O'Hara is tried for the double murder of Sydney Broome and George Grisby in San Francisco's Hall Of Justice. He is defended by Elsa's husband Bannister who is famous for never having lost a case in his entire career.
Then ... The movie's interior courtroom scene shows the distinctive arched windows of the Hall Of Justice.
... from a vintage photo ... This undated photo of a Hall of Justice courtroom matches the movie scene almost exactly so one would be forgiven for concluding that the scene was filmed in the Hall of Justice. But CitySleuth would not be surprised if director Welles recreated this court on a soundstage just as he did for the preceding scene.
... in 1958 ... A good view of the exterior of the Hall Of Justice building isn't seen in this movie but, 11 years later in the 1958 movie The Lineup, it is seen looking as it did to Orson Welles and his crew. It was at 750 Kearny Street, on the corner of Washington, facing Portsmouth Square (map).
... and Now, the original building with its distinctive fan shaped window arches was razed in 1967 and replaced by a high-rise hotel, the Hilton San Francisco Financial District (below). The city's law enforcement headquarters had moved to 850 Bryant Street (map) in the early 1960s, where it still is.
Elsa visits O'Hara in his jail cell - he expresses concern over Bannister's intentions, not trusting him for fear he was aware of their amorous meetings. Check out that fine view to the Bay Bridge from his cell window (just as if ...)
Then ... This same window view is seen a number of times during the courthouse action, the example below is from the courtroom. But this is a backdrop using a photo taken from the Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill looking down Sacramento Streeet, and in the bottom left corner we can see (arrowed) ... the Hall Of Justice itself!
... and Now, decades of Financial District development has dramatically altered today's view from the Fairmont. The arrow points to the hotel on the site of the old Hall Of Justice.
The trial does not go well for the defendant and as they await the jury's decision Bannister admits to O'Hara that "this is one case I've enjoyed losing" and pointedly, satisfyingly, tells the recipient of his wife's ardor "I know you're going to the gas chamber".
Then ... But O'Hara suddenly grabs Bannister's medication pills and swallows them, creating a chaotic courtroom reaction during which he manages to make his escape. Below, he runs from the courthouse (that's it on the left) into Kearny Street and heads towards Portsmouth Square opposite.
... and Now, The view looks south down Kearny with Portsmouth Square off to the right. Note that the restaurant straight ahead on the corner of Merchant advertised 'Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner' then (above) and still does now, six decades on. That's a lot of meals.
 During their drive east in Walter's car through the Sierra Mountains, Irene's lover Torrence attacks Walter and leaves him for dead.
Then ... Here we see them driving past a substantial retaining wall with minimal protection from a precipitous drop.
... and Now, it was a lot more convenient for the film crew to choose the nearby Angeles National Forest area north of Pasadena for this shot. It's on Mount Wilson Red Box Road, 3.0 miles from the junction with the Angeles Crest Highway and 2.0 miles from the observatory (map). In the recent photo below we can see the retaining structure has held up amazingly well these last 64 years but it still has a very low wall along the side of the road.
 You might wonder how CitySleuth tracked down this location? While watching TV he was astonished to see a Mercedes Benz commercial with ... hallelujah ... a shot of the same place! Whadayaknow! A few phone calls and emails later, the location was revealed. Here is that image from the commercial, beautifully captured by professionals in the magic light of dawn in July, 2011.
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Then ... They continue along another stretch of mountain road.
... and Now, CitySleuth is pretty sure this was filmed on the Angeles Crest Highway which snakes up from the lowlands to the Mount Wilson location described above through terrain just like this. He can't be 100% certain but this curve is very similar.
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  Torrence had earlier let air out of one of the tires and when it goes flat he pulls over. While Walter replaces the wheel Torrence, snarling "From Irene and me, sucker", thwacks him with a lug wrench and dumps him over the roadside edge, leaving him for dead.
 He then frantically drives off when a passing Bekins van stops and in his haste meets an approaching gas tanker head-on. The ensuing explosion reduces him to toast, a punitively fitting end to a thoroughly bad apple.
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Then ... Walter, however, survives the ordeal and staggers back to the road. He climbs in the back of the van just as it drives off and, some time later, hops off at Vera's rest stop in Nevada (below) where he reads in a newspaper of his reported death. The authorities, not knowing of Torrence, have assumed it was Walter who died in the car crash.
... and Now, This may have been a real place or it may have been filmed on a studio back lot. Either way, if any reader can shed light on it, please contact CitySleuth.
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Agent Ripley gets a call from another woman, Nancy Ashton (Patricia Huston), who claims she has a friend whose life may be in danger. She wants him to come to her place as soon as possible and the fear in her voice persuades him to do so. She waits for him, spookily surrounded by disjointed and hanging mannequins at her home workshop. This may not bode well ...
Then ... Ripley and fellow agent Brad (Roy Poole) pull up outside her apartment.
... and Now, they were at 2632 Larkin Street, between Lombard and Chestnut (map), a short block and a half from the well-known 'crooked street' on Russian Hill. The view looks south towards Lombard.
Then ... Their sharply angled view of the house accentuates its elegantly bowed windows.
... and Now, the house hasn't changed, even the curvilinear window panes are the same.
Then ... A diversion - Frank Bullitt's 390GT fastback Mustang drove right past this house six years later during the famous car chase in the movie Bullitt (in the capture below, the arrow points to the house).
... and Now, a recent view of the same block.
Where were we? Oh yes ... unfortunately, Kelly Sherwood's tormentor has beaten the agents to it and they find Nancy Ashton as lifeless as the mannequins hanging alongside her.
Then ... When an ambulance is called we get a glimpse of the house next door.
... and Now, in this wider view of 2632 Larkin that neighboring house is currently being replaced and has just been demolished.
In a long conversation with Madeleine after Scottie rescues her from the Bay he is no closer to finding out why she takes off on her mysterious wanderings. He decides to continue watching her. In this sequence an asterisk (*) indicates a route discontinuity, i.e. a location jump.
Then ... She had stopped by to leave a thank-you note. They talk outside his apartment and as she leaves we enjoy a clear view down Lombard Street with Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower in the distance.
... and Now, a half century later when this photo was taken (2011) the house was unchanged but since then the owner has completely made over the exterior, wiping out a cinematic location icon (see it here).
They resume their conversation then agree to go off on a drive together.