Key to the City (film)

Key to the City is a 1950 American romantic comedy film starring Clark Gable and Loretta Young as mayors who meet at San Francisco, and despite their contrasting personalities and views, they fall in love. It marked the final film role of Frank Morgan, who died before the film was released, and the last credited film appearance of his Wizard of Oz castmate Clara Blandick.

Plot

Steve Fisk (Clark Gable) is the mayor of a town called Puget City. At a convention in San Francisco, he mistakes Clarissa Standish (Loretta Young), the mayor of Wenonah, Maine, for a "balloon dancer" he was expecting.

A former longshoreman, Steve feels that Clarissa might be too refined a woman for him, but he is definitely attracted. He needs to be careful, however, because a crooked city councilman Les Taggart (Raymond Burr) would love to have any hint of scandal to use against Steve politically back home.

Steve proceeds to inadvertently get Clarissa arrested twice, first after a brawl in a Chinatown restaurant, then on their way to a costume party. A photographer clicks a picture of Clarissa making it appear she is at the police station for public drunkenness. She does not think it funny, but her uncle, Judge Silas Standish (Lewis Stone), is privately delighted that the prim Clarissa seems to finally be loosening up.

The balloon dancer, Sheila (Marilyn Maxwell), shows up, causing Clarissa to conclude incorrectly that Steve is going to see her. And she is irate when Steve disappears, unaware that he had to hurry home for a hastily called council vote. The truth is, Steve wants to marry Clarissa, and cannot wait to present her with the key to his city.

Cast

Clark Gable as Steve Fisk

Loretta Young as Clarissa Standish

Frank Morgan as Fire Chief Duggan

Marilyn Maxwell as Sheila

Raymond Burr as Les Taggart

James Gleason as Sergeant Hogan

Lewis Stone as Judge Silas Standish

Raymond Walburn as Mayor Billy Butler

Pamela Britton as Miss Unconscious

Zamah Cunningham as Mrs. Butler

Clinton Sundberg as Clerk

Marion Martin as Emmy

Bert Freed as Emmy's Husband

Emory Parnell as Council Chairman

Clara Blandick as Liza

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $2,296,000 in the US and Canada and $677,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $298,000.

Key to the city original theatrical trailer

Contents

Plot

Cast

Reception

References