Tortilla Flat

Director: Victor Fleming Victor Fleming

Overview

This adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel traces the lives of two fishermen who are struggling on the coast of California. Pilon tries his best to avoid responsibility, preferring to launch schemes in the intent of striking it rich. Danny, meanwhile, does hit a streak of good luck.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/29/2011
UPC:	0883316336304
Original Release:	1942
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[B&W]
Language:	English
Time:	1:39:00
Sales rank:	6,647

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Spencer Tracy	Pilon
Hedy Lamarr	Dolores 'Sweets' Ramirez
John Garfield	Danny Alvarez
Frank Morgan	The Pirate
Akim Tamiroff	Pablo
Sheldon Leonard	Tito Ralph
John Qualen	Jose Maria Corcoran
Donald Meek	Paul D. Cummings
Connie Gilchrist	Mrs. Torrelli
Allen Jenkins	Portagee Joe
Henry O'Neill	Father Ramon
Mercedes Ruffino	Mrs. Marellis
Nina Campana	Senora Teresina Cortez
Arthur Space	Mr. Brown
Betty Wells	Cesca
Harry Burns	Torrelli
Louis Jean Heydt	Young Doctor
Willie Fung	Chin Kee
Roque Ybarra	Alfredo
Tim Ryan	Rupert Hogan
Charles Judels	Joe Machado
Yvette Dugay	Little Girl
Tito Renaldo	Boy
Harry Strang	Fireman
Walter Sande	Fireman
Jack Carr	Owner
Shirley Warde	Nurse
Emmett Vogan	Doctor
Bob O'Connor	Cannery Worker
George Magrill	Cannery Worker

Technical Credits

John Lee Mahin

Benjamin Glazer

Victor Fleming	Director
John Lee Mahin	Screenwriter
Benjamin Glazer	Screenwriter
Sam Zimbalist	Producer
Warren Newcombe	Special Effects

Editorial Reviews

Tortilla Flat has dated quite a bit since its 1942 release, and many modern viewers will find its portrayal of its mixed-Ethnic characters to be condescending and a bit insulting. But if one can look past this flaw, one is likely to find Tortilla an amiable and very agreeable little film. True, it's far from perfect: like the novel on which it is based, Tortilla is really more about atmosphere and character than it is about plot, and so the cinematic version comes off as a bit episodic and occasionally disjointed, in spite of the best efforts of director Victor Fleming to smooth over the rough patches and distract viewers from noticing this. But Fleming and his cast are so good at creating the atmosphere and at breathing life into the characters and their relationships that most viewers won't care about the bumps in the story. The cast is uniformly good, even Hedy Lamarr, whose abilities as an actress were limited and required special handling. She shines here, and has a great chemistry with John Garfield -- who for his part is lovably raffish. Spencer Tracy is perhaps first among the cast, seeming to enjoy his earthy part and having the chance to "unbend" a little. And Frank Morgan, in a rare non-comic part, demonstrates that he had a gift for drama that was rarely utilized.