| Photos (see all 17 | slideshow) |
| Clark Gable | ... | Blackie Norton | |
| Jeanette MacDonald | ... | Mary Blake | |
| Spencer Tracy | ... | Father Mullin | |
| Jack Holt | ... | Jack Burley | |
| Jessie Ralph | ... | Mrs. Burley | |
| Ted Healy | ... | Mat | |
| Shirley Ross | ... | Trixie | |
| Margaret Irving | ... | Della Bailey | |
| Harold Huber | ... | 'Babe' | |
| Edgar Kennedy | ... | Sheriff | |
| Al Shean | ... | Professor | |
| William Ricciardi | ... | Signor Baldini | |
| Kenneth Harlan | ... | 'Chick' | |
| Roger Imhof | ... | 'Alaska' | |
| Charles Judels | ... | Tony (as Charles Judells) | |
| Russell Simpson | ... | 'Red' Kelly | |
| Bert Roach | ... | Freddie Duane | |
| Warren Hymer | ... | Hazeltine (as Warren B. Hymer) | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Jean Acker | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Maude Allen | ... | Elderly Woman (uncredited) | |
| Oscar Apfel | ... | Founders' Club Member (uncredited) | |
| Sam Ash | ... | Orchestra Leader (uncredited) | |
| Gertrude Astor | ... | Drunk's Girl (uncredited) | |
| Irving Bacon | ... | Picnicker (uncredited) | |
| King Baggot | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Jane Barnes | ... | Girl (uncredited) | |
| Vince Barnett | ... | New Year's Eve Drunk (uncredited) | |
| Jack Baxley | ... | Kinko (uncredited) | |
| Nyas Berry | ... | Dancer (uncredited) | |
| Margaret Bert | ... | Salvation Army Nurse (uncredited) | |
| Sidney Bracey | ... | Allen, Burley's Butler (uncredited) | |
| Jimmy Brewster | ... | Stooge (uncredited) | |
| Fritzi Brunette | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Sonny Bupp | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Tommy Bupp | ... | Bill, Newsboy (uncredited) | |
| Orrin Burke | ... | Pompous Man (uncredited) | |
| Richard Carle | ... | Founders' Club Member (uncredited) | |
| Helene Chadwick | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Naomi Childers | ... | Opera Spectator in Burley Box (uncredited) | |
| G. Pat Collins | ... | Bartender (uncredited) | |
| Adrienne D'Ambricourt | ... | Madame Albani (uncredited) | |
| Nigel De Brulier | ... | Old Man (uncredited) | |
| Vernon Dent | ... | Fat Man (uncredited) | |
| Mae Digges | ... | Dancer (uncredited) | |
| Tom Dugan | ... | Drunk (uncredited) | |
| Edward Earle | ... | Bit Man (uncredited) | |
| Edgar Edwards | ... | Young Earthquake Survivor 'The Fire's Out' (uncredited) | |
| Fred M. Fagan | ... | Waiter (uncredited) | |
| Jim Farley | ... | Charlie, Police Captain (uncredited) | |
| Flora Finch | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Chester Gan | ... | Jowl Lee (uncredited) | |
| Bud Geary | ... | Man Restraining Blackie after Quake (uncredited) | |
| Ruth Gillette | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Sammy Glasser | ... | Stooge (uncredited) | |
| D.W. Griffith | ... | Orchestra conductor (uncredited) | |
| George Guhl | ... | Bit Man (uncredited) | |
| Ben Hall | ... | Man searching in the chaos (uncredited) | |
| Donald Hall | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Sherry Hall | ... | Well-Wisher (uncredited) | |
| Mahlon Hamilton | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Edward Hearn | ... | Parishioner (uncredited) | |
| Fay Helm | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Anthony Jowitt | ... | Society Man (uncredited) | |
| Bronislau Kaper | ... | (uncredited) | |
| John Kelly | ... | Kelly (uncredited) | |
| Cy Kendall | ... | Headwaiter (uncredited) | |
| Jack Kennedy | ... | Mike, Old Irishman in Church (uncredited) | |
| Leonard Kibrick | ... | Choirboy (uncredited) | |
| Tandy MacKenzie | ... | Faust (uncredited) | |
| James Macklin | ... | Young Man (uncredited) | |
| Wilbur Mack | ... | Bartender (uncredited) | |
| George Magrill | ... | A Marine (uncredited) | |
| Tom Mahoney | ... | Captain of Police (uncredited) | |
| Frank Mayo | ... | Dealer (uncredited) | |
| Tom McGuire | ... | Bartender (uncredited) | |
| Robert McKenzie | ... | Messenger (uncredited) | |
| Sammy McKim | ... | Choirboy (uncredited) | |
| Douglas McPhail | ... | Extra (uncredited) | |
| John 'Skins' Miller | ... | Man on Stretcher (uncredited) | |
| Belle Mitchell | ... | Mary's Maid, Louise (uncredited) | |
| Bruce Mitchell | ... | Heckler (uncredited) | |
| Rhea Mitchell | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Harry Myers | ... | Reveler (uncredited) | |
| William Newell | ... | Man in Breadline (uncredited) | |
| Amber Norman | ... | (uncredited) | |
| William H. O'Brien | ... | Waiter at Chicken's Ball (uncredited) | |
| Spec O'Donnell | ... | Man Praying (uncredited) | |
| Dennis O'Keefe | ... | New Year's Celebrant (uncredited) | |
| Pat O'Malley | ... | Fireman (uncredited) | |
| John Pearson | ... | Stooge (uncredited) | |
| Jason Robards Sr. | ... | Father (uncredited) | |
| Beatrice Roberts | ... | Forrestal Guest (uncredited) | |
| Henry Roquemore | ... | Drinker (uncredited) | |
| Don Rowan | ... | Coast Type (uncredited) | |
| Frank Sheridan | ... | Founders' Club Member (uncredited) | |
