The San Francisco Docks Explained

The San Francisco Docks
Director:Arthur Lubin
Producer:Marshall Grant
Music:Charles Previn
Cinematography:Charles Van Enger
Distributor:Universal Pictures
Runtime:60 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English

The San Francisco Docks is a 1940 American crime drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Burgess Meredith, Barry Fitzgerald, and Irene Hervey.[1] [2] [3]

Plot

When his sweetheart, barmaid Kitty Tracy, is annoyed by a customer, longshoreman Johnny Barnes slugs the guy. The man is later found dead. Johnny is tried for murder and convicted.

Kitty and a priest, Father Cameron, believe in Johnny's innocence and search for a way to exonerate him. They discover that Monte March, a prisoner who has escaped Alcatraz prison, is the real killer, being helped by wife Frances in fleeing from the law. March is apprehended and Johnny's set free.

The movie is noteworthy in that featured a fight scene between two of the actresses, Esther Ralston and Irene Hervey. Both women told director Arthur Lubin that they did not want to have stunt doubles perform the fight scene, described by press accounts as a "... whirlwind fistfight... said to overshadow the most hectic feminine movie battles seen in recent motion pictures."[4] Hervey later described the fight as a "...terrific battle between me and Esther Ralston—with hair-pulling, kicking, the works."[5]

Cast

Production

In May 1940 Universal announced the film as part of its schedule for the following year.[6] On September 20 the studio said Meredith would star alongside Irene Harvey and Barry Fitzgerald, with Arthur Lubin to direct.[7] The film was shot in eleven days.[8]

Reception

The New York Times called it "routine... a lot of melodramatic foolishness."[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. San Francisco DOCKSPicture Show; London Vol. 45, Iss. 1151, (May 17, 1941): 12.
  2. San Francisco DocksMonthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 8, Iss. 85, (Jan 1, 1941): 35.
  3. Diabolique Magazine. Stephen. Vagg. The Cinema of Arthur Lubin. 14 September 2019.
  4. News: Hopper . Hedda . Hedda Hopper's Hollywood. 27 October 2019 . The Des Moines Register (Des Moines, Iowa) . 18 Oct 1940.
  5. Web site: Fitzgerald . Mike . Irene Hervey -- An Interview with Mike Fitzgerald . Western Clippings . 27 October 2019.
  6. UNIVERSAL PLANS TO MAKE 59 FILMSNew York Times 13 May 1940: 23.
  7. Lubitsch, Universal Both Sign MeredithScheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 21 Sep 1940: A7.
  8. MEREDITH -- THE UNMELANCHOLY DANEBy JOHN R. FRANCHEY. New York Times 12 Jan 1941: X4.
  9. THE SCREEN IN REVIEW New York Times 26 Dec 1940: 23.