This film takes place in San Francisco's Barbary Coast during the time of the great earthquake in 1906. It was a huge hit in 1936 and part of it was due to the shattering spectacle of the earthquake scenes, some of the truly great cinematic illusions ever put on film. The earthquake scene's only competition is Gable's "Blackie" which, in my opinion, is the best performance in the film.
The story centers around Mary Blake, played by Jeanette MacDonald, an opera singer who is down on her luck. She arrives at Blackie Norton's Paradise gambling hall looking for work. Blackie treats her just like another one of the dance hall girls embarrassing her by asking to see her legs. She obliges reluctantly, and gets the job.
While performing at the Paradise, socialite Jack Burley and Maestro Baldini of the Tivoli Opera House see her and offer her a chance to do opera, but Blackie having her under a two-year contract won't release her. Later, when he makes up posters featuring Mary in tights, she gets fed up and leaves for the Tivoli. Blackie goes after her and asks her to marry him and she agrees to go back to the Paradise as his kind of singer. However Blackie's childhood chum Father Tim, played by Spencer Tracy intervenes. Blackie disagrees and slugs the priest, so Mary leaves. She is soon the star of the Tivoli and Blackie's place is closed down. In order to help him at the annual "Chicken Ball" she sings the title song of "San Francisco" and wins the $10,000 prize which she donates to Blackie. Unfortunately, Blackie's pride won't let him take her money and he throws it to the floor. As she storms out of the hall a terrible rumble begins the earthquake.
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