Click to read the article
Barbary Coast (1935)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:10
Fresh:10
Rotten:0
Average Rating:7.4/10
Synopsis: In BARBARY COAST, Mary Rutledge (Miriam Hopkins) travels to San Francisco at the height of the gold rush to meet the man she has arranged to marry, a prospector who has struck it rich. When she... In BARBARY COAST, Mary Rutledge (Miriam Hopkins) travels to San Francisco at the height of the gold rush to meet the man she has arranged to marry, a prospector who has struck it rich. When she arrives she finds him dead, thanks to local casino owner and crime boss Louis Chamalis (Edward G. Robinson). Mary takes up with Chamalis in a business partnership: He nicknames her Swan and hires her as a main attraction in his casino, the Bella Donna. Mary quickly grows tired of Chamalis's strong-arm habits and runs away, falling in love with thoughtful prospector James Carmichael (Joel McCrea); meanwhile, Louis and his thugs are abusing power and harassing or killing those who would expose their crimes. A colorful and entertaining period drama, half gangster picture and half Western, BARBARY COAST features a strong performance by Robinson as the flamboyant Chamalis and a notable appearance by Walter Brennan as Old Atrocity. The film also showcases the song "I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair." [More]
Starring: Miriam Hopkins, Edward G. Robinson, Joel McCrea, Walter Brennan
Starring: Miriam Hopkins, Edward G. Robinson, Joel McCrea, Walter Brennan, Frank Craven, Donald Meek
Director: Howard Hawks
Director: Howard Hawks
Composer: Alfred Newman
Producer: Samuel Goldwyn
Reviews for Barbary Coast
It's an entertaining but lesser Hawks film, too conventional in its storytelling to kick up any dust.
Any self-respecting San Franciscan needs to give Barbary Coast a spin.
Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur hammer out a bouncing melodrama of San Francisco's sin and salad days in Barbary Coast.
The primitive San Francisco is imbued with a lusty spirit, comprised of mud in the streets, tinkly pianos and crooked card games.
...surely this must be the only film to ever feature a climactic rowboat chase...
A wide-open San Francisco, circa 1890, is the background for one of Howard Hawks's intelligent love triangles.
More Movies
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 70% 70% | Where the Wild Things Are | 03/12 |
| 83% 83% | Paranormal Activity | 03/12 |
| 89% 89% | Zombieland | 03/12 |
| 76% 76% | The Informant! | 03/12 |
| | The Strength of Water | 03/12 |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Barbary Coast at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.
Competitions

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection



Top Critic

