Garner declined to participate, but his daughter Gigi offered some help.

The book is an honest "warts and all" account of Jack's life, including his struggle with alcohol. This comprehensive look at both Jack's personal life and career, which reflects extensive research and the use of many primary sources, is a valuable piece of film and TV history. I'm very glad that it was written when so many people were still alive to help provide insights and information.

Jack Kelly was part of an acting family; as mentioned previously, his older sister was Nancy Kelly (THE BAD SEED), whose husbands included Oscar-winning actor Edmond O'Brien and cinematographer Fred Jackman Jr. During the '50s Jack worked his way up through the acting ranks at Universal, where his films included supporting roles in several Westerns. By the mid '50s he'd graduated to more significant supporting roles in films such as DRIVE A CROOKED ROAD (1954), TO HELL AND BACK (1955), THE NIGHT HOLDS TERROR (1955), FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), and JULIE (1956).

He landed his signature role when Warner Bros. needed to create a brother for James Garner in order to help maintain the busy production schedule for MAVERICK. It turned out to be fortuitous casting, as Kelly and Garner had a magical chemistry in their shows together, and Kelly was also excellent in his solo episodes. He was on MAVERICK from 1957 to 1962, longer than either James Garner or his later costar Roger Moore, but unlike those actors, his career never really took off after that point. Alcohol was probably a factor; perhaps it also played a role in his somewhat haggard appearance at a relatively early age.

Although he never took his stardom to a higher level, Jack worked steadily in episodic television and also appeared in several theatrical films in the 1960s and '70s. Gradually he developed interests in business and politics in addition to acting. He was elected to the Huntington Beach, California city council, eventually serving as the city's mayor. He passed away in 1992, age 65.

Linda Alexander covers all of this history in extensive detail, with comments from friends, family, and Jack's own interviews over the years helping to convey his personality. I learned countless new bits of information, such as that in the '50s Jack seriously dated former child actress Cora Sue Collins, or that he was a singer and starred in a stage production of THE MUSIC MAN. (Actor James Drury, star of THE VIRGINIAN, thought Jack was a better Harold Hill than Robert Preston, and said, "I sat there with my mouth open...He could sing like an angel.") By book's end the reader has gained a great deal of insight into the life of a complex man of varied interests who was lively and full of fun -- actress Kathleen Hughes said he was "one of the nicest, sweetest, dearest people I have ever met" -- yet also troubled, included ongoing issues with drinking.

The book is a well-illustrated 6" by 9" paperback with a very attractive cover illustration, seen at the top of this post; including the index, the book runs 374 pages.

I especially appreciated the inclusion of both an index and a detailed list of Kelly's screen appearances in A MAVERICK LIFE. This information was absent and very much missed in Alexander's previous Robert Taylor biography, so I was quite pleased to find she had taken the step of including both in her latest book. The investment of this extra effort really pays off over the long term for the readers. A few days ago I was flipping around in June Allyson's autobiography looking for passages on STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (1955), wishing her publisher had included an index!

In the interest of completeness, I mention that the book contains a couple of minor errors here and there, such as the misspelling of Stefanie Powers' and Edmond O'Brien's first names, but I didn't notice anything substantive. Any such errors are far outweighed by the wealth of new information now available in one volume.

My sincere thanks to author Linda Alexander for providing me with early access to an electronic review copy of this book. After the book was released I then purchased my own hard copy, completing my review once I had a chance to see the book in its final format.

A MAVERICK LIFE: THE JACK KELLY STORY is highly recommended.

Tonight's Movie: Bunco Squad (1950)

BUNCO SQUAD is a minor "B" police procedural. Its chief pleasures are some marvelous, all-too-brief glimpses of Los Angeles in 1950 and Robert Sterling as an earnest LAPD detective.

Sgt. Steve Johnson (Sterling) is a detective with the LAPD bunco squad, charged with rounding up swindlers, con men, and other crooks. His latest case is working on breaking up a ring of con artists headed by Anthony Wells (Ricardo Cortez); the group uses seances to convince a wealthy bereaved woman, Mrs. Royce (Elisabeth Risdon), that her recently deceased son wants her to leave them her fortune. Believe it or not, she's dumb enough to buy into the plot.

