San Francisco (1936)

In the twilight of 1905, San Francisco's infamous Barbary Coast is ablaze, and in the aftermath, a singer named Mary Blake, hailing from Benson, Colorado, is left homeless and seeking employment. She stumbles upon the Paradise nightclub, a den of delights owned by the hard-nosed but good-hearted Blackie Norton. After a somewhat demeaning audition involving a display of her legs, Mary secures a job and unknowingly sets off a chain of events that will intertwine their destinies. Blackie, urged by his confidants, is convinced to run for Supervisor of the Coast, a role that puts him head-to-head with his upscale rival from Nob Hill, Jack Burley. When Jack and his comrade, Maestro Baldini, witness Mary's enchanting voice, they lure her to perform at their opulent Tivoli Opera House. But contractual ties and a blossoming romance with Blackie complicate matters. The Paradise performers' jibes at Mary's relationship with Blackie force her to abandon the nightclub and ascend the Tivoli's stage. However, Blackie, armed with an injunction against Jack, attempts to halt her debut. Yet, the magic of her voice dissolves his resolve and he proposes marriage to her. Their reunion is fleeting as Blackie's old friend, Father Tim Mullin, denounces Mary's risqué performance. Mary, once again, finds herself at the Tivoli, under Jack's patronage, who also presents her with a marriage proposal. Meanwhile, Jack leverages his influence to shut down Paradise and incarcerate the artists, escalating their rivalry. Amidst this tumult, Mary stands by Paradise, her voice ringing out at a grand musical competition, the annual "Chicken Ball", winning them the $10,000 prize. However, victory is overshadowed by the ground shaking beneath them, signaling the arrival of the catastrophic 1906 earthquake. The catastrophe wreaks havoc upon the city, reducing landmarks to rubble and street to chasms. In the wake of the quake, a dazed Blackie, alongside Father Tim, finds Mary in a Salvation Army camp. As they gaze upon the ruins, the relentless spirit of San Francisco resonates in the air, echoing in the strains of the title song, hinting at the rise of a renewed city from the ashes.

San Francisco is a drama movie featuring Clark Gable and directed by W.S. Van Dyke.

It is possible to buy San Francisco on Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube.