Motion Picture Review Digest (Jan-Dec 1936)

98 MOTION PICTURE REVIEW DIGEST SAN FRANCISCO — Continued he really has nothing left with which to describe it. Such a photoplay, for example, is the thrilling, graphic, grand entertainment known as 'San Francisco.' . . For, make no mistake about it, this 'San Francisco' is a great entertainment, a film that is grandly worth all the adjectives that should and undoubtedly will be bestowed upon it." William Boehnel + + N Y World-Telegram pl4a Je 27 '36 "Both the Barbary Coast and the Earthquake are obviously rich with screen material; and in M-G-M's big new thriller, 'San Francisco,' they have been combined with the proper results. The quake is all that you could want, and it makes a fine show. . . The film is well supplied with music ... all of which, I must add, I thought Miss MacDonald did very agreeably." John Mosher + New Yorker p45 Jl 4 '36 " 'San Francisco' is one of the strangest conglomerations ever welded into a film. It has a lusty story of Barbary Coast days, a love triangle, cabaret dancing, opera, comedy, religion, and a moral, politics, and the 1906 earthquake. Despite these seeming incongruities, the picture holds together well — and the quake scenes are amazing. . . To bring to a conclusion all these diverse stories, overlong in spots, director W. S. Van Dyke uses the earthquake as a grand climax. Without the rest of the picture, this portion alone would be worth a steep admission price." + News-Wk p21 Jl 4 '36 "John Emerson and Bernie Hyman have put over an earthquake more terrifying and destructive than the combined wreckage of the four earthquakes I have experienced. . . Yes, and in so doing it all but drowned a grand and colorful story. . . To MGM: Yes, it is a lovely picture if you can get by with it." R. W. Script p9 Je 27 '36 Stage pl21 Ag '36 "[The] earthquake in the real Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer manner, lasts for 20 minutes on the screen and in all respects except casualties no doubt betters its original of 30 years ago. . . A shrewd compendium of romance and catastrophe, with emphasis on the latter skilfully administered by Director Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke, 'San Francisco' is an excellent example of Hollywood's ability to make yesterday's headline as exciting as today's." Time p48 Jl 6 '36 Trade Paper Reviews "The Clark GableJeanette McDonald starrer emerges as a feature which justifies the $1,000,000 spent by Metro in telling the stirring dramatic tale of 'Frisco in the most glamorous period of its history. Family." + Box Office p27 Jl 4 '36 "In spite of the fact that top billing goes to Gable and Miss MacDonald, the opinion of the greater number of the critics, yours truly included, is that Spencer Tracy gives a performance which warrants for him equal billing with the other two. Tracy, as Father Mullin, is magnificent. . . As far as box-office appeal is concerned, there never was a picture with more, and if any one should doubt my statement, let him look at the records which the picture is piling up wherever shown. It is a 'natural' in every sense of the word." + Canadian Moving Pict Digest p8 Jl 18 '33 "In blazing letters, 'San Francisco' should spell big money. Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald, Spencer Tracy, operatic numbers that the whole world knows, old time variety bills, catchy tunes, fascinating characters on the far-famed Barbary Coast, robust romance, and for a smash climax and finish a spectacular picturization of the San Francisco earthquake and fire, which will not quickly be forgotten. A load of entertainment like this can't miss. Miss MacDonald sings opera, church hymns and music hall tunes. It is the best work of her career and should give her the highest ranking among the motion picture opera stars." + Film Daily p21 Je 26 '36 "With all the elements of a box-office sensation— three great name draws, smashing spectacle that calls for burst after burst of applause, fine music and believable drama — 'San Francisco' is due for outstanding business everywhere. There is no denying the excellence of its lavish production nor the amazing effects achieved by its technical crew. Nothing nearer perfection in staged effects has ever been attained on the screen than these scenes of the destruction of a city by earthquake and burning." + Hollywood Reporter p3 Je 23 '36 "Facts tending to establish 'San Francisco' as a great audience entertainment and a great showman's exploitation show are many. The quality of the motivating dramatic, romantic story is stirring and the sequences depicting the city's cataclysmic destruction are sensational. It is an impressive tribute to technical genius. . . The fury of the earthquake, [and its] technical excellence brought the preview audience to its feet. . . The film should provoke wide public attention." + Motion Pict Daily p4 Je 24 '36 "A rich, handsome production with strong draw names, a very competent supporting cast, this outdoes other Barbary Coast stories in magnificence. Estimate: box office." -f Phila Exhibitor p69 Jl 1 '36 "An earthquake, noisy and terrifying and so realistic that the customers will be dodging the falling buildings and mentally hurdling the crevices that yawn in the studio streets, is 'San Francisco's' forte. That sequence, quite lengthy, alone is enough, but the picture has other assets and exhibitors can depend on it to do about everything but chop the tickets. . . Its story basically follows the outline traced previously by 'Frisco Kid' and 'Barbary Coast.' . . But all comparisons are lost by and will be forgotten in the pictorial catastrophe which breaks in just as the story reaches the peak of its emotional pitch, to set a new high in theatrical violence." -| Variety pl2 Jl 1 '36 "It will take an earthquake as devastating as the one depicted in 'San Francisco' to keep this picture from kicking over box office records. Picture is packed with selling angles. . . Production throughout is lavish with the quake sequence topping anything of this type done on the screen to date." + Variety (Hollywood) p3 Je 23 '36 SATAN MET A LADY. Warner 74min Ag 8 '36 Players: Bette Davis. Warren William. Alison Skipworth. Arthur Treacher. Winifred Shaw. Marie Wilson Director: William Dieterle Based on the novel Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. The film was previously known as Hard Luck Dame. In 1931 a film called Maltese Falcon based on the novel was released. See issue of June 29, 1936 for other reviews of this film under title of Hard Luck Dame Audience Suitability Ratings "A: depends on taste: Y: unwholesome; C: no." Christian Century pl026 S 9 '36 "[It is] a most entertaining picture. Adults & young people." + Gen Fed of Women's Clubs (W Coast) Jl 28 '36 + + Exceptionally Good; + Good; H Fair; J Mediocre; — Poor; Exceptionally Poor