Then … Malatesta is near death in a local hospital. As his family and the police wait to see him the window view gives the barest clue as to this location. Not much to go on, but CitySleuth recognized that row of Spanish Colonial-styled houses visible across the flat rooftops in the foreground.
… and Now … These houses, located at 1314 to 1330 Taylor Street in Nob Hill (map), are the ones in the above window view.
Those same houses were the site of the rooftop chase in the opening scene, below, of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 classic movie ‘Vertigo”. Note the same Spanish Colonial roofline facade.
But where was the hospital? It turns out that the only place with that view would be the rooftop of an apartment building located around the corner and tall enough to see over the flat rooftops opposite. There are two such buildings, 1134 and 1142 Jackson Street. Obviously then the hospital scene was filmed in a studio, or elsewhere, making use of a photo taken from the rooftop of one of these buildings to imply the location, a common movie trick.
Here’s 1134 and 1142 Jackson, both tall enough for a rooftop photographer to have a clear view across the street towards the Taylor Street buildings.
Malatesta asks to speak with Joe alone. He confides to him that after confession the priest wanted him to go to the police; he killed him to spare his family the stigma that would follow. Joe forgives him and leaves the room while the last rites were being given.
The movie ends when the police, needing a confession to pin the murder on Malatesta, want to know what he said … Joe chose to preserve the family’s integrity, telling them “The accident beat me to it - I didn’t find out a thing”.
The FBI agents know that somebody inside the Lakeview Research Laboratory is stealing and passing on the latest scientific findings on a regular basis. They brief the Lab’s director; all agree the mole must be ferreted out without delay.
The director takes them on a tour of the facility to explain the security protocols in place. CitySleuth suspects that this was filmed at an energy plant in Southern California but he has not been able to find the location. In case a reader may be able to recognize it, here are four views of the site, starting with this one looking towards the entrance gate.
Looking out from inside the entrance we see adjacent buildings across the street which could help identify the location.
On the left in this panorama from inside the entrance gate the agents follow the director into the plant.
And here we get a closer look at some of the infrastructure within the facility.
Because the research results are being stolen almost as quickly as the lab’s scientists come up with them, agents O’Hara and Grayson decide to secretly film the director’s weekly review meeting with the lab’s four head scientists. Although they all have impeccable reputations and fully vetted backgrounds, could one of them be the mole? But everything seemed normal; nothing suspicious was seen or heard (other than the furtive kiss and cuddle that two of them got into after the meeting broke up).
Then … Joe is convinced that Malatesta is Father Tomasino’s killer. But why? He goes to see him at his restaurant with a plan ...
… and Now, The location of the restaurant was described in detail an earlier post. Today, much larger and modernized, it’s the well-known Scoma’s in Fisherman’s Wharf; back then it was a small waterfront cafe called Andy’s Lookout.
Joe lies to Malatesta, telling him that he, Joe, is a suspect in Father Tomasino’s murder and that, despite being innocent, he intends to kill a man who is blackmailing him by threatening to incriminate him. “Don’t do it”, says Malatesta … “You’ll never be able to live with it”.
He surprises Joe by confessing that he himself has been through that - he had killed somebody - a girlfriend who was about to run off with another man during the war. When Joe asks if he had confessed to Father Tomasino, Malatesta realizes he had revealed a motive and snaps, attacking Joe in a desperate fight.
Then … Malatesta breaks away and rushes blindly outside just as a truck is approaching …
… and Now, Scoma’s dining room has expanded into much of the original boardwalk.
Then … the truck hits him, leaving him mortally injured.
… and Now, this is Al Scoma Way, Scoma’s approach road thats tees off Jefferson Street, crossing at the far end.
Back at Janet’s high-ceilinged studio Andy can’t fathom why Ed is so dismissive of important clues in the murder case. He is close to realizing that his brother is covering up his own involvement. These interior scenes were most likely filmed on a studio sound stage.
But when later in the movie Ed drops Janet off in front of her studio, this was filmed at a real location …
Then … She heads for her front door, a novel entrance with a drawbridge. CitySleuth is indebted to Craig Owens, host of the entertaining blog bizarrela.com, for finding this interesting building.
… and Now, It’s supposed to be in San Francisco but the building is actually in Los Angeles, at 2064 Argyle Avenue in the Hollywood Hills (map). It still looks exactly the same. (Photo by Craig Owens).
… and Now, No. 2064 is flanked on either side by similar Tudor-styled units but is the only one with the drawbridge feature. The red bricked square in the sidewalk marks where the tree in front of the building was in the Then image above.
