San Antonio is a 1945 western film directed by David Butler. The film stars Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith.
Director: David Butler (with Robert Florey and Raoul Walsh)
Production Company: Warner Bros.
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Cast: Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, S.Z. Sakall, Victor Francen, Florence Bates, John Litel, Paul Kelly, Robert Shayne
US Box Office: $8,882,500 ($242,900,000 adjusted for inflation)
Film Format: Technicolor
Genre: Western
Release Date: December 28, 1945
Plot Summary: In the city of San Antonio, Texas, ranchers Clay Hardin (Errol Flynn) and Charlie Bell (John Litel) try to take down corrupt saloon owner Roy Stuart (Paul Kelly). Hardin knows that Stuart is the one who hired rustlers to steal the local ranchers’ cattle (including Hardin’s own) but he doesn’t have enough evidence to have Stuart arrested. While this is going on, Hardin finds himself falling in love with Jeanne Starr (Alexis Smith), a northern actress and showgirl who was recently hired to perform at Stuart’s saloon.
Production: In the early 1940s, executives at Warner Bros. were interested in having Max Brand, a writer known for his westerns and for creating the Dr. Kildare character, write a western film for actor Errol Flynn. Brand came up with a story for film, but the studio didn’t think that the pitch had enough action. Brand left the production and he became a war correspondent, he was killed in 1944. The studio executives picked producer Robert Buckner and writers W.R. Burnett and Alan Le May to revise Brand’s story and turn it into a screenplay. The script was titled San Antonio, named after the Texas city where it was primarily set. In May of 1944, Raoul Walsh was chosen to direct San Antonio, but he was later assigned to other projects. In July the studio executives assigned David Butler to direct San Antonio. Butler was primarily known for directing comedies and musicals such as Caught in the Draft (1941) and Road to Morocco (1942).
The role of rancher Clay Hardin, the main character of San Antonio, was always intended for Errol Flynn. Flynn was one of Warner Bros.’ biggest stars at the time. Flynn appeared in a few westerns for the studio, such as Dodge City (1939) and Virginia City (1940), but San Antonio was his first Technicolor western. Flynn recently made a cameo appearance in Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943), which had been directed by Butler. Writer W.R. Burnett’s first choice for Jeanne Starr, the film’s leading lady, was German actress Marlene Dietrich. Studio head Jack Warner was interested in Dietrich at first, but ultimately didn’t want to pay her high fee, especially since the studio already had so many actresses under contract. In July, Alexis Smith was hired to play the role. She had previously co-starred with Errol Flynn in Dive Bomber (1941) and Gentleman Jim (1942), and also had a cameo appearance in the aforementioned Thank Your Lucky Stars. Raymond Massey and Zachary Scott were both considered for the role of Roy Stuart, the film’s main villain, before Paul Kelly was chosen.
Filming on San Antonio began in September of 1944 and wrapped up in December. Although David Butler was hired as the primary director, producer Robert Buckner wasn’t fully confident in Butler due to the latter’s lack of experience with westerns. Robert Florey and Raoul Walsh both served as uncredited co-directors for the film’s more action-oriented scenes. Exterior scenes in San Antonio were primarily shot outdoors on sets constructed at Warner Bros.’ Calabasas Ranch. Butler later noted in an interview that the film crew “built probably the longest street that was ever built for a Western at Warners” on the ranch. Interior scenes were shot on set at WB’s Burbank Studios. Butler was concerned about working with Errol Flynn due to Flynn’s reputation for being difficult (which was at least partially due to his alcoholism), but was pleasantly surprised. Flynn was nice to Butler, always arrived on time, and was only drunk once during filming.
Fun Facts and Trivia: David Butler directed S.Z. Sakall (Sacha Bozic) in ten films: Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943); Shine On, Harvest Moon (1944); San Antonio; Two Guys from Milwaukee (1946); The Time, the Place and the Girl (1946); Look for the Silver Lining (1949); The Daughter of Rosie O’Grady (1950), Tea for Two (1950); Lullaby of Broadway (1951); and Painting the Clouds with Sunshine (1951). Aside from San Antonio, Sakall and Florence Bates (Henrietta) appeared together in three other films: The Devil and Miss Jones (1941); The Time, the Place and the Girl; and Lullaby of Broadway. Errol Flynn and John Litel previously appeared together in four films: Dodge City (1939), Virginia City (1940), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941).
There are two instances in San Antonio where S.Z. Sakall’s character refers to rider-less horses as “empty horses.” This appears to be an inside joke reference to director Michael Curtiz. While filming a battle scene in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Curtiz wanted stray horses to be seen wandering the battlefield, so he told the horse wranglers to “bring on the empty horses.” Errol Flynn (who despised Curtiz) and David Niven thought the line was hilarious and laughed at Curtiz. Sakall and Curtiz were both Hungarians.
Reception: Although David Butler wrapped up primary filming on San Antonio in December of 1944, Warner Bros. waited a year before releasing the film. San Antonio finally had its premiere in New York City on December 28, 1945. The film went into wide release in early January. The film was a huge box office success for the studio. San Antonio was one of the top twenty highest grossing films of 1945, and was one of Warner Bros.’ top grossing films of 1945, only second to the romance drama Saratoga Trunk. The film’s box office performance was likely helped by the booming American economy following the end of World War II and the return of millions of American veterans.
The film critics at Variety magazine gave San Antonio a positive review and correctly predicted that the film would be a box office success. The magazine praised San Antonio for its excitement and high production values. Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith were later paired together for another western film, Montana (1950).
Oscars: San Antonio was nominated for two Oscars at the 18th Academy Awards ceremony: Best Song (for “Some Sunday Morning” with music by Ray Heindorf and M. K. Jerome, lyrics by Ted Koehler) and Best Color Art Direction (art direction by Ted Smith, interior decoration by Jack McConaghy). “It Might as Well Be Spring” from State Fair won the Best Song award and Frenchman’s Creek won the award for Best Color Art Direction.
Why You Should See It: San Antonio is a good Western film. Bert Glennon’s Technicolor cinematography in the film is fantastic. Errol Flynn gives a charming performance as Clay Hardin and his character is likeable. Although San Antonio was David Butler’s first western, he does a skillful job directing the film. The finale gunfight between Hardin’s rancher allies and Stuart’s rustlers was exciting and well-choreographed. San Antonio features plenty funny moments (which makes sense given Butler’s background as a comedy director), but in my opinion this does lessen the film’s dramatic impact.