FLAME OF BARBARY COAST—released in 1945, has  Montana cowboy John Wayne falling for dance hall babe Ann Dvorak in the San Francisco of 1906. He has to contend for her affections with slick gambler Joseph Schildkraut.

Period light-drama, given medium production values by Republic Studio, adequate pacing from journeyman director Joseph Kane, competent performing from the cast. Good art direction, costumes and photography help. The Music Score and Sound were Oscar nominated.

Nothing memorable, though it does boast a version of the big quake, decently handled if minus scale. Duke’s sidekick is William Frawley, better known to many as ‘Fred Mertz’, neighbor of the ‘Ricardo’ family.

91 minutes, with Virginia Grey, Russell Hicks, Jack Norton, Paul Fix, Marc Lawrence, Butterfly McQueen. The film brought in around $3,300,000 against a cost of $600,000.