Before it's all over, a murder has been committed and a whole lotta brake lines have been cut on cars. Was it really that easy to turn a car into a potential deathtrap?

Sterling is a genial presence as the dedicated detective, and there's a cute side plot involving his girlfriend (Joan Dixon) being a bit part movie actress. However, in this straightforward role Sterling doesn't get the same opportunity to shine as he did in the previous year's RKO Western ROUGHSHOD (1949), a really fine little movie which made me wish Sterling had done a lot more Westerns.

There are some great shots of 1950 L.A.; I even freeze framed a couple scenes just to take a moment to take in all the signs before the action moved on. There are lots of old gas station signs, in particular. For a Southern Californian, the glimpses of how L.A. used to look are great fun.

The film is also a great example of how to economically and quickly move a plot forward on a low budget. There's a great car wreck scene where the ultimate crash is depicted with a single shot of a spinning wheel on the corner of an overturned car. Another death is instantly conveyed via a newspaper headline, without a second wasted showing it.

Where films like this tend to lose me is when they spend too much time focusing on the crooks and the commission of the crime. In particular, there's a couple seance sequences here I really didn't care to watch; they were just silly, and I didn't find the plan to free Mrs. Royce from the bad guys' clutches believable. Watching Cortez and company plot their crime struck me as ho-hum. I'm much more interested in the procedural aspects, watching how the detectives conduct their footwork and use various resources to solve the crime. The movie would have benefited by showing more of that type of thing than it did.

Side note: What's with Tol Avery, playing Sterling's police captain, pronouncing Los Angeles as Los Angle-ees?! I actually rewound the movie just to listen to him say it a second time.

This was the first film appearance in 14 years of Marguerite Churchill, who plays Mrs. Royce's secretary. Churchill's movie roles included starring opposite John Wayne in the landmark early widescreen Western THE BIG TRAIL (1930), directed by Raoul Walsh.

Douglas Fowley, John Kellogg, Bernadene Hayes, and Robert Bice round out the cast.

This 67-minute film was directed by Herbert I. Leeds. Leeds directed a number of entries in the Michael Shayne, Mr. Moto, Charlie Chan, and Cisco Kid series. He passed away in 1954.

The screenplay by George Callahan was based on the novel FORTUNEER by Reginald Taviner.

BUNCO SQUAD is available on DVD-R from the Warner Archive. The print is very good.

Watch for this RKO film to be shown on Turner Classic Movies.

I love "B" movies and am glad I saw BUNCO SQUAD, but it could have been better. For a different take, check out Mark's enthusiastic post at Where Danger Lives.

84th Annual Academy Award Nominations

The 84th annual Academy Award nominations were announced this morning.

HUGO led with a total of 11 nominations, closely followed by THE ARTIST with 10.

This year there are nine nominees for Best Picture. As was the case last year, I've seen three of the nominees: THE DESCENDANTS, MONEYBALL, and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.

I'm mildly surprised MONEYBALL was nominated for Best Picture; it was pleasant but had some glaring weaknesses. I didn't feel it had anything extra-special meriting recognition as a potential Best Picture.

I was glad to see George Clooney nominated for Best Actor for THE DESCENDANTS; I'll be quite surprised if he doesn't win. Clooney was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for cowriting THE IDES OF MARCH, a film I really enjoyed.

The biggest surprise to me was that MIDNIGHT IN PARIS didn't receive a nomination for Best Cinematography.

There were only two nominees for Best Song. That being the case, I'm baffled that "Man or Muppet" from THE MUPPETS was nominated for Best Song, but not "Life's a Happy Song."

It's also a mystery to me how KUNG FU PANDA 2 got a nomination for Animated Picture, but the very creative, visually delightful ARTHUR CHRISTMAS was ignored.

As an aside, my oldest daughter has seen seven of the nine Best Picture nominees and is strongly in favor of THE ARTIST. She loved parts of HUGO but felt it was two stories competing for time in the same movie. She's baffled by the nomination for EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, especially when TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY was ignored in that category.

The awards ceremony will take place February 26th.

Previously: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011. 2009 was such a bad year I didn't bother to comment!

