Archie and ex wife Polo (Shirley Knight) take their two boys to the roller derby, a uniquely American contact sport which was at the height of its popularity in the 1960s.
During the action director Richard Lester uses a flashback to juxtapose the staged violence, so much a part of the sport, with the real violence visited upon Petulia.
Then ... The competing teams are the San Francisco Bay Bombers (in orange) and the New York Chiefs.
... and Now, the sport isn't as big as it was but roller derby rolls on. CitySleuth took the photo below at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco - by happenstance featuring the same two teams. The Bombers are in the white and orange strip. But the movie scene was filmed somewhere else and it took CitySleuth a while to find out where.
Then ... In the movie there's a closeup of (below, L to R) Bob Dancel, Pete Boyd and Eddie Krebs. CitySleuth tracked Eddie down and confirmed that the filming took place at Winterland, on the corner of Post and Steiner streets (map). One of Eddie's favorite recollections of that day was hanging out after a long day of filming with George C. Scott in a nearby bar - "George suggested it and I just threw my jacket on over my uniform", he said.
... in 1941 ... Winterland was torn down in 1985 but here's an early photo taken there when it was an ice skating rink (hence its name), with the upper gallery transformed into a winter wonderland.
... in 1950 ... here it was, below, configured for a boxing tournament
... in the 1970s ... from 1966 through the 1970s Winterland was best known for the legendary music concerts put on there by promoter Bill Graham. This photo shows a concert setup in progress.
Take a look at the Winterland concert schedule during the winter of 1968 when the roller derby scene was shot - an amazing array of the hottest bands around. Oh, to be a time traveler! (Actually, CitySleuth was there then).
... before demolition ... Winterland's final concert featured the Grateful Dead, the Blues Brothers and New Riders Of The Purple Sage on New Year's Eve, 1978. The arena is shown below forlornly awaiting the wrecker's ball in 1985. On the right is St. Dominic's Catholic Church two blocks along Steiner on Bush Street.
... during demolition ... taken just after the familiar red 'Winterland' sign that adorned the corner of the building had been lowered to the ground.
... and Now, an apartment complex covering the entire block in both directions sits on the site today.
Madeleine remembers more of her dreams. When she tells Scottie of a bell tower in "an old Spanish village" he realizes she is describing the historic mission at San Juan Bautista - he wastes no time driving her there, 90 miles south of San Francisco, in her Jaguar.
Then ... As they near the mission they pass several very large rocks.
... and Now, below is the same view. This is Highway 101 but they are approaching the mission from the south, opposite from the expected direction (map). the only other difference is seasonal - this photo was taken in spring versus in the fall above.
Then ... When they are 1 mile south of the 156 East turnoff, still heading on Highway 101 North, they pass through this narrow tree-lined stretch of road. Some viewers have wondered if Scottie was driving on the wrong side of the road here but no, this is the one-way section of a divided freeway - Highway 101 South runs parallel, 100 feet over to the left.
... and Now, in over half a century the only changes other than seasonal have been a paved shoulder and an added safety barrier.
Then ... The Jaguar, now heading south on Highway 101 as it should be, turns into 156 East, the mission exit - San Juan Bautista is 3 miles ahead.
... and Now, today this exit has been made redundant by an adjacent flyover but viewed from the median strip (below) the mission monument is still there, minus its cross, next to the original road, now closed off.
Then ... They arrive at the mission (map) which is dominated by a tall bell tower ... or is it?
... and Now, in the recent photo below there's no sign of that tower - just a small one at the far end at right, barely visible from this angle. So what gives?
... the original tower ... When Hitchcock first visited the mission there was indeed a tower, but not as tall, there since 1868 and seen below in this vintage image. When he returned to film the movie it was gone, removed in 1949 because of termite and dry rot damage. Undeterred, he recreated it, using a matte painting for the exterior view in the 'Then' image above, and a studio mockup for the interior scenes.
... and Now, below is a closer look at the mission's current bell tower.
Bigelow picks up a rental car shortly after arriving in Los Angeles. CitySleuth scoured L.A. for this site for too long before thinking of checking out San Francisco. Wouldn't you know it, that's where it was filmed!
Then ... He picks up the car on an open lot. Take a look at the building across the street in the background ...
... and Now, here's that building today, on Washington Street at the corner of Van Ness Avenue. Back then it was the J E French Dodge dealership (you can see part of the Dodge sign above at top left and again in the vintage photo below). The building's auto tradition continues - it now houses the Academy of Art University's Auto Museum.
This would place the car rental lot on the 1900 block of Van Ness (map), confirmed by the ad below from a 1953 publication. The lot belonged to the Stanway Motors used car dealership, proprietor Stanley Strauss, which occupied the whole west block between Washington and Jackson.
... from a vintage photo ... on a historical note, here's the 1900 block of Van Ness in 1946 as it was before (regrettably) being demolished to make way for the used car lot. Look at that wonderful house on the corner, the Silas Palmer mansion, across Washington from the Dodge dealership described above.
... and here's a closer look at the Silas Palmer mansion. Why did it have to go? What a waste!
... and Now, below is a recent look at the same block, residential once more but a poor substitute for its former self. This is progress? At least the street lamp-posts survived.
Then ... As Bigelow drives off the lot there are three businesses clearly visible across Van Ness, one of them being The House Of Prime Rib.
... and Now, the same view today still has The House Of Prime Rib doing business at the same location, 1906 Van Ness. It first opened in 1949, just one year before the movie was released. The exterior of it and its neighbor has been painted in a faux stone finish. On this block too the old street lamp-posts are still there.
Then ... The movie opens with a view of the double-deck San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, accompanied by a hauntingly edgy Henry Mancini theme.
... and Now, the same view today, taken from Yerba Buena Island (map) looking towards San Francisco.
The camera closes in on Kelly Sherwood (Lee Remick) as she drives across the bridge into San Francisco to her home, which, as we will find out, is at the base of the Sutro Tower, the huge antenna mast near Twin Peaks visible in the photo above to the right of the bridge on the horizon. The tower, however, was yet to be built when the movie was filmed.
Then ... Below, Kelly's open convertible has just entered the bottom of the frame on the top deck of the bridge as traffic at bottom right filters in from Yerba Buena/Treasure Island. Note that the upper deck in 1962 was two-way, 3 lanes in each direction. The lower deck back then had both car lanes and rail lines of the discontinued Key System shuttle train.
... and Now, this recent photo shows the present configuration of the upper deck - 5 lanes one-way westbound into San Francisco, converted in 1968, by which time the lower deck had been cleared of the rail lines to make way for one-way eastbound car traffic.
Then ... From the bridge, the camera takes in the sparkling city - the iconic Ferry Building is at lower right.
... and Now, the same view today is a crush of Financial District highrises.
Kelly arrives at her Twin Peaks home and eases her 1958 Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner convertible into the garage.
She gets out of her car and freezes as the garage door suddenly and inexplicably closes. Gasp! - an attacker grabs her from behind and, wheezing asthmatically, he threatens to kill her and her younger sister if she doesn't cooperate in stealing $100,000 from the bank where she works. (Watch this scene unfold here).