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Barbary Coast Photos

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Movie Info

Forced to remain in San Francisco after the murder of her fiancé, Mary Rutledge (Miriam Hopkins) takes a job in the saloon of powerful Louis Chamalis (Edward G. Robinson), the man responsible for the death of her intended. One afternoon while riding, Mary meets Easterner Jim Carmichael (Joel McCrea) and, attracted to him, pretends that she is a lady. Later at the saloon, Jim learns otherwise -- and despite losing all his money gambling, he remains at the saloon to pursue Mary.

Genre:

adventure
Original Language:

English
Director:

Howard Hawks
Producer:

Samuel Goldwyn
Writer:

Charles MacArthur, Ben Hecht
Release Date (Streaming):

Jul 14, 2020
Runtime:

1h 30m
Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Company

Cast & Crew

Miriam Hopkins
Mary "Swan" Rutledge

Edward G. Robinson
Luis Chamalis

Joel McCrea
Jim Carmichael

Walter Brennan
Old Atrocity

Frank Craven
Col. Marcus Aurelius Cobb

Brian Donlevy
Knuckles Jacoby

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Barbary Coast

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (1)

Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur hammer out a bouncing melodrama of San Francisco's sin and salad days in Barbary Coast.

March 25, 2006 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Andre Sennwald
New York Times
A wide-open San Francisco, circa 1890, is the background for one of Howard Hawks's intelligent love triangles.

January 1, 2000 | Full Review…

Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
With Miriam Hopkins as a gold digger of '49. Edward Robinson as the Boss of San Francisco, and both worth watching.

July 22, 2019 | Full Review…

Ann Ross
Maclean's Magazine
With a subject like the Barbary Coast, we should have been given a lot more color and sin, and I, for one, feed grossly cheated.

May 31, 2019 | Full Review…

Helen Brown Norden
Vanity Fair
Engaging tale mixes romance, historical film, and anti-dictator, pro-Freedom of the Press points of view.

November 21, 2017 | Full Review…

Michael E. Grost
Classic Film and Television
It's an entertaining but lesser Hawks film, too conventional in its storytelling to kick up any dust.

July 12, 2008 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Any self-respecting San Franciscan needs to give Barbary Coast a spin.

May 18, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/5

Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
Quote not available.

July 17, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
The primitive San Francisco is imbued with a lusty spirit, comprised of mud in the streets, tinkly pianos and crooked card games.

May 9, 2005 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
...surely this must be the only film to ever feature a climactic rowboat chase...

March 12, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
You can't go far wrong with Miriam Hopkins, Eddie G. and Howard Hawks.

August 18, 2004 | Rating: 4/5

Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Quote not available.

August 22, 2003 | Rating: 4/5

Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

View All Critic Reviews (13)

Audience Reviews for Barbary Coast

Jul 02, 2008

A bit heavy on the ham in a couple of places but entertaining nontheless, Edward G. is fine as always although he should have rethought the earring. He and Miriam are a fine pair even though he despised her offscreen.

jay n Super Reviewer