The 1906 San Francisco earthquake is the historical background for San Francisco, a 1936 movie romance between a gambling hall tycoon, played by Clark Gable, and a promising but poor singer. The then very popular singing voice of Jeanette MacDonald in the female lead was bound to make this film into a hit.
The title song, composed by Walter Jurmann and Bronislaw Kaper, is sung by the Jeanette MacDonald character a half-dozen times in the film, and becomes in the end an anthem for survivors of the earthquake. It is now a popular sentimental sing-along at public events such as the city's annual earthquake commemoration. Judy Garland popularized another version of the song with additional lyrics.
The movie was successful in receiving only a single Oscar:
It was nominated for five others:
- Best Picture - John Emerson and Bernard H. Hyman , producers
- Best Actor in a Leading Role - Spencer Tracy
- Best Assistant Director - Joseph M. Newman
- Best Director - W.S. Van Dyke
- Best Writing, Original Story - Robert E. Hopkins