A film about redemption, almost to the point where you are hit over the head with it a bit too often. While "San Francisco" is largely forgotten today, it was big news at the time, both in its special effects and its popularity.
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A film about redemption, almost to the point where you are hit over the head with it a bit too often. While "San Francisco" is largely forgotten today, it was big news at the time, both in its special effects and its popularity.

And there is reason to appreciate both, though it can be a little ham-fisted. Gable comes off well, I find his character believable. Spencer Tracy is almost used as a cartoon - the ever-lurking reminder of God - and that is less effective. The first soprano of the American movies, Jeanette MacDonald is great as the focal point, though her songs rather than her acting substitute for the schizophrenia of the city, from bawdy to operatic to "Nearer Thy God to Thee".

While the special effects are impressive (a scene of a building front falling off as a woman runs to the window is incredibly orchestrated), some of the miniatures sort of lurk in the background as the foreground fires seem tailor-made for guiding Gable's search through the city.

The idea of re-building, both literally and metaphorically, is over-done to my eye. In typical golden age fashion, it's accomplished through crescendos of music and striking visuals. Just a little more dialog exploring the issues would have improved the message.