The Laughing Policeman (1973)
The Movie
In the early 1970s Walter Matthau, at that time perhaps best known as a lovable grouch in a series of comedies, reversed character and reeled off three crime movies in a row including The Laughing Policeman. The script was based on a novel by the Swedish husband and wife team Per Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall in which the protagonist was a humorless cop once given a phono record by a wag of a laughter-filled English 1920s music-hall comedic song called 'The Laughing Policeman'. Hence the title. For the movie San Francisco replaced the novel's Stockholm setting but this is a different side of San Francisco, the seedy side, a world of gritty neighborhoods, licentious clubs, pimps, prostitutes, gays and psychos. Stuart Rosenberg produced and directed the movie; it premiered on December 20, 1973.
The Story
Dour plain-clothes cop Jake Martin (Matthau) responds to a brutal massacre of all aboard a Muni bus and is shocked to find his partner amongst the victims. Martin, new partner Leo Larsen (Bruce Dern) and fellow plain-clothesman James Larrimore (Louis Gossett Jr.) begin a dogged but convincingly realistic investigation that twists, turns and dead-ends before they finally get their man.
(See the movie trailer here)
The Locations
- The Setup Transbay Terminal, 425 Mission Street between First and Fremont, SoMa
- Carnage Mission Street at Army (now Cesar Chavez), The Mission --- Portsmouth Square
- Jake Martin's Residence 156 Robinhood Drive, Sherwood Forest
- Kay Butler's Apartment Driving on Leavenworth Street between Lombard and Green, Russian Hill --- 2768 Green Street, Cow Hollow
- Hall of Justice 850 Bryant Street, SoMa
- Garden Of Eden Club. 529 Broadway, North Beach
- Snitch Enrico's, 504 Broadway, North Beach
- Fun Terminal Fun Terminal Arcade, 120 1st Street, Soma ---Wagon Wheel Tavern, 118 1st Street, SoMa
- Porno Theatre New Follies (now the Victoria) Theater, 2961 16th Street, The Mission
- No Communication 156 Robinhood Drive, Sherwood Forest
- Nurse Monica Ward 86, San Francisco General Hospital, Potrero Avenue at 22nd Street, The Mission
- Shootout 1727 Laguna Street, Japantown, Western Addition
- Find Rodney Hank's 500 Club, 500 Haight Street, Lower Haight --- American Veterans Club, 530 Haight --- Lou's and Brown's Used Furniture, 525 Haight
- Pontiac Hotel Pontiac Hotel, 138 6th Street (now 509 Minna), SoMa
- Lunch Break La Palma Mexicatessen, 2884 24th Street, the Mission
- A Tip From The Angels Texas at 19th Street --- 605 Texas Street, Potrero Hill
- Art Institute 800 Chestnut Street, Russian Hill
- Getting Warmer 218 Filbert Street, on the steps, Telegraph Hill
- Prime Suspect One Embarcadero Center, Sacramento Street entrance --- One Embarcadero Center, Clay Street footbridge balcony
- Tailing Camerero South End Rowing Club at 500 Jefferson Street, Aquatic Park, Fisherman's Wharf --- 3038 Fillmore Street, Cow Hollow --- Level A Garage at One Embarcadero Center, 301 Clay Street, Financial District --- Golden Gateway Garage exit, Clay Street near Battery, Financial District --- 330 Ritch Street, SoMa --- 1960 Union Street, Cow Hollow
- Cruising Minerva Cafe, 136 Eddy Street, Tenderloin --- Ramrod Bar, 1225 Folsom Street, SoMa --- Frolic Room, 141 Mason Street, Tenderloin --- Sydney G. Walton Square Park, Jackson Street near Davis, Financial District
- Flushing Him Out Promenade Level at One Embarcadero Center, Financial District --- Level A Garage at One Embarcadero Center, Financial District --- 85 St. Elmo Way, Monterey Heights --- Battery Street garage exit at One Embarcadero Center, Financial District
- Car Chase Financial District --- SoMa --- Potrero Hill/Dogpatch --- Russian Hill --- North Beach
- Bus Chase Washington Square --- North Beach --- Embarcadero
- Showdown The Embarcadero at Folsom Street, Rincon Hill