As regards the title of this post, OK … CitySleuth is a Beatles fan.
Herbert, having nowhere else to go, takes a cable car to the Chartered Bank of London where Amy works. The cable car sign, reading “Presidio Ave, California and Market Streets“, survived into the 1970s even though the line was cut back from Presidio Ave to Van Ness Ave in 1954. The bank, at 465 California, was described in an earlier post when Herbert and Amy first met.
Then … Inside the bank Amy glances over and sees Herbert through a window. Note the Chartered Bank Of London name on the window pane. Across the street there’s a narrow alley between two buildings.
… and Now, He was standing in front of the windows on the right in Leidesdorff Street, around the corner from the bank’s California Street entrance; this view looks south towards Pine Street. The bank name has long since been removed, the windows have been partially frosted for privacy and, across the street, the narrow alley is now closed off with a gate (the building corners on each side of the gate match the movie view of them above).
Then … Through the window he sees Amy grab her purse and dash out. (The added frosting on the windows prevents today’s passers-by from seeing inside.)
… and Now, but taken from just inside the window, here’s the same view. The fine old banking hall is now used as a private gathering and event space.
She invites him out to lunch, her treat, at a place “… with a view”. It’s an offer he can’t refuse.
Then … They head up to the Equinox, a revolving restaurant at the top of the Hyatt Regency Hotel near the Ferry Building in the Financial District. It has views in all directions including this one looking straight down to, at top right, the corner of California and Drumm; Market Street runs diagonally on the left.
… and Now, here’s the same view. The California Street cable car tracks are more visible now at bottom right.
Then … An annular section of the floor inside the outer perimeter of the restaurant forms a slowly moving platform that rotates counter-clockwise taking just under an hour for a complete revolution; diners seated on it experience a leisurely 360 degree tour of the city. (From their vantage point the city (and the windows) appear to rotate to their right.) Down below, the ugly double-decker Embarcadero Freeway runs along the waterfront, hiding and isolating the piers. That’s Angel Island across the bay in the top left corner.
… and Now, this particular view now looks straight out at the 45-story Four Embarcadero Center office building, built in 1982 after the movie was filmed (but you can still glimpse Angel Island). At bottom right the waterfront piers have been visible from here ever since the double-decker freeway was demolished in 1991/92.
Then … Amy babbles away, completely stricken by this fascinating man. This was beyond acting - the two actually fell in love on the set of the movie, marrying the next year in September, 1980. Behind her are Two Embarcadero Center and Three Embarcadero Center; the white structure is one of the hotel’s service shaft vents.
… and Now, note that the lower windows are now uncovered.
Then … Herbert for his part is amazed at how forward she is …
… and Now, behind him the Bay Bridge meets Yerba Buena Island. We see another hotel service shaft vent and beyond it, both Then and Now, is the flag-poled top of the Ferry Building Clock Tower.
This recent aerial photo looks past the Ferry Building Clock Tower along Market Street giving a good perspective of the Equinox restaurant perched atop the hotel. The restaurant closed in 2007 and sat stationary until 2014 when it reopened as the Regency Club operating as an exclusive lounge and event space for preferred hotel guests and members; the restaurant currently revolves just 6 hours per day.
Then … Doctor Talbot lived in an upscale neighborhood with splendid views of the nearby Golden Gate Bridge. This is Seacliff at the northwest corner of San Francisco. The movie doesn’t make clear which specific house is his but the center one facing us below is 55 25th Avenue; above it Baker Beach stretches towards the bridge alongside the Golden Gate strait that separates San Francisco and the Marin headlands.
… and Now, 80 years later mature trees line the street but the houses are mostly unchanged.
Then … he never tires of admiring his view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The interior house scenes were filmed on a sound stage at the Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California; for this shot a rear projection was used to set the location.
… and Now, here’s that view today, taken at Baker Beach a short walk from the Seacliff homes.
Talbot and his family live a privileged life including the services of a maid. They don’t know it yet but their world will soon be turned upside down.
Then … The next morning he heads to work down Jones Street in Nob Hill behind the wheel of a swanky Buick Super Eight sedan. The store on the corner is the Sutter-Jones Pharmacy at 798 Sutter Street.
… and Now, The buildings along this block of Jones haven’t changed since the movie was filmed. The corner store is now a church providing a meeting place and religious services for Christian Scientists.
Here’s a recently-for-sale vintage 1941 Buick Eight Sedan, an elegant automobile most fitting for a successful professional like Doctor Talbot. Compare it to his in the Then images above and below, the only difference being the cool art deco flares at each end of the bumpers, absent on the movie car.
Then … He turns into Sutter Street, pulling over in front of his clinic. A much larger high-rise medical building can be seen way down Sutter on the left side - the 1929 art deco beauty at 450 Sutter.
… and Now, the Marriot Hotel was built next to it in 1972 and partially blocks 450 Sutter from here but the rear section can still be seen. It continues to be a prime address for medical, surgical and dental professionals.
Then … He enters the building housing his clinic.
… and Now, this is the Belgravia Apartments at 795 Sutter on the corner of Jones - in the real world there was no clinic here. (The next time the street cleaners pass by they would do well to clean their sign).
Here’s a 2023 photo of the Belgravia in all its stately grandeur.
Then … In the clinic Talbot examines Walter Bailey, a patient with a heart condition who later will figure prominently in the doctor’s unraveling.
