William Ricciardi Movies

The MGM historical "spectacular" San Francisco was allegedly based on a three-sentence synopsis, submitted verbally to producer B.F. Zeidman by studio troubleshooter Bob Hopkins. The story begins on the Barbary Coast on New Year's Eve, 1906, as rakish but likeable political boss Blackie Norton (Clark Gable) hires demure young singer Mary Blake (Jeanette MacDonald) to perform at his rowdy Paradise gambling house. Local priest Father Mullin (Spencer Tracy), Blackie's best friend, disapproves of the exploitation of the lovely Mary, feeling that she's suited for classier surroundings. Jack Hurley (Jack Holt), Nob Hill socialite and Blackie's political rival, agrees with Father Mullin and offers the girl the opportunity to sing with the San Francisco Opera. Blackie, who's fallen in love with Mary but won't admit it to himself, jealously holds on to her contract, forcing Mary to walk out on him. For the rest of the film, Mary is torn between the "respectable" lifestyle offered her by Hurley and the baser creature comforts provided by Blackie. It looks for a while that Hurley has won out, but fate takes a hand in the form of the devastating San Francisco Earthquake of April 18, 1906 (a special effects tour de force for art directors Arnold Gillespie and his uncredited associate James Basevi). Hurley is killed in the holocaust, while Blackie, desperately searching for Mary in the rubble, at long last finds religion and prays to God for his sweetheart's salvation. At the end, an unidentified bit player shouts defiantly "We'll build a new San Francisco!" -- and by golly, they do! The Hollywood censors were not so much bothered by the sexual subtext of San Francisco or its harrowing earthquake finale as they were by a scene in which Father Mullin is knocked down by an unrepentant Blackie. To "purify" this potentially blasphemous sequence, screenwriter Anita Loos quickly added an earlier scene in which Mullin and Blackie, both dressed in turtleneck sweaters, genially duke it out at an exercise gym, whereupon the priest cold-cocks Blackie with the greatest of ease. By establishing that Mullin could have punched out Blackie, but chooses not to in the controversial later scene, not only allows that scene to pass, but also strengthened the priest's character. San Francisco proved to be one of MGM's biggest hits, remaining in almost constant reissue for the next three decades. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two silent film versions preceded this 1936 Hollywood adaptation of the 19th century novel by the writer Ouida Bergere. It is set in Saharan Africa but was filmed in the Arizona desert. Ronald Colman is Corporal Victor, a man who has taken the rap for a crime committed by his younger brother. Victor has joined the French Foreign Legion to escape his past, taking with him his valet Rake (Herbert Mundin). His commander is the ruthless Major Doyle (Victor McLaglen), who becomes jealous when Cigarette (Claudette Colbert), a nightclub singer with a yen for men in uniforms, sets her sights on Victor. Victor, however, lusts after a more refined Englishwoman named Lady Venetia (Rosalind Russell), and he eventually dumps Cigarette for Venetia. McLaglen sends Victor off on a difficult mission from which he hopes that he won't return. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide

This musical chronicles the rise to stardom of a humble bellhop after he is discovered by a talent agent. Though he becomes a very popular singer of contemporary songs, the young man really aspires to a career in opera. At first his manager is appalled and refuses to let him, but when his disconsolate star begins hitting the sauce, he relents and success ensues. Songs and production numbers include "Broadway Cinderella," "Where Am I?," "At Your Service Madam," "You Let Me Down," "Over Yonder Moon," "September in the Rain" (Al Dubin, Harry Warren), "Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie" (Carson J. Robison), and selections from "Aida" (Giuseppe Verdi), and "Martha" (Friedrich von Flotow). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This complex '30s film is based upon a play by Pirandello which involved a hapless amnesiac. In As You Desire Me, the legendary Greta Garbo plays a down-in-the-dumps amnesiac (she can't recall who her husband is) who ends up singing in a low-life nightclub and putting up with the advances of a cruel and crude novelist (Eric von Stroheim). She'd have remained in this miserable state were it not for the fact that she's recognized and returned to her true husband, who's a nobleman loyally in love with her. Her former suitor von Stroheim shows up trying to expose her as a fraud and regain her as his captive. ~ All Movie Guide

