| W.S. Van Dyke | Director |
| Adrian | Costumes/Costume Designer |
| James Basevi | Special Effects |
| John Emerson | Producer |
| Cedric Gibbons | Art Director |
| Arnold A. Gillespie | Art Director, Special Effects |
| Tom Held | Editor |
| Robert Hopkins | Screenwriter |
| Bernard Hyman | Producer |
| Anita Loos | Screenwriter |
| Oliver Marsh | Cinematographer |
| Harry McAfee | Art Director |
| Val Raset | Choreography |
| Herbert Stothart | Musical Direction/Supervision |
| Erich Von Stroheim | Screenwriter |
| Edward Ward | Score Composer |
| Edwin B. Willis | Set Decoration/Design |
Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
The wait was long for this to get on DVD,and what a pleasure it is to have it at last.The movie is excellent in showing us howClark Gable became the legend he was. Ofcourse the special effects are amazing forthe time period, but an on-screen Gable withhis rogish-ways and expressions, theinteraction with Spencer Tracy are what makethe picture special. A true black and whiteclassic. The extras included in the DVDare a treat also.
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Posted October 1, 2010
Out of all the films that I've seen with him, this is Clark Gable's other shining moment, along with "Gone With The Wind". Jeanette MacDonald also shines without her usual singing partner, Nelson Eddy (where's a DVD box set of their films?). Spencer Tracy's Father Mullin is one of his best supporting roles that lead him on to better things. The special effects of the great 1906 earthquake are phenominal for 1936 in comparison of what is done now in the digital age. Though only in Dolby 1.0, the earthquake sound is enhanced if you watch using Digital Sound, so you get a feel for it, much like you do (though milder) in the 1974 disaster film, EARTHQUAKE, and what they did with Sensurround. With recent digital technology in sound, it would have added to San Francisco to also offer the low-bass rumblings on the 5.1 surround tracks, along with the original soundtrack out of your front speakers, for a pow-effect for this 70 year old gem. Two things about the print of the film. In recent VHS releases and TCM broadcasts, the B&W seems too light, and during the outdoor portions of the earthquake scenes, it looks like midday vs. 5:13AM. With the print used in this DVD version, the outdoor quake scenes seem tinted correctly as if it were sunrise. However, other parts of the film still have scratches and fades, so not a fully restored digital picture. All the special features are excellent. The TNT broadcast of Clark Gable: Tall, Dark & Handsome, narrated by Liam Neeson, is very good, and one profile I have not seen before on Mr. Gable. Though without explanation as to when or why it was used, the Alternate Ending shows more scenes of San Francisco from 1936 and the progress of regrowth since the 1906 disaster. The Bay Bridge is almost ready to be opened, the Golden Gate Bridge is under construction (towers up and cables started, no suspended roadway constructed when this film was shot), and other buildings & streets bustling with activity. Seeing this alternate ending solved a mystery for me, as I remember seeing this ending the first time I saw the film in full on TV in the 70s, but hadn't seen this ending since. The two color Voice Of The Globe shorts on San Francisco from that era are excellent as well. My score would have been a perfect 5 if the film had a much-better restored print. Otherwise, well worth your time, and a must for fans of Gable, MacDonald, and the infamous Spencer Tracy.
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Overview