Then … As Stevenson flees down the street from the Embarcadero Center he runs into the path of an oncoming car. The yellowish building diagonally across the junction is the Eastman Kodak Company Building built in 1913.
… and Now, this is the junction of Battery Street (crossing) and Sacramento Street, facing west. The Eastman Kodak Company Building has since been demolished, replaced in 1989 by the Embarcadero West office high rise seen below.
Here’s a 1913 photograph of the just-built Eastman Kodak Company Building at 241 Battery Street, between Halleck Alley on the left and Sacramento Street on the right, unchanged when the movie was filmed. The building’s styling along Halleck was duplicated on the Sacramento side, as seen in the Then image above.
Then … the car strikes him, shocking the crowd of pedestrians. Note the building across Battery with the massive concrete wall in front of it …
… and Now, … that was the rear of the historic 1924 Federal Reserve Bank building (it’s front entrance is at 400 Sansome Street), fortified to facilitate safe transfer of gold and currency. In 1983 the Fed bank moved elsewhere but this building remained; today it’s called the Bently Reserve, address 301 Battery, its interior remodeled into private offices and an event space. In the mid-80s the massive wall was removed and the pillars seen below were built. They mirror the marble originals at the 400 Sansome entrance but are of look-alike faux construction.
Here’s a 1964 photo of the Federal Reserve Bank looking across Battery Street that shows the security wall seen in the Then image above.
Then … Stevenson, injured but conscious, was transported to the hospital emergency room in Building 9 at 2550 23rd Street, part of the San Francisco General Hospital complex in the Potrero district. Herbert goes there to check on his condition.
… and Now, … the Emergency Room at SF General has since been moved to a different location; Building 9 now houses various medical offices. Note that since it is no longer necessary to accommodate incoming patients on gurneys, the approach ramp has been replaced by steps.
This current SF General campus map shows Building 9 on 23rd Street facing Utah (arrowed) and the new location of the Emergency Room
Inside, he is stunned when a nurse tells him that an accident victim brought in under a ‘John Doe’ had died just 20 minutes earlier.
Then … Following the movie’s opening titles a camera mounted on the roof of the 9 story Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill slowly pans across the city, creating this fine establishing panorama looking out to the Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island. On the left Telegraph Hill rises towards Coit Tower (it’s just outside the frame); in the center are the Appraisers building with the old Hall of Justice in front of it, and the Russ Building - the city’s tallest back then - is at far right.
… and Now, the identical panorama taken from the same rooftop spot today would have most of the left half blocked by the 29 story Fairmont Tower added in 1961-62 but this 23rd floor view from that Tower is a good substitute. Much of Telegraph Hill over to the left is unchanged but the Financial District straight ahead is completely transformed.
Then … The Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island are again seen in the background as the Southern Pacific Railroads’ ferryboat Berkeley (it linked San Francisco with the Oakland Pier trains across the Bay) approaches the Ferry Building. On board is a defendant being brought back to face trial for murder. Long since retired from service, this historic steam ferry today resides as the centerpiece display at the San Diego Maritime Museum.
… and Now, there are now a smaller number of piers serving the Ferry Building and today’s ferryboats are faster and have much lower emissions than the old coal-fired steam ferries like the Berkeley.
The Ferry Building is flanked by Piers 1 and 14 - there used to be 10 smaller piers between them, pictured below in this 1938 image. There are now less, they have been reconfigured and Pier 14 is now a skinny version of its former self. (Click or tap the image to toggle between Then and Now).
The ferry passengers exit through the Ferry Building, here walking down from the second level to the gangway. At the front the defendant, escorted by a police guard, keeps his head down and face covered. This part of the building is completely changed, it’s now office space.
A group of reporters bombard him with questions as he passes through a waiting room. According to The IMdB Pro website the SF Chronicle’s beloved Herb Caen (he would have been 30 at the time) was one of them, if so he may have been the hatless one behind the suspect.
Here’s a photo of the young Herb Caen. Is that him in the movie shot above?
Then … Outside the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero the reporters continue to hound him until he is bundled into a waiting police car. Recognizable structures from left to right are: the Appraisers Building (even more visible in the opening panorama at the top of the post), the Ferry Station Post Office on Merchant Street, Coit Tower and the Wellman’s Coffee building.
… and Now, the Embarcadero is much changed today; the buildings lining the street above have been replaced by the Embarcadero Plaza, Sue Berman Park and the Bay Club Gateway Tennis and Swim complex (clearly shown in the Then and Now aerial above). Coit Tower is still there but partially blocked by the double-globe lamppost in the center. The office high-rise at far left is Four Embarcadero Center.
Then … The police car arrives at the imposing Hall of Justice at 750 Kearny Street where Chinatown meets the Financial District.
… and Now, The Hall of Justice moved from here to new headquarters on Bryant Street in 1960. A decade later a hotel - the Holiday Inn Hotel Downtown - was built on this site. In 2005 it was taken over by the Hilton chain, refurbished and renamed the Hilton San Francisco Financial District. Here it is today, including the so-called ‘Footbridge to Nowhere’ which spans Kearny Street to Portsmouth Square but is never used. (There are plans afoot to remove it).
The defendant is accused of murdering Richard Talbot, a respected San Francisco doctor. The defending attorney tries without success to get him to talk about it, telling him that without knowing what happened he cannot mount a defense and a guilty verdict will be certain.