| Helen Shipman | ... | Bit Part (uncredited) | |
| Myrtle Stedman | ... | Bit (uncredited) | |
| Carl Stockdale | ... | Salvation Army Man (uncredited) | |
| Harry Strang | ... | Soldier (uncredited) | |
| Charles Sullivan | ... | Fire Spectator (uncredited) | |
| Ben Taggart | ... | Cop (uncredited) | |
| Rosemary Theby | ... | (uncredited) | |
| David Thursby | ... | Man (uncredited) | |
| Jerry Tucker | ... | Choirboy (uncredited) | |
| Robert J. Wilke | ... | (uncredited) | |
| Tudor Williams | ... | Mephistopheles (uncredited) | |
| Bill Wolfe | ... | Parishioner (uncredited) | |
| Ortho Wright | ... | Fireman (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| W.S. Van Dyke | (uncredited) | ||
Writing credits | ||
| Robert E. Hopkins | (story) (as Robert Hopkins) | |
| Anita Loos | (writer) | |
Produced by | |||
| John Emerson | .... | producer | |
| Bernard H. Hyman | .... | producer | |
| W.S. Van Dyke | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Herbert Stothart | (uncredited) | ||
| Edward Ward | (uncredited) | ||
Cinematography by | |||
| Oliver T. Marsh | (photographed by) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| Tom Held | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Cedric Gibbons | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Adrian | (gowns) | ||
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| D.W. Griffith | .... | second unit director (uncredited) | |
| Joseph M. Newman | .... | assistant director (uncredited) | |
| Will Sheldon | .... | assistant director (uncredited) | |
Art Department | |||
| A. Arnold Gillespie | .... | associate art director (as Arnold Gillespie) | |
| Harry McAfee | .... | associate art director | |
| Edwin B. Willis | .... | associate art director | |
Sound Department | |||
| Douglas Shearer | .... | recording director | |
Special Effects by | |||
| James Basevi | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
| Russell A. Cully | .... | special effects: earthquake sequence (uncredited) | |
| A. Arnold Gillespie | .... | special effects (uncredited) | |
| Slavko Vorkapich | .... | montage sequence: earthquake (uncredited) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Max Fabian | .... | special photographic effects (uncredited) | |
| Loyal Griggs | .... | effects photographer (uncredited) | |
Stunts | |||
| Audrey Scott | .... | stunt double: Jeanette MacDonald (uncredited) | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Cliff Shirpser | .... | assistant camera (uncredited) | |
Music Department | |||
| Herbert Stothart | .... | musical director | |
| Wayne Allen | .... | orchestrator (uncredited) | |
| Paul Lamkoff | .... | vocal coach (uncredited) | |
| Paul Marquardt | .... | orchestrator (uncredited) | |
| Charles Maxwell | .... | orchestrator (uncredited) | |
| Leonid Raab | .... | orchestrator (uncredited) | |
| Jack Virgil | .... | orchestrator (uncredited) | |
Other crew | |||
| John Hoffman | .... | montage sequences | |
| Val Raset | .... | dances staged by | |
| William von Wymetal | .... | stager: operatic sequences | |
| Wallace Worsley Jr. | .... | script clerk (uncredited) | |
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| Gone with the Wind | One Night of Love | The Good Earth | In Old Chicago | Fury |
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You can't go wrong with the pairing of two of the great stars of Hollywood, Gable and Tracy......and the great star of the west coast, San Francisco. The role of Blackie Norton may be one of Gable's best, so cynical,so devil-may-care and just a little bit dangerous. Tracy play the understanding priest with his usual aplomb. As he told someone once "Don't ever let them catch you acting".
Gable's attraction to Jeanette McDonald is a little bit unbelievable. She really did belong with Jack Holt in this film......or better yet Nelson Eddy should have showed up at the last minute and swept her away with a song. Gable and McDonald don't mesh at all and there was not much chemistry between them although I must admit she is lovely. Be that as it may, the film is one of the best of Hollywood's mid-30's offerings. There is something for everyone; music, drama, comedy and the finale of the earthquake which is what we are waiting for. And what a spectacle it is!! It is very well done in those days before sophisticated special effects; with tumbling buildings, crashing walls and the inevitable fire. There are a couple of poignant scenes when the firefighters must blow up buildings and homes to control the fire thus destroying lifetimes of work and memories.
The ending is a little bit over the top as those who have lost their families and all that they own, joyously sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic and march up the hill to view the destruction (I'm not sure I would be that upbeat)......but it is still effective. The fade to the modern day (1936) San Francisco is just the right ending note. I highly recommend this film, not only for the Gable/Tracy pairing but also for the general excellence of the production.