There are obvious parallels between the plot of this Republic film and the previous MGM "San Francisco. Both involve a self-made Barbary coast kingpin, a prime female entertainer, and an ending precipitated by the 1906 earthquake and fire. There are additional films with a very similar plot, but without the catastrophic ending. These include: "Frisco Kid(1935), "Barbary Coast"(1935), "Hello, Frisco, Hello"(1943) , and "Frisco Sal", released the same year as the present film.
Tito Morell, in the present film, is equivalent to Clark Gable's 'Blackie' in "S.F", both being self made men, with greater ambitions than their present casino on the Barbary Coast. Ann Dvorak, as Flaxen, is equivalent to the role of Jeanette MacDonald in "S.F." There is no exact equivalent for John Wayne's character in "S.F." although the nob hill crowd, who want to take Jeanette away from Blackie for their opera house is reminiscent of Wayne's role here in trying to lure Flaxen away from Tito's casino, to his brand new casino. There is no equivalent in the present film, for Spencer Tracy's character in "S.F.".
As in the case of S.F., we can look at the screenplay as being a morality play. Wayne achieved his dream of building a lavish casino by a combination of skill and luck in gambling. But on opening night, God destroyed his dream with a violent earthquake, leaving him penniless. In contrast, rival Tito's casino survived mostly intact. I think there is symbolic significance in this difference in fortune. It's saying that Tito and his casino belong here, whereas Wayne belongs back on his Montana cattle ranch, he misses so much. Fortunately for Wayne, Flaxen was agreeable to give up her entertainment lifestyle to become a cattlewoman. She had seemingly vacillated between supporting Tito or Wayne, it being difficult to tell which side she was on until near the end. Tito was rather like Gable in "S.F.": not really a bad villain.
See it in B&W at YouTube
Tito Morell, in the present film, is equivalent to Clark Gable's 'Blackie' in "S.F", both being self made men, with greater ambitions than their present casino on the Barbary Coast. Ann Dvorak, as Flaxen, is equivalent to the role of Jeanette MacDonald in "S.F." There is no exact equivalent for John Wayne's character in "S.F." although the nob hill crowd, who want to take Jeanette away from Blackie for their opera house is reminiscent of Wayne's role here in trying to lure Flaxen away from Tito's casino, to his brand new casino. There is no equivalent in the present film, for Spencer Tracy's character in "S.F.".
As in the case of S.F., we can look at the screenplay as being a morality play. Wayne achieved his dream of building a lavish casino by a combination of skill and luck in gambling. But on opening night, God destroyed his dream with a violent earthquake, leaving him penniless. In contrast, rival Tito's casino survived mostly intact. I think there is symbolic significance in this difference in fortune. It's saying that Tito and his casino belong here, whereas Wayne belongs back on his Montana cattle ranch, he misses so much. Fortunately for Wayne, Flaxen was agreeable to give up her entertainment lifestyle to become a cattlewoman. She had seemingly vacillated between supporting Tito or Wayne, it being difficult to tell which side she was on until near the end. Tito was rather like Gable in "S.F.": not really a bad villain.
See it in B&W at YouTube