Tonight's Movie: Midnight in Paris (2011)

When I sat down to watch MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011), the latest arrival from Netflix, I knew virtually nothing about it other than it was written and directed by Woody Allen. I figured how could I not watch a romantic comedy with such a great title? I was both surprised and charmed by the film, a delightful piece of movie-making which left me with a smile on my face.

I was entranced from the opening "overture" of sorts, a visual tour of Paris set to some wonderful music; perhaps the idea was borrowed from the opening of THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN (1954), but it has a style all its own. As this section drew to a close I commented to my family that I really hoped it would be a good movie because I sure liked the opening. And happily, it was.

Gil (Owen Wilson) is a successful screenwriter who dreams of putting his career on hold and moving to Paris to write a novel. As Gil tours Paris with his fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams) and her parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy), it's clear that Gil and Inez are a mismatched couple with very different goals. This problem is underlined when they spend time with Inez's friend Paul (Michael Sheen), a boorish bore of a know-it-all. Inez admires Paul and constantly criticizes her fiance.

Late one evening Gil escapes from socializing in order to walk back to the hotel. The clock chimes midnight and a vintage car pulls up. The passengers invite Gil to come along for a ride, and strange things begin to happen...

Although I tend to be a viewer who likes "spoilers," I have to say this was one of the rare occasions when I enjoyed approaching a film without any idea what it would be about. It was great fun watching the story unfold, and for that reason I'm going to be as vague as possible about most of the film's content and characters.

Other than HANNAH AND HER SISTERS (1986), which I enjoyed, I've always been distinctly uninterested in watching Woody Allen movies and have just seen bits and pieces of things over the years. So I was perhaps a little slower on the uptake than others would be to connect that Owen Wilson's Gil was an Allen-like character. As I watched, I thought I might like the film even better with an actor capable of delving into the part more deeply, with more emotion. And frankly his demeanor didn't seem quite intelligent enough at times to be a successful writer, though it was clear he knew great literature.

Wilson's performance seemed very surface, almost more of a place holder than a three-dimensional character. On the other hand, he was pleasant enough, and his "chill," vaguely surfer boy attitude meant he rolled with whatever happened to him without questioning it. I really liked that the movie didn't spend a whole lot of time worrying about explanations for what he experienced.

For me the film's only other flaw, which happens too often in a film depicting a collapsing relationship, is that the viewer has very little idea what drew Gil and Inez together in the first place. Perhaps it was physical attraction on his part, and on her end the desire to marry someone in the film business and live in Malibu. Perhaps there was initially an element of opposites attracting between the relaxed Gil and brittle, prickly Inez. There's not much more to go on than that. Other than this issue, Allen's script is excellent, both funny and thoughtful; incidentally, it was just awarded the Golden Globe.

The film's many strong points include a superb cast. My favorite supporting player was Kathy Bates, who absolutely nails her role and has some great lines and an upbeat philosophy I liked very much. Corey Stoll was also excellent in his larger-than-life role. Marion Cotillard and Lea Seydoux were both very good as two new women in Gil's life. Adrien Brody, Yves Heck, Allison Pill, and Tom Hiddleston are among the large cast.

Model Carla Bruni, also known as the current First Lady of France, is briefly seen as a tour guide and translator who assists Gil. I seem to recall having read in a London paper that Bruni's part was cut back due to her having difficulty handling the demands of acting, but any struggle on her part isn't apparent on the screen. She's quite charming.

The film's strongest point is the glorious cinematography by Johanne Debas and Darius Khondji. Paris simply glows; I'm not sure it's ever looked lovelier in a film. This is surely one of the most visually beautiful films released in years; the depiction of Paris is art in and of itself. The jazzy score adds the perfect finishing touch.

The movie left me with a smile on my face and very glad I'd invested 94 minutes in watching it. In fact, I'm going to buy my own copy so I can watch it again in the future. There's a lot to take in, and I think the second time around I'll notice things I missed on the first viewing.

Last May Kenneth Turan wrote in the Los Angeles Times, "Here's a sentence I never thought I'd write again: Woody Allen has made a wonderful new picture...and it's his best, most enjoyable work in years." I also found, after writing my own review, that he agreed with me about approaching this film blindly: "This is also a film with an unanticipated twist, so the less you know about it the better. Try to see it immediately, before well-meaning friends tell you more than they should. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is too charming to be ruined by anything, but this is a case where ignorance really is bliss."

