( A Bunker Hill movie in a San Francisco blog? CitySleuth explains why).
The Ritz, seen earlier, wasn't the only downtown bar popular with the Indian community. Another was the Columbine, a few stagger-steps away.
Then ... This shot shows us where it was, at far right below, at 263 S. Main Street, kitty-corner from the Ritz near the intersecting 3rd Street (map).
... and Now, the storefronts have been modified some over time but the two floors above them have been removed. The shutters and window-bars don't speak well of the neighborhood today - interesting isn't it that the 1950s, despite folks in general being much worse off than today, was a much safer time.
Then ... Behind Homer as he enters the Columbine we can make out some of the stores across the street. Mortimer Levitt's liquor store is partially seen through the doorway at 252 Main, then California Clothing at 254 - 256, Reposo Cafe/Restaurant Mexicana at 258 and El Progreso Cafe at 260.
... and Now, a multi-story parking structure at 260 Main has replaced these businesses.
Then ... As the evening wears on the noise level in the bar rises and the cops attempt to keep a damper on things by making their presence known.
... and Now, no longer a bar, the site is a shadow of its former self.
Then ...
The brightly lit store alongside the Columbine (seen in the street view six images above) was Moler's Barber College, perfectly
located at 265 Main for those who wanted a cheap hair cut and didn't
mind being a guinea pig for the trainees. Moler's has been around since
1893 and is still in business, though not at this location. Their
haircut isn't 25 cents any more but is still a steal at $7.50. But,
caveat emptor.
... and Now,
no longer a place to relax, this location is now a gym but customers
can still catch up on the neighborhood gossip. You'd hardly guess this
is the same place until you notice the monogrammed threshold.
Then ... The investigators go to the 322 Club in search of the fisherman's unemployed son who might have had access to the murder weapon. They are reflected in the window of the venerable Speedy's, on the corner of Union Street and Montgomery atop Telegraph Hill (map). In the distance Union Street dips down then soars up to Russian Hill.
... and Now, next to Speedy's the so-called club entrance belongs to an apartment house, address 303 - 311 Union Street - it never was a club in real life. On a trivia note, Speedy's finally closed down in 2008 after serving the neighborhood for 93 years; the site is currently a picture framing shop. Over the years Speedy's has appeared in several movies, as here in The House On Telegraph Hill in 1951.
Inside the club (presumably filmed in a studio) the barman denies seeing the suspect, even as he sneaks out the back door. But Andy spots him and the chase is on.
Then ... The suspect bolts into a narrow street from the back door. Remember that the front entrance was on Union Street in Telegraph Hill?...
... and Now, well, this is in Chinatown, 9 blocks away! It's 66 Wentworth Place near Jackson (map), just one more example of locational trickery in the movies. The arrow points to the back door, since remodeled.
Then ... Helen returns to her rented room at a Reno boarding house on a well-to-do street lined with mature trees and lets her landlady know she will be returning to San Francisco the next morning.
... and Now, CitySleuth is still searching for this location and would be delighted if in the meantime a reader might recognize where it is and let him know.
Then ... But first, one last fling at the Northern Club casino where we get a glimpse of its glitzy neon awning and marquee.
... a vintage photo ... There is a Northern Club in Reno but reader HH has pointed out that the exterior above was filmed at the Northern Club at 15 E. Fremont Street in Las Vegas; the Northern closed in 1942 so 5 years later the moviemakers used stock footage for this shot. Here's a vintage photo of the club c.1940.
... another vintage photo ... and here's another photo from the same viewpoint as in the movie. It was taken in 1942, the year the club closed as the Northern. The Las Vegas club and the newly opened Pioneer are further down the block.
... and Now, when the Northern closed, the Turf club took its place. In turn that became the Monte Carlo club then the Coin Castle and in 1999 the LaBayou which is still there under the lofty metal canopy that today covers a four block stretch - the 'Fremont Street Experience' (map).
Helen is drawn to a lively craps table and joins in, betting against the shooter, Sam Wild (Lawrence Tierney). An animal attraction is immediately apparent, a fateful meeting destined to doom them both.
Up walks a neighbor, Laury Palmer (Isabel Jewell) - she lives next door to Helen's boarding house - with a boyfriend, Danny (Tony Barrett). She confides to Helen that she is also dating Sam but has brought Danny along to needle him and keep him honest. As we shall find out, bad idea.
( A Bunker Hill movie in a San Francisco blog? CitySleuth explains why).
Homer and the boys have dropped off his wife Yvonne at a nearby movie theater leaving the way clear for them to begin a typical night's carousing. First stop - the Ritz Cafe, a bar popular with the local native Indian community.
The bar, no longer there, was an unpretentious place with a prominent sign at the entrance encouraging its patrons to save money by drinking more ...
"Single Shot 30 cents, Double Shot 50 cents"
In the bar, Homer (Homer Nish) sits with a group of friends and listens somewhat impatiently ... to their troubles, how much money they just lost gambling, girlfriend problems and on and on. He confides in voiceover that he's the type who would much rather walk around town, find excitement, provoke fights.
Then ... later in a view looking north up Main Street the camera captures the Ritz, showing us where it used to be (note the same sign on the front door seen in the interior shot above). The bar was at 312 1/2 S. Main Street near 3rd (map). Next to it, from R to L, the Olympic Men's Shop at 312, Downtown Luggage at 310, Milan Hotel (the bright doorway globe) at 308, Murray's Tailors at 306, Prudent Cut-Rate at 302, Karl's Shoes at 300 and, across 3rd Street, Enderle Hardware at 264 S. Main.
... and Now, the whole block has been leveled and rebuilt, replacing this section with a parking lot. The neighborhood may have been bordering on the seedy but was that reason enough to snuff out its store-filled thrive? (Readers may want to check out a sampling of the George Mann Bunker Hill archive color photographs here and decide for themselves).
The neon glow in this peek down the block at night when Homer leaves the Ritz (below) is quite a contrast to the same view in the sobering early morning light (the 'Then' image above). That solitary globe right of center modestly announces the entrance to the Milan Hotel.