Film Snail

5.6

Flame of Barbary Coast

NR·1945·91m

Romance

Western

Romance

Western

Summary

Duke Fergus falls for Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry in the Barbary Coast in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. He loses money to crooked gambler Boss Tito Morell, goes home, learns to gamble, and returns. After he makes a fortune, he opens his own place with Flaxen as the entertainer; but the 1906 quake destroys his place.

Cast

John Wayne

Duke Fergus

Ann Dvorak

Ann 'Flaxen' Tarry

Joseph Schildkraut

Boss Tito Morell

William Frawley

Wolf Wylie

Virginia Grey

Rita Dane

Russell Hicks

Cyrus Danver, Owner San Francisco Star

Jack Norton

Byline Conners, Reporter San Francisco Star

Paul Fix

Calico Jim

Manart Kippen

Dr. Gorman

Eve Lynne

Martha, Morell's Secretary

Marc Lawrence

Joe Disko, Gambler

Butterfly McQueen

Beulah, Flaxen's Maid

Rex Lease

Collingswood

Hank Bell

Hank

Al Murphy

Horseshoe Brown

Eddie Acuff

Smokey, the Train Engineer (uncredited)

Gino Corrado

Waiter (uncredited)

Kenne Duncan

Gambler (uncredited)

Bud Geary

Henchman (uncredited)

Frank Hagney

Morell Henchman (uncredited)

William Hoehne Jr.

Blond haired boy delivering beer (uncredited)

Adele Mara

Marie (uncredited)

Jack Mulhall

Gambler (uncredited)

Doc Adams

Barfly

Melva Anstead

Dancehall Girl

Walter Bacon

Barfly

Frank Balderrama

Barfly

John Barton

Barfly

Edward Biby

Bill McGale

George Boyce

Specialty Dancer

Chet Brandenburg

Townsman

Roy Butler

Telephone Man

James Carlisle

Barfly

Dorothy Christy

Mother Bronson

Edmund Cobb

Townsman

Russell Custer

Barfly

Jack Gargan

Bartender

William Halligan

Tom Buckman

Stuart Hamblen

Jud McCone

Chuck Hamilton

Barfly

Mahlon Hamilton

Mr. Santer

Frank Jaquet

Prominent Citizen

Michael Jeffers

Whit Calverty

Patricia Knox

Dancehall Girl

Tom London

Thompson, Townsman in Mob

Charles Marsh

Speaker

Frankie Marvin

Cowboy

Frank McCarroll

Attendant

Philo McCullough

Gambler

Pat McKee

Barfly

William J. O'Brien

Waiter

Jack O'Shea

Barnes, the Dice Table Croupier

Bud Osborne

Bartender

Eddie Parker

Pedestrian

Victor Potel

Train Fireman

Bobbie Priest

Dancehall Girl

Hugh Prosser

Fred Mallen

Beverly Reedy

Dancehall Girl

Joe Rickson

Dealer

Arlyn Roberts

Dancehall Girl

Hector V. Sarno

Spectator at Dice Table

Lee Shumway

Casey

Larry Steers

Gambler

Charles Sullivan

Calico Jim's Bartender

Emmett Vogan

Gleason, Rita's Agent

Larry Wheat

Barfly

Bill Wolfe

Barfly in White Suit

Crew

Director

Joseph Kane

Screenplay

Borden Chase

Story

Prescott Chaplin

Reviews

Geronimo1967

July 1, 2022

Who ever came up with the title is to be commended. It suggests a storyline way, way, more interesting than this film turns out to actually be! "Tito" (Joseph Schildkraut) pretty much runs San Francisco and together with his gal "Flaxen" (Ann Dvorak) has quite a easy life - until, that is, cowboy "Duke" (John Wayne) arrives in town and takes a bit of a shine to the lady. He's just a touch too naive though for city life, and soon has to head home - broke - after being fleeced in the casino. Determined to win it all back - and more - he takes lessons in card-playing and soon returns, this time much better prepared to combat the dodgy goings-on at the card table, and to win the heart of the lady. Sadly, aside from a rare few scenes of fisticuff action, this is all rather dreary. The scenario is well trodden, and although Dvorak makes for quite a decent leading lady, the rivalry between the sophisticate crook and his handsome interloper just doesn't ever catch fire. The pace is just too forced, and there is far too much emphasis on the rather uninteresting love triangle element. This film is only really notable for the last fifteen minutes which offers us quite a well created and impressive look at just how the earthquake and subsequent fire devastated the city leaving carnage - and opportunity - in it's wake. Again there is plenty of charm from the star, but it is nowhere near enough to sustain this and though it might have been more impressive on a big screen, on a small one it proves merely to be quite a procedural and, frankly, dull, vehicle for Wayne that promises much but delivers little.