Nearer, My God, to Thee – San Francisco by Jeanette MacDonald

Lately, my mind has been wandering, going back on its own to some dark moments in my past. I remember sleepless nights in 1999, just after my Father had passed away, and how I would get up at 2:30 in the morning to play a VHS tape of the great Irish tenor, Frank Patterson (1938-2000), singing songs of inspiration. His voice, his presence on that screen eased the pain in my soul, calmed the terrible sense of loss and sent me back to sleep. I suddenly realized that I must not be the only one saved from dark despair by hymn and spiritual; and how we return again and again to the salve of sacred music. It has been said that, as the Titanic was sinking in 1912, those left behind to die on the deck of the ship asked the orchestra to play “Nearer, My God, to Thee.” Remembering this, my mind raced back to the end of the movie, San Francisco (1936), when survivors are gathered on a hill overlooking the once proud city, now beaten down by the 1906 earthquake and fire that followed. Two childhood friends, one a Priest (Spencer Tracey) and one a saloon owner (Blackie, played by Clark Gable), have also managed to make it to safety. Just a few yards away, a singer who Blackie loves (Jeanette MacDonald), tries to comfort a grieving family. When news comes that the fire has been put out, the survivors rise up and set out to rebuild San Francisco. Where does this power come from, that gives us the strength to absorb life’s blows without complaint and then come back stronger than ever? We will continue this discussion in Part 2, coming soon; in the meantime, enjoy this clip from the end of the movie.