Danny drives Helen's neighbor Laury back to her place but she's not yet ready to call it a night ...  "Come on in ... let's have a nightcap".
Then ... Her house had appeared earlier in the movie during the daytime, the middle one, below.
... and Now, CitySleuth has searched unsuccessfully in Reno for this location; of course it could have been filmed elsewhere, probably in Southern California. Anyone who recognizes it is encouraged to contact citysleuth@reelsf.com.
  Inside the house Laury's other boyfriend Sam lurks in wait in the kitchen and in no uncertain terms tells Danny to clear off. A brief but shockingly ferocious fight ends with two fatal poker blows to Danny's head.
 Laury hears the noise and comes in ... stunned by what she sees, she turns around and recognizes Sam. But dead witnesses don't talk and it's the audience's turn to be stunned when she is quickly dispatched in the same way with the same poker.
 Shortly after Sam leaves, Helen stops by and discovers the chilling scene. Her reaction is surprisingly impassive but even more odd is what she does about it, or rather doesn't do, returning to her lodging room next door but refraining from calling the police. Instead she quickly packs and heads to the station for the late train home to San Francisco.
( A Bunker Hill movie in a San Francisco blog? CitySleuth explains why).
The Ritz, seen earlier, wasn't the only downtown bar popular with the Indian community. Another was the Columbine, a few stagger-steps away.
Then ... This shot shows us where it was, at far right below, at 263 S. Main Street, kitty-corner from the Ritz near the intersecting 3rd Street (map).
... and Now, the storefronts have been modified some over time but the two floors above them have been removed. The shutters and window-bars don't speak well of the neighborhood today - interesting isn't it that the 1950s, despite folks in general being much worse off than today, was a much safer time.
Then ... Behind Homer as he enters the Columbine we can make out some of the stores across the street. Mortimer Levitt's liquor store is partially seen through the doorway at 252 Main, then California Clothing at 254 - 256, Reposo Cafe/Restaurant Mexicana at 258 and El Progreso Cafe at 260.
... and Now, a multi-story parking structure at 260 Main has replaced these businesses.
Then ... As the evening wears on the noise level in the bar rises and the cops attempt to keep a damper on things by making their presence known.
... and Now, no longer a bar, the site is a shadow of its former self.
Then ...
The brightly lit store alongside the Columbine (seen in the street view six images above) was Moler's Barber College, perfectly
located at 265 Main for those who wanted a cheap hair cut and didn't
mind being a guinea pig for the trainees. Moler's has been around since
1893 and is still in business, though not at this location. Their
haircut isn't 25 cents any more but is still a steal at $7.50. But,
caveat emptor.
... and Now,
no longer a place to relax, this location is now a gym but customers
can still catch up on the neighborhood gossip. You'd hardly guess this
is the same place until you notice the monogrammed threshold.
Then ... The investigators go to the 322 Club in search of the fisherman's unemployed son who might have had access to the murder weapon. They are reflected in the window of the venerable Speedy's, on the corner of Union Street and Montgomery atop Telegraph Hill (map). In the distance Union Street dips down then soars up to Russian Hill.
... and Now, next to Speedy's the so-called club entrance belongs to an apartment house, address 303 - 311 Union Street - it never was a club in real life. On a trivia note, Speedy's finally closed down in 2008 after serving the neighborhood for 93 years; the site is currently a picture framing shop. Over the years Speedy's has appeared in several movies, as here in The House On Telegraph Hill in 1951.
Inside the club (presumably filmed in a studio) the barman denies seeing the suspect, even as he sneaks out the back door. But Andy spots him and the chase is on.
Then ... The suspect bolts into a narrow street from the back door. Remember that the front entrance was on Union Street in Telegraph Hill?...
... and Now, well, this is in Chinatown, 9 blocks away! It's 66 Wentworth Place near Jackson (map), just one more example of locational trickery in the movies. The arrow points to the back door, since remodeled.
Then ... Helen returns to her rented room at a Reno boarding house on a well-to-do street lined with mature trees and lets her landlady know she will be returning to San Francisco the next morning.
... and Now, CitySleuth is still searching for this location and would be delighted if in the meantime a reader might recognize where it is and let him know.
Then ... But first, one last fling at the Northern Club casino where we get a glimpse of its glitzy neon awning and marquee.
... a vintage photo ... There is a Northern Club in Reno but reader HH has pointed out that the exterior above was filmed at the Northern Club at 15 E. Fremont Street in Las Vegas; the Northern closed in 1942 so 5 years later the moviemakers used stock footage for this shot. Here's a vintage photo of the club c.1940.
... another vintage photo ... and here's another photo from the same viewpoint as in the movie. It was taken in 1942, the year the club closed as the Northern. The Las Vegas club and the newly opened Pioneer are further down the block.
... and Now, when the Northern closed, the Turf club took its place. In turn that became the Monte Carlo club then the Coin Castle and in 1999 the LaBayou which is still there under the lofty metal canopy that today covers a four block stretch - the 'Fremont Street Experience' (map).
Helen is drawn to a lively craps table and joins in, betting against the shooter, Sam Wild (Lawrence Tierney). An animal attraction is immediately apparent, a fateful meeting destined to doom them both.
Up walks a neighbor, Laury Palmer (Isabel Jewell) - she lives next door to Helen's boarding house - with a boyfriend, Danny (Tony Barrett). She confides to Helen that she is also dating Sam but has brought Danny along to needle him and keep him honest. As we shall find out, bad idea.