The story suddenly takes a dark turn when Archie returns to his apartment and finds Petulia bleeding and unconcious on the floor, the victim of a brutal beating at the hands of her husband David who is nowhere to be seen.
Then ... A distraught Archie leads the way as the paramedics carry her out out of the building on a stretcher.
... and Now, this is the rear exit from 307 Filbert. The stairs lead to Alta Street, a cul-de-sac off Montgomery between the Filbert Steps and Union Street. In the recent photo below, the cottage seen above, #106, has been replaced by another building.
Then ... The stretcher is loaded onto an ambulance as a bunch of curious onlookers (members and friends of the Grateful Dead band) crowd around and gawk. From the left, Jerry Garcia (pre-beard), Bob Weir, Rosie McGee (a friend of the band) and Danny Rifkin, the band's manager. The person next to him is unidentified and the cop at right is Morgan Upton of the Committee improv group.
... and Now, the ambulance was parked in front of 103/105 Alta Street, looking much the same now as it did then.
In the briefest of cameo roles Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead bid her a bemused farewell with Bob saying "Goodbye, Mama". Interesting choice of drink for Jerry ... coke. Somebody has a sense of humor.
Having struck out in their quest for Frank they take a break next to a statue at Washington Square Park in North Beach.
Then ... Over to the left is Saints Peter and Paul Church on Filbert Street; to the right, Coit Tower.
... and Now, the statue is a memorial to the Volunteer Fire Dept. of 1839-1866 who protected the city during several conflagrations before the first city fire department was created.
... from 1933 ... This is a photo taken of its dedication ceremony in 1933. Behind it on the top of Telegraph Hill Coit Tower had been newly built only months earlier; it remains an iconic exclamation point to this day.
... and Now, here's a recent view of Saints Peter and Paul Church. It was originally built a block and a half away on Filbert and Grant in 1884 only to be destroyed by the Great Fire of 1906. It was rebuilt on its present site in 1924.
The police have Miller's house surrounded, taking no chances, posting snipers on nearby rooftops ... appropriate, perhaps?
Then ... Lt. Kafka and Sgt. Ferris hustle across Grant Avenue on Filbert Street past the gawking crowd. Note the KPIX TV van and crew over to the left. KPIX still serves the Bay Area on Channel 5 (click image to enlarge)..
... and Now, It's good to see the auto repair shop still in business (map). The church along Filbert is Saints Peter and Paul on Washington Square.
Then ... Coit Tower looms over Miller's house at 450 - 456 Filbert Street (also seen earlier) Next to it up the hill is Garfield Elementary School.
... and Now, The eyesore power lines have been hidden away but the house and the school are still there.
The police sneak up to Miller's room and a bloody ending seems inevitable, especially when they machine-gun the lock in true 1950s gangster style ...
... but Miller doesn't resist - in a surprisingly poignant denouement the camera slowly tracks in as he sits there, quietly suffering in his own way, just glad it's all finally over.
Victoria's house also boasts a garden with a panoramic vista across the city. The garden scenes were filmed on the lawn at the base of Coit Tower, part of Pioneer Park and seamlessly edited to appear as if the garden were attached to the Julius Castle site, the house location, some 150 feet down the Greenwich Street steps.
Victoria watches from her balcony as her son Chris plays in the garden.
Then ... Her view beyond the garden is essentially the same as in the movie's opening scene, seen there from the top of Coit Tower.
... and Now, the view today from the Coit Tower lawn is partially blocked by trees and plants around the perimeter but the Ferry Building tower and the Bay Bridge can be seen in the photo below. The distant Financial District buildings are all new but some of the close-in residential buildings are unchanged.
... and Now, the camera that filmed the footage for the movie view above must have been set up on the roof of the mural rotunda on the ground floor of the tower (below).
Then ... here's another shot of Chris playing in the garden.
... and Now, note the Ferry Building in the center of each picture.
... and Now, here's the same skyline today from the top of Coit Tower.
... a recent aerial photo ... In this photo taken over Coit Tower looking south towards the Financial District the rather bare lawn is clearly visible at the base of the tower.
... a vintage photo ... in 1936 William Powell and Myrna Loy were on the same lawn shooting scenes for their movie 'After The Thin Man'.