San Francisco (film) - Plot Summary

Plot Summary

"Blackie" Norton (Clark Gable), a saloonkeeper and gambler in the notorious Barbary Coast, owns the Paradise Club on Pacific Street. He hires a promising but impoverished classically-trained singer from Benson, Colorado named Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald), who becomes a star attraction at the Paradise. The piano player at the club, dubbed "The Professor" (Al Shean) can tell Mary has a professionally trained voice. Mat (Ted Healy), Blackie's good friend at the Paradise, wisely predicts that Mary is not going to stay on the "Coast."

Blackie's childhood friend, Roman Catholic priest Father Tim Mullen (Spencer Tracy), makes several attempts to reform him, while the other nightclub owners attempt to convince Blackie to run for the City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors in order to protect their crooked interests. Encouraged by Father Tim, who believes he can use the supervisor position to implement reform, Blackie decides to run for office. However, despite Father Tim's best efforts, Blackie remains a jaunty Barbary Coast atheist, although we later learn that Blackie paid for the new organ in Father Tim's church.

Blackie's feelings for Mary intensify but complications arise when she is offered an opportunity to sing in the opera. Although she initially refuses to break her contract with Blackie she later leaves the Paradise Club due to her belief that Blackie's feelings for her are not sincere.

Mary is hired by the Tivoli Opera House on Market Street. There she becomes involved with Nob Hill scion Jack Burley (Jack Holt). Blackie wants to stop Mary singing at the Tivoli, and although he arrives the night of her premiere with a process server to shut down the show, when he hears her sing he decides not to stop the opera. After her performance Blackie visits Mary in her dressing room and realizing she still loves him, Mary asks him to marry her. Blackie agrees but their reunion is soon interrupted by Burley, who had earlier proclaimed his love for Mary and proposed to her. Blackie, seeing Burley as competition for Mary's affections, is happy to tell him of their intent to marry. However, as Blackie gloatingly tells Burley of their plans it becomes clear that Blackie intends to take Mary away from the Tivoli and put her back on stage at the Paradise. Burley appeals to Mary but Blackie presents Mary with an ultimatum by asking if she wants to marry him or stay at the Tivoli.

Mary's choice becomes apparent by her return to the Paradise. Backstage, before the opening night of her return performance, she asks Blackie if they can set the date for their wedding. Blackie agrees but wants to postpone getting married until after the election. Father Tim soon pays them a visit and angered by Mary's skimpy costume, defies Blackie to put her on the stage in front of the rowdy Paradise audience. Mary, observing Blackie's reaction to Father Tim's statements, decides to leave with the priest after Blackie strikes him in the face.

Mary goes back to Burley and eventually meets his mother (Jessie Ralph) at her Nob Hill Nob Hill mansion. She tells Mary that she started out as Massie, the washerwoman in 1850 on Portsmouth Square Portsmouth Square and that although she also once had a "Blackie" in her life she chose to marry the elder Burley. This cements Mary's decision to accept Burley's proposal of marriage.

On order of Burley, on April 17, 1906 the San Francisco Police Department padlocks the Paradise. Blackie, distraught about the future of his club, ends up at the city's annual Chickens Ball where Mary and Burley are in attendance. That night Mary sings the song Theme from San Francisco and wins the Chickens Ball competition for the Paradise, but Blackie angrily refuses the prize money, stating that Mary had no right to sing on behalf of his club. Before an embarrassed Mary can leave the ball with Burley, at 5:13 a.m. April 18, 1906, the earthquake hits the city. Widespread devastation and loss of life occurs as buildings are destroyed and fires rage out of control. Firemen are ill equipped to fight the fires due to broken water mains.

As Blackie wanders the city searching for Mary he comes upon his good friend Mat, who was injured at the destroyed Hall of Justice on Washington Street. A nurse tells Blackie that Mat will not survive. Before he dies, Mat tells Blackie he was wrong about his feelings toward Mary. Blackie then walks to Nob Hill where he sees Mrs. Burley who senses her son has died (Blackie did indeed see the dead Burley). She leaves the area as US Army troops from the Presidio prepare to blow up the mansions to create firebreaks.

Blackie later meets Father Tim who takes him to Golden Gate Park, where a tent encampment has been established. It's there that Blackie hears Mary's voice lifted in song with those in mourning. After seeing Mary, Blackie falls to his knees and gives his heartfelt thanks to God for sparing Mary's life. Mary sees Blackie praying and as she walks toward him word spreads through camp that "The fire's out!" As people shout about building a new San Francisco, Blackie and Mary join the crowd (a surprisingly multi-racial group, given the era of the film) as they leave Golden Gate Park marching arm-in-arm, singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic. The film ends as the smoldering ruins dissolve into the "modern" San Francisco of the mid 1930's.