Parental Advisory: This film is on the mildest end of PG-13, due to some risque conversation and smoking. With a little judicious editing here and there, it would have been downright old-fashioned and family friendly. It has a sweet, upbeat spirit and is even a bit educational.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS is available on DVD. It's also available for rental from Amazon Instant Video.

Update: The Oscar nominations are out, and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Art Direction. I'm rather shocked it did not receive a nomination for Best Cinematography.

Tonight's Movie: Libeled Lady (1936) at UCLA

Tonight's focus at UCLA's Spencer Tracy festival was a pair of films from 1936. The evening led off with the dramatic SAN FRANCISCO, which netted Tracy an Oscar nomination as Best Actor. The second film of the evening was a complete change of pace, the lively screwball comedy LIBELED LADY, shown in a 16mm print from George Eastman House.

LIBELED LADY has been one of my favorite comedies since I first saw it as a teen at the Tiffany Theater in Los Angeles. LIBELED LADY is packed with star power, starring Tracy with Jean Harlow, William Powell, and Myrna Loy.

Tracy plays Warren Haggerty, a newspaper editor trying to fend off a libel suit from wealthy Connie Allenbury (Loy). He brings in old colleague Bill Chandler (Powell) to handle the situation. Bill ends up marrying Warren's long-suffering fiancee Gladys (Harlow) as part of a plot to catch Connie in a compromising situation and convince her to drop the lawsuit.

It's all kind of silly, as screwball comedies usually are, but it goes down extremely smoothly thanks to the fine cast and witty, fast-paced dialogue, which is mixed with some well-done slapstick moments.

Powell, in particular, is at the top of his game, whether he's shaking down Warren for money, dealing with his hysterical "wife" Gladys, or learning how to fly fish. He's so appealing that it's completely believable that Connie doesn't bat an eye when she ultimately learns the truth; in fact the complete lack of angst when Connie finds out the truth is one of the film's many positive attributes.

Loy is also charming as Connie, from her entrance bouncing a ball on a tennis racquet, and she's equally appealing flipping flapjacks or taking Powell on a late-evening swim. She's also got a wonderful wardrobe by Dolly Tree.

Harlow takes what could have been a shrewish, unappealing character and makes her very funny. I especially love the sight of her invading the newsroom dressed in her wedding gown. Film fans can also enjoy seeing her play the phony, very funny marriage scenes with the actor (Powell) who was her offscreen love. The "wedding" scene, where she baffles the justice of the peace with her prolonged kiss of the best man (Tracy), is hilarious, especially Powell's aside, "An old friend of the family," then as the kiss goes on and on, "A very old friend."

Tracy has the most thankless role in the film, as a man who isn't too sad to constantly leave his fiancee standing at the altar, but he pulls it off as well as anyone could, without making the audience hate him too much.

Walter Connolly, who had previous experience as an heiress's father in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934), deserves special note as Connie's father. I especially like the scene where he and Connie go through the motions of meeting Bill for drinks to thank him for his help early on in the film, obviously wanting to do their social duty and then move on as quickly as possible. It's deftly played with just the right balance of "I'm so important" rudeness and politeness.

LIBELED LADY was directed by Jack Conway. It runs 96 minutes.

It was remade as EASY TO WED (1946) starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Keenan Wynn, and Lucille Ball.

LIBELED LADY has been released on DVD in the Classic Comedies Collection and the TCM Jean Harlow Legends Collection. The DVD can be rented via Netflix. It's also been released on VHS.

LIBELED LADY can also be seen on Turner Classic Movies. The trailer is available on the TCM website.

Related posts: Tonight's Movie: Inherit the Wind (1960) at UCLA; Tonight's Movie: Manhattan Melodrama (1934) at the Egyptian Theatre.

Tonight's Movie: San Francisco (1936) at UCLA

I returned to the Billy Wilder Theater in Westwood this evening to enjoy two fine 1936 entries in UCLA's ongoing Spencer Tracy festival, SAN FRANCISCO and LIBELED LADY. SAN FRANCISCO was shown in a beautiful 36mm print. I hadn't seen this film since watching it on commercial television as a teenager. What a pleasure to see this outstanding film on a big screen!

