The Last Black Man in San Francisco: How Soundtrack Enhances Film

By Francesca Notarianni

It is rare to find a film soundtrack which not only perfectly complements its film, but is also a beautiful piece of work in its own right. Emile Mosseri’s soundtrack to ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ however, is exactly that.

‘THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO’ is a film about belonging, change, and love. The protagonist, Jimmie Falls, dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Accompanied by his best friend Mont, the film follows Jimmie's journey in finding belonging in a rapidly changing city which seems to have left him behind.

Based on the experience of the actor of Jimmie (who is also named Jimmie Falls), the film addresses the effects of gentrification in the Bay Area in San Francisco. The year after the film came out in 2019, the U.S News & World Report named San Francisco as the most gentrified US city. This is a topicmirrored in our own city of London in areas such as Hackney, where communities have been pushed out of areas they once lived in due to an unaffordable increase in house prices.

The idea the film explores is therefore universally applicable: are these areas losing their soul and multiculturalism due to gentrification? The main actor's personal aspect in this debate comes along clearly. The Intimate cinematography captures the vibrancy of the city in such a way that the viewer perceives the city through the loving eyes of Falls.

When watching the film you cannot help falling in love with the city. The film also addresses conflicts within the themes of race and masculinity, with protagonists pushing against ideas of toxic masculinity and racial tensions.

Such a layered story and intimate film requires a soundtrack which will do its beauty justice. Emile Mosseri crafts what I see as the perfect soundtrack for Fall's story. The soundtrack has an ethereal and melancholic quality throughout; it feels like an album, like a complete piece of work ready for standalone listening. This is something I feel film soundtracks often lack, as they feel written solely to serve the film, and feel incomplete when listened to without the film rolling. The soundtrack effortlessly captures the film's personality, so when listening to it I always instantly feel the emotions the film tries to evoke. Mosseri mainly utilises strings and woodwinds, with the main theme melody played on the oboe. The use of these instruments evokes a melancholic feel; nothing is ever harsh, yet they are adaptable and can be used to frequently shift between hopeful and sombre tones. These shifts mirror Jimmie's fluctuating optimism and the underlying sadness of his situation.

One of my favourites off the soundtrack is the cover of 'San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)', originally written by John Phillips. Mosseri's version is simple, yet still strikingly beautiful. Sung by a homeless man, Moss-eri starts with a solo alto voice freely improvising for a few bars. We then hear the horns which create the riff upon which Daniel Herskedal sings. Such a thin texture forces us to focus on the lyrics, which are an important storytelling choice. The choice of this song pays homage to the musical heritage of the city, such as the well-known 'Summer of Love' held in 1967 where 100,000 hippies gathered with the shared vision of being able to express themselves how they pleased, almost like a rebellion against the norms of soci-ety. The modern gentrification of San Francisco goes against what these ideals once stood for in the city, and Mosseri is using this song to point out such a contradiction between the city's history and current state. We don't just witness gentrification, but we feel its sinister side, including how it can erode history and community.

Emile Mosseri crafts what I see as the perfect soundtrack for Fall's story. The soundtrack has an ethereal and melancholic quality throughout; it feels like an album, like a complete piece of work ready for standalone listening. This is something I feel film soundtracks often lack, as they feel written solely to serve the film, and feel incomplete when listened to without the film rolling.

Mosseri mainly utilises strings and wood-winds, with the main theme melody played on the oboe. The use of these instruments evokes a melancholic feel; nothing is ever harsh yet they are adaptable and can be used to frequently shift between hopeful and sombre tones. These shifts mirror Jimmie's fluctuating optimism and the underlying sadness of his situation.

One of my favourites off the soundtrack is the cover of 'San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)’, originally written by John Phillips. Mosseri's version is simple, yet still strikingly beautiful. Sung by a homeless man, Moss-eri starts with a solo alto voice freely improvising for a few bars. We then hear the horns which create the riff upon which Daniel Herskedal sings. Such a thin texture forces us to focus on the lyrics, which are an important storytelling choice. The choice of this song pays homage to the musical heritage of the city, such as the well-known 'Summer of Love' held in 1967 where 100,000 hippies gathered with the shared vision of being able to express themselves how they pleased, almost like a rebellion against the norms of society. The modern gentrification of San Francisco goes against what these ideals once stood for in the city, and Mosseri is using this song to point out such a contradiction between the city's history and current state. We don't just witness gentrification, but we feel its sinister side, including how it can erode history and community.

However, the song goes on to feel hopeful. Eventually more voices join in, a bassline, a harmonised violin and viola riff, and guitar. As the texture thickens, the hope builds. In the final moments of the song, the strings switch to higher notes, and constantly revolve alongside a high female voice from the minor seventh to the tonic. This shift from a slightly jarring, sinister note, to the dominant key helps create the hopeful feel.

The soundtrack perfectly complements the film's visual poetry, enhancing the emotional weight of Jimmy's journey to self discovery.

Ultimately I see the film as a requiem for the things we have lost, as much as it is a pointed reminder that nothing is really ours to keep. It is a film which leaves you thinking about it indefinitely, and the soundtrack is a masterclass in how to capture feeling through music.

Sources:

Davis, Elliott 'Report: San Francisco is the Most Gentrified U.S. City' (2020)

Raphael, Louis 'The Rich Musical History of San Francisco’ (2025)