''Tortilla Flat'' is a 1942 American

romantic comedy film Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

directed by Victor Fleming and starring

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actress ...

John Garfield John Garfield (born Jacob Julius Garfinkle, March 4, 1913 – May 21, 1952) was an American actor who played brooding, rebellious, working-class characters. He grew up in poverty in New York City. In the early 1930s, he became a member of ...

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

, Akim Tamiroff, and

Sheldon Leonard Sheldon Leonard Bershad (February 22, 1907 – January 11, 1997) was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. Early life Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of middle-clas ...

based on the 1935 novel of the same name by John Steinbeck. Frank Morgan received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his poignant portrayal of The Pirate.

Plot

Danny inherits two houses in the central coastal area of California, "just outside the old seaport town of Monterey." So, Pilon and his poor idle friends move in. One of them, the Pirate, is saving money which Pilon endeavors to steal, until he discovers that it is being collected to purchase a golden candlestick which Pirate intends to burn to honor St. Francis, for healing his sick dog, that later is run over and killed. One of Danny's houses burns down, so he allows his friends to move into the other house with him, and in gratitude Pilon tries to make life better for his friend. Things are fine at first until Danny's passion for a lovely girl named Dolores causes him to actually go to work in a fishing business. A misunderstanding caused by Pilon about a vacuum cleaner Danny had bought for the girl, enrages Danny; he becomes drunk and a bit crazy. He almost dies in an accident while interrupting the girl at her work in a cannery, but through Pilon's prayers, is restored to health. Danny then marries his sweetheart with the promise that he will become a fisherman now that Pilon has raised the money to buy him a boat. The movie's happy ending is quite different from the novel's ending, in which Danny dies after a fall.

Cast

as Pilon *

as Dolores Sweets Ramirez *

as Daniel Alvarez *

as The Pirate * Akim Tamiroff as Pablo *

as Tito Ralph *

John Qualen John Qualen (born Johan Mandt Kvalen, December 8, 1899 – September 12, 1987) was an American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles. Early years Qualen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, the son ...

as José Maria Corcoran * Donald Meek as Paul D. Cummings *

Connie Gilchrist Rose Constance Gilchrist (July 17, 1895 – March 3, 1985) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Among her screen credits are her roles in the Hollywood productions '' Cry 'Havoc (1943), ''A Letter to Three Wives'' (1949), ...

as Mrs. Torelli *

Allen Jenkins Allen Curtis Jenkins (born Alfred McGonegal; April 9, 1900 – July 20, 1974) was an American character actor and singer who worked on stage, film, and television. Life and career Jenkins was born on Staten Island, New York, on April 9, 190 ...

as Big Joe Portagee * Henry O'Neill as Father Juan Ramon *

Mercedes Ruffino Mercedes may refer to: People * Mercedes (name), a Spanish feminine name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or last name Automobile-related * Mercedes (marque), the pre-1926 brand name of German automobile m ...

as Mrs. Marellis *

Nina Campana Nina may refer to: * Nina (name), a feminine given name and surname Acronyms * National Iraqi News Agency, a news service in Iraq *Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, on the campus of Norwegian University of Science and Technology * No income, ...

as Señora Teresina Cortez *

Arthur Space Charles Arthur Space (October 12, 1908 – January 13, 1983) was an American film, television and stage actor. He was best known as Doc Weaver, the veterinarian, in thirty-nine episodes of the CBS television series '' Lassie''. Early years Bor ...

as Mr. Brown * Betty Wells as Cesca * Harry Burns as Torelli * Terry (Toto) as Dog

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,865,000 at the US and Canadian box office and $746,000 elsewhere, making the studio a profit of $542,000.

Critical response

Film critic

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

gave the film a positive review, writing that the film "is really a little idyll which turns its back on a workaday world...it is filled with solid humor and compassion—and that is pleasant, even for folks who have to work.".

Awards

Nominations

* Best Supporting Actor - Frank Morgan

References

External links

* * * * * {{John Steinbeck 1942 films American black-and-white films Films scored by Franz Waxman Films based on American novels Films based on works by John Steinbeck Films directed by Victor Fleming Films set in California Films set in the 1930s Films shot in California Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films with screenplays by Benjamin Glazer American romantic comedy films 1942 romantic comedy films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films