SAN FRANCISCO certainly exemplifies the old adage "They don't make 'em like they used to." A near-perfect package of entertainment, it features charismatic big-time movie stars in an engrossing story, which as a bonus is filled with beautiful music. Oh, and there's an earthquake!

Blackie Norton (Clark Gable) hires pretty Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald) to sing in his Barbary Coast establishment. Mary's a hit with both the audiences and Blackie, but when Blackie offers Mary love, but not marriage, she decides to accept the offer of Jack Burley (Jack Holt) to sing more high-class music in his opera house.

Mary is also a success as an opera star, but off the stage she struggles with her love for the rough, not-too-respectable Blackie, especially when Jack asks her to marry him. Blackie's lifelong friend Father Tim (Spencer Tracy) counsels Mary and tries to help Blackie turn his life around. Then the Great Earthquake occurs...

All the reasons Gable was one of the biggest stars of the era were freshly brought home watching him in SAN FRANCISCO. As I noted when I saw him at UCLA last summer in HOLD YOUR MAN (1933), the commanding power of Gable's screen persona packs a real wallop when blown up on a big screen.

I think sometimes that perhaps over the years Gable has come to be taken a bit for granted, but it takes a very special performer to have an impact on Gable's level. Beyond his star power, he was a superb actor, equally capable of playing light scenes or deep emotion, with the ever-present twinkle in his eye making the audience root for him even when his character isn't always admirable. As played by Gable, it's completely believable that that Bad Boy of the Barbary Coast would have also anonymously donated an expensive organ to a struggling church.

Lovely Jeanette is always delightful, capable of going toe to toe with Gable and Tracy and carving out her own special place in the movie. Mary may waffle between Blackie and the more respectable life Burley offers, but it's a believable conflict, and Mary also shows a great deal of spirit when needed. MacDonald's singing is wonderful throughout the film, but two memorable numbers deserve special mention: the rousing "San Francisco" just before the earthquake, and the beautiful "Nearer My God To Thee," sung near the end of the film. These scenes linger in the mind hours after the film has ended.

I feel the role of Father Tim is one of Spencer Tracy's most likeable performances, low-key yet completely compelling. Just watch the scene in his office where he makes coffee and gets to know Mary; the viewer can't take eyes off of him. There are nice bits of humor sprinkled here and there, such as the sidelong way he looks at Gable near the end of the film. Father Tim effectively provides the audience with enough back story to know that Gable's Blackie is really a decent guy at heart.

Tracy was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, which is a bit curious, as the Best Supporting Actor category would have seemed more appropriate recognition, given his role and the amount of screen time.

In addition to Tracy's acting nomination, SAN FRANCISCO was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director (W.S. Van Dyke), Best Assistant Director, and Best Original Story. It won the Oscar for Best Sound. It's worth noting that an Oscar category for Best Special Effects wouldn't be created until 1939. The earthquake sequence is certainly Oscar-worthy, and unlike the seemingly interminable but less impressive EARTHQUAKE (1974) decades later, it knows when to quit.

This movie runs 115 minutes. The very good script was by Anita Loos, based on a story by Robert E. Hopkins; the script was published in both hardcover and softcover by the Southern Illinois University Press in the late '70s. The black and white photography was by Oliver T. Marsh.

The supporting cast includes Jessie Ralph, Ted Healy, Shirley Ross, Margaret Irving, Harold Huber, Edgar Kennedy, Al Shean, and William Ricciardi.

The boys choir accompanying Jeanette at the organ dedication was the St. Luke's Episcopal Church Choristers; this church in Long Beach, California, supplied the boys choir for many films over the years, including MRS. MINIVER (1942).

SAN FRANCISCO is available on DVD as a single-title release or in the Clark Gable Signature Collection. The DVD contains an alternate ending; the future San Francisco seen in the final shot was changed for a 1948 re-release.

The DVD can be rented from Netflix, and the movie is available for streaming from Amazon Instant Video.

It was also released on VHS.

Finally, SAN FRANCISCO can be seen from time to time on Turner Classic Movies, which has the trailer available on the TCM website.

Related post: Tonight's Movie: Inherit the Wind (1960) at UCLA.