San Francisco [HD]

MGM All-Star Classic Still Shines!
"San Francisco", MGM's 'Showcase' film of 1936, demonstrates why no other studio could 'touch' Metro at it's prime. Take the biggest star in Hollywood, team him with the 'Queen' of 1930s MGM musicals, add the greatest film actor of a generation in support, then top things off with a 'no-expense-spared' recreation of the most famous earthquake in American history, and an instant Classic was born!

Seventy years later, the film has lost little of it's luster; certainly the 'Message' is a bit heavy-handed, the long opera sequences may make some viewers cringe, and some of the effects (involving double exposures) seem quaint in an era of CGI...but Clark Gable still projects his signature cockiness and virility, Jeanette MacDonald is still radiant (and can sure belt out "San Francisco"), and Spencer Tracy is still magnificent (it is easy to see why he received a 'Best Actor' nomination, in what was obviously a supporting role; he easily steals the film, in every scene he's...

MGM`s GREAT DRAMA/DISASTER/MUSICAL/ROMANCE EPIC
From the mid 20s till the mid 50s, METRO-GOLDWYN MAYER(MGM) boasted they had more stars than there are in the heaven. MGM was the first studio to release a film with more than two stars(it was in 1932 - the Academy Award winning GRAND HOTEL starring Garbo, Beery, Crawford and Lionel Barrymore). SAN FRANCISCO proved to be one of the finest that ever came out of Hollywood. 3 Stars; Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald and Spencer Tracy; strong story containing drama, music, song, romance A N D disaster; set decorations by Cedric Gibbons, special effects that has never dated, realistic scenes from ol`Frisco, though everything was shot in the MGM studios at Culver City. SAN FRANCISCO is a film that will never lose its appeal because of all these ingredients. This film is a MUST-SEE. One of the best that was ever made.

DVD Buyer Beware
Unfortunatley I can only give this DVD transfer 3 stars. I have been patiently waiting for this film to be available on DVD so that I can toss out my old videocassette. Instead I think I am going to keep the videocassette and toss out the DVD. MGM's high production values are evident throughout this film. The special effects, for their time, are convincing even by today's standards. The problem with this transfer is that it is too "heavy." The facial tones are all "plugged up" and the shadows are way too saturated. I know this movie, despite it's somewhat contrasty sytle of cinemetography, was not originally shot (exposed) that way. Even if the original negative is permanently damaged this fine film is deserving of the most expensive, time-consuming restoration effort money can buy.

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