TORTILLA FLAT

TORTILLA FLAT

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Spencer Tracy

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John Garfield

1942 MGM 105 Min.

Spencer Tracy, John Garfield, Hedy Lamarr, Akim Tamiroff and Frank Morgan star in this delightful Steinbeck tale about a group of carefree Pizono's living on the Monterey coast. The excellent adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel features Tracy and Tamiroff as two ne'er-do-wells constantly in search of a free meal and some wine to wash it down. Garfield is an eager young man who considers himself wealthy after inheriting two homes located on Tortilla Flat. Proud of his new status, Garfield allows Tracy and his friends to move into one of the homes with him. But when Garfield becomes attracted to his new neighbor Lamarr, his friends begin to annoy him.

Lamarr is excellent (she considered this the best of her roles) as the level headed, spunky woman who refuses to settle for anything she doesn't want. Garfield put his heart into his portrayal of earnest Danny. MGM built an entire village over three acres of land for the film that Garfield dearly wanted to do, though he would have to wait some time before Warner Bros. agreed to loan him to MGM. Louis B. Mayer, MGM's head, also liked the idea of Garfield in the role, and, reportedly, the power mogul was not above some unorthodox pressuring to get his man. Mayer is said to have threatened to expose Warner Bros. for not making good on their pledges to certain charitable groups unless Garfield was allowed to make the movie.

Spencer Tracy's lovable rogue and Morgan's holy roller add to the film's cast of characters. Indeed, Frank Morgan received a well-deserved Oscar Nomination as Best Supporting Actor, losing to Van Heflin in JOHNNY EAGER.

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