Fisherman's Wharf (1939)

Better Late Then Never

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Blistering performances.

"Fisherman's Wharf" is the sixth of nine films that young singing star Bobby Breen made from 1936 to 1942. These were mostly B musicals put out by RKO. His earliest films were the best, before his voice began to change. This film was toward the end. The songs aren't quite as good as his earlier ones. The production quality of this film is quite rough. But, it's worth viewing for Breen's singing and for its shooting location. The film depicts the Italian immigrant fishing fleet that had developed in San Francisco Bay over the previous decades. While commercial fishing still operates out of the wharf area in the early 21st century, the boats are larger and of more recent vintage than the smaller boats common back then. I've visited San Francisco a number of times, and always go to Fisherman's Wharf. What struck me as odd in this movie was the arrival of a car that the locals noted were tourists. Apparently, the wharf was not yet widely visited or established as a tourist place in the 1930s. Surely, by the end of WW II, it began to attract tourists as much as fishermen.

Fisherman's Wharf is a fine family film which showcases the singing talents of young Bobby Breen. Young Breen works on a fishing boat with his father Leo Carrillo and family friend Henry Armetta. In fact the film begins and ends with Breen leading a chorus of San Francisco fishermen from Fisherman's Wharf with Come Back To Sorrento. Such other Italian traditional works like Funniculi Funnicula and Santa Lucia are among other songs Breen wrapping his soprano pipes around.Into their lives come Carrillo's newly widowed sister-in-law Lee Patrick and her spoiled brat of a son Tommy Bupp. My biggest problem with the film was the fact that Patrick's sister could marry a fisherman like Carrillo and Patrick could marry some Boston blue blood. Nevertheless she did and now she's having trouble making ends meet so the good hearted Carrillo invites them to stay with him.No sooner does she get there in that she starts rearranging Carrillo's life which upsets Armetta and housekeeper Rosina Galli. And Bupp who's the kind of a kid you'd like to smack on general principles makes life for Breen miserable especially after he reveals a family secret. Everyone in this film including Bobby Breen have done better work, but Bobby sang well in the film. Fisherman's Wharf was on a lot of people's minds as another Italian from San Francisco whose father was a fisherman there was having one of his greatest seasons as a baseball player. Giuseppe DiMaggio could well have been in that fisherman chorus accompanying Bobby Breen.Wonder if Giuseppe could carry a tune? In any event Fisherman's Wharf is a nice family picture that's a bit old fashioned for some tastes, but I rather liked it.

And it's Lee Patrick and bratty Tommy Bupp as the aunt and cousin of San Francisco wharf child Bobby Breen. The adopted son of fisherman Leo Carrillo, Breen is unaware that Patrick's late sister and Carrillo adopted him. At first, everything seems nice with the arrival of Ms. Patrick and well-dressed Bupp, but it is soon revealed that the lovely sister-in-law is not the kindly broke widow she comes off initially. It's soon clear to housekeeper Rosina Galli that Patrick intends to take over. But nephew Bupp too isn't keen on being the poor relation, so he breaks the news very nastily to Breen that he's an orphan. That causes Breen to run away with a beloved pet, giving the unrealized possibility of the question being asked, "Have you seen a boy with a seal"? This melodramatic drama with songs (sung by the high pitched Breen) is overly sweet in spots, and it is easy to see why Breen is not as well remembered, even with a voice higher than Deanna Durbin's. Carillo is fine as the dad, and Patrick is really good as the manipulative aunt with passive/aggressive behavior. Rosina Galli and Henry Armetta add Italian humour to Carillo's pals, and Bupp plays the nastiest child on screen since Jane Withers. Slicker the Seal is cute too, but I can't find evidence proving he was the seal used as a stamp by the Marxx Brothers or used to push Eddie Anderson off a pier in "Topper Returns".

It is indicative of the lack of interest in Bobby Breen that despite the fact that this film was shown last July on TCM it has not yet received 5 votes and this is its first review.It has to be said that by the time this film was made Breen was about to enter those troublesome times for any child star,namely the teens.This film actually has a very good supporting cast not least of whom are Leo Carillio and Lee Patrick.Funny to think that after making such a minor film as this she went on to co star in The Maltese falcon for which she is rightly remembered.There is little to say about this film save that Breen sings a lot,Patrick comes in with her snotty brat of a son and causes strife were there was none but after a few tears being shed all ends up happily.To be honest this is only worth watching if you are a fan of Breen or any of the stars.