It is difficult to determine who is the more ferocious character in this film: The real shark seen in the underwater sequences, or star Edward G. Robinson. Robinson plays a Portuguese tuna boat skipper--the self-styled "best dam' fisherman in the Pacific"--who years earlier had lost his hand to a shark while rescuing best friend Richard Arlen. Robinson promises to look after the daughter (Zita Johann) of a recently deceased crew member. He proposes marriage; she accepts, more out of gratitude than love. The girl eventually falls for Robinson's pal Arlen, who wants to break off the relationship before Robinson gets hurt. But Robinson catches the lovers together, and vows to kill Arlen. In attempting to throw his ex-friend to the sharks, Robinson is accidentally pulled overboard to his own death. Warner Bros. would unofficially remake Tiger Shark several times over the next ten years; while the professions of the two leading male characters would change, the basic "triangle" plot remained the same. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Milton Sills stars as Nicki, a popular puppeteer who returns from the battlefields of WWI deaf as a post. He soon discovers that his sweetheart Angela (Gertrude Olmstead) has become engaged to his former wardrobe master Bruno (Francis McDonald). Before the story can metamorphose into a modern-day Pagliacci, a backstage fire breaks out at Nicki's puppet theater. Bruno behaves like a craven coward during the conflagration, but Nicki valiantly saves everyone from a horrible death. As a result, Angela vows eternal devotion to Nicki -- whose hearing has been restored in all the excitement. John F. Goodrich adapted the screenplay from a theatrical piece by Frances Lightner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Geoffrey Farnell (Richard Dix) returns from the war, the only job he can find is as a reporter on a New York scandal sheet. The editor, Job Hardcastle (George Nash), becomes angry with Farnell, who isn't hard-hearted enough to write the kind of material the paper requires. Farnell is sent off to cover the story of a society divorcée who has become a cheap cabaret dancer. He finds "Mops" Collins (Jacqueline Logan), but instead of writing the story, he takes pity on her and takes her in. The chagrined Hardcastle is about to fire Farnell, who asks for one more chance. He gets his opportunity when he discovers Clive Ross-Fayne (Charles Beyer), his old war buddy, in a courtroom, charged with dealing drugs. Ross-Fayne was believed to be dead and had been posthumously recognized for valor, but he was actually shell-shocked and had lost his memory. Farnell believes that this is the story that will save his job, but then he discovers that Ross-Fayne is the brother of Eleanor (Edna Murphy), a girl he loves. He tries to stop the story from being published, but Hardcastle pushes it through. Farnell is furious and assaults the editor. Eleanor finally understands Farnell's desperation and forgives him, and a lawsuit makes him rich, so he never has to hunt down a scandalous story again. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Glamorous Gloria Swanson dressed down for this story of a little Parisian thief. Toinette (Swanson) is the leader of a band of thieves called "the Wolves of Montmartre." Dressed like a boy, she is known only as the Humming Bird and is wanted by the police. American reporter Randall Carey (Edward Burns) is determined to help the police identify Humming Bird. At an underworld den he come to Toinette's defense and when he is injured she nurses him back to heath. The two fall in love, but then the World War breaks out. Carey enlists and Toinette patriotically convinces her Wolves to enlist. She also decides to hand over her loot to the church. She is caught while doing this, however, and imprisoned. Carey is wounded in battle and a bomb frees Toinette from the prison. She goes to Carey, and they are found by the police chief. Toinette confesses that she is the notorious Humming Bird, fully expecting to be arrested. However, she has been pardoned for inspiring the Wolves of Montmartre to fight in the war. This leaves her and Carey free to be together. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide