Days of Wine and Roses - Kirsten's Place

  At dinner on their first date Joe introduces Kirsten to the seductive charms of a Brandy Alexander.  She hasn't drunk alcohol before but tells him he was right - it made her feel good.  She doesn't know it yet but she just stepped on the slippery slope.

Then ...  Their cab drops them off outside her place.

... and Now,  this is Union Street atop Telegraph Hill looking east from Montgomery (map).  The piers of the Embarcadero are at the bottom of the hill and in the distance the Bay Bridge reaches out to Yerba Buena Island.  Calhoun Terrace, a  two-level cul-de-sac, sweeps around to the right.

 

Then ...  When we get to see inside her apartment later in the movie the view from the window is the clue to its location ...

The exact same view (the part framed in yellow) was seen from Scottie's friend Midge's place in Vertigo, filmed four years earlier (below) - it's a view west to Russian Hill along the houses facing Union Street. In both cases the apartment was a movie set using a background photo and the directors probably used the same background plate.

... and Now,  the same view today.

 

... in 1970 ...  Based on the view, 298 Union Street on the corner of Montgomery was the virtual location of Kirsten's (and Midge's) place.  This vintage photo shows how it looked when the movie was filmed.  But to get that unimpeded view west the photo for the window view must have been taken from this or a nearby rooftop.

... and Now,  the house was rebuilt and expanded in 1974.  It was also re-addressed as 296 Union.  For more on its use in Vertigo see here.

 

Then ...  Another window view, looking east, was seen from Kirsten's place.  This looks down to piers on the Embarcadero but it's a view that couldn't be seen from the 296 Union location, further confirming the use of a studio set.

... and Now,  the pier bulkhead seen above appears to be Pier 23; this recent photo of it was taken from Montgomery Street at Filbert, a block from 296 Union.

 

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