Then … While his wife is away for the weekend Talbot invites Nora to take a trip with him to his family cabin. Flattered, she accepts; we see them leaving the city on the upper deck of the Bay Bridge (filmed in the studio with rear projection footage).
… and Now, this looks back towards San Francisco to the bridge’s first tower. Note that the upper deck is now one-way traffic into the city whereas back then it was two-way. Note too the Bay Bridge light display LED’s arrayed vertically on the right. More recently they have been added to the left side, resulting in a spectacular nighttime display on both sides of the bridge.
Then … in the distance looking to the north, Coit Tower is prominent on the right atop Telegraph Hill.
… and Now, here’s that view today; the high-rises were yet to be built back then.
… from the 1940s … this contemporaneous capture from a vintage video shows the view in more detail. The two buildings on the Russian Hill skyline at far left were also visible in the movie’s Then image above. The Ferry Building clock tower is in the center.
They arrive at the cabin in a scene almost certainly filmed at the studio’s back lot.
The shot can’t be duplicated so let’s talk about Talbot’s car instead. It’s a 1939 Plymouth Deluxe Convertible Coupe, pictured here in a photo from a classic car sale where it sold for $31,900. The seller claimed it belonged to MGM studios; if so it’s possible this particular car was borrowed by Warner Brothers for Talbot’s use. It’s fun to speculate from time to time.
In the cabin Nora begins to have qualms, tearfully questioning the wisdom of carrying on with a married man. But she yields to his passionate long embrace and kiss.
Then … Talbot for his part has no qualms whatsoever; he’s head-over-heels with the lady. We next see him buying flowers for her in Union Square. The name on the window - Joseph’s Florist - and 1940s city directories revealed its address: 322 Post Street. Across Union Square is the 200 block of Geary Street.
A 1940s vintage photo showed that same block as it appeared in the movie (outlined within the yellow box). Note the same rooftop billboard (blank at that time) and the white vertical Santa Fe Railway ticket office blade sign beyond the Dewey monument, both partially visible above. The iconic City of Paris Store is at far right.
… and Now, the same block today. Nieman Marcus has replaced the City of Paris.
Another 1940s vintage photo shows us where Joseph’s Florist at 322 Post was located.
… and Now, this whole block has since been replaced except the Bullock and Jones building with its distinctive 3rd story triple arched windows. The yellow circle reveals where Joseph’s Florist used to be, overlapping the left end of today’s Apple Store.
Then … They head to Baker Street near Beach to admire the Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina district at the eastern edge of the Presidio.
… and Now, the lone surviving structure at this site from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, rebuilt in the 1960s and 70s, continues to be a hugely popular visitor attraction.
Then … And why not pay a visit to Chinatown? Like all of the restaurants back then Canton Low down the block and the Far East Cafe across Grant advertise chop suey, the dish of choice back then for visitors. Talbot may be enjoying himself now but he’s chosen a slippery slope and there’ll be no climbing back to normality for him.
… and Now, they were on Grant Avenue; Commercial Street tees off to the left and Sacramento Street crosses behind them. Canton Low is gone but the Far East Cafe at 631 Grant is still there but you won’t find chop suey on their menu.
Then … While driving with Teddy through town Buddy offers to be his chauffeur if he finally gets a date with Charlotte. They are driving east along Bush Street on the south edge of Chinatown; ahead, Stockton crosses and the concrete Stockton-Sutter Garage is seen on the right. On the left is the Victoria Hotel at 590 Bush and the Bush Garden Japanese restaurant at 580 Bush.
… and Now, the unsightly, bordering on the ugly, garage structure is still there.
Then … True to his word, he does exactly that in a fancy limo but first he makes a detour so Teddy can quickly drop off a gift at his grandmother’s place since he’s been told that she’s there alone on her birthday.
… and Now, once again Los Angeles was chosen for this scene - it was filmed at the Sheraton-Town House Hotel at 639 S. Commonwealth Avenue and Wilshire Blvd in the Westlake district. The hotel closed in 1993 and now operates as low income housing, its awning not nearly as swanky as it used to be. Note too the added metal security fencing.
They take the elevator up to the 8th floor and make their way to Room 801 at the end of the corridor. CitySleuth thinks this was filmed in the Sheraton hotel but has yet to confirm it.
But … “Surprise!!” … his whole family were waiting there to sing Happy Birthday to him - they had tricked him into thinking it was also grandmother’s birthday when in fact it was just his. In the nick of time Buddy arrives to introduce Charlotte to everybody as his friend, saving Teddy from a disastrous exposé and embarrassment.
Here’s a fine overview photo of the late Beaux-Arts style hotel building taken in 2008.
Buddy and Charlotte make a quick exit - so much for Teddy’s date. At evening’s end the family leaves via the lobby; note the room key slots behind the receptionist - this was the Sheraton’s reception lobby.
Then … Teddy’s buddies are waiting outside when they leave, creating a loud commotion. Apparently Joey’s wife has left again and he’s going berserk; it takes all of them to bundle him into the car. But it’s a ruse to get Teddy to come with them … Charlotte wants him to join her. (Watch out for the continuity goof in this scene as Didi disappears and reappears across the street between cuts).
… and Now, this recent photo from the same angle shows a wider view of the repurposed building.
Then … Clarence and the police motorbike escort head up California Street during their dash across town to get Blotz. Kearny Street crosses at the end of the block.
… and Now, most of the buildings lining California street have since been replaced. Still there though way at the bottom of the hill is the Southern Pacific Building, built in 1917 as the headquarters of Southern Pacific Railway. Beyond it is the Bay Bridge, not built until 11 years after the scene above was filmed.
Then … They overtake a cable car as they speed up California. The landmark Sing Chong Building is on the corner of Grant Avenue.
… and Now, a century later it’s still there.
The Pagoda-styled Sing Chong Building was built in 1907. Local residents and Benevolent Societies had wasted no time rebuilding Chinatown following the 1906 earthquake and fire as a statement to city government that they were not about to be resettled anywhere else.
Then … The cop leans his bike to his right around a tight bend…
… then leans over to his left, apparently negotiating an S - curved street. More of the building behind him is now revealed, helping to confirm this location.
… and Now, here’s that building, still there. It’s 60 Leavenworth, an apartment building with street level retail stores on the corner of McAllister. Credit to reader Notcom who found it.
In this late 1920’s aerial photo you can see the curved street 3 blocks east of City Hall.
It’s more clearly seen in this 1931 aerial photo; tap or click the image to see how it looks today. The curve was straightened out in the mid-1930s to make way for the Federal Office Building at 50 U.N. Plaza.
Then … Continuing on, in the next shot the Geary-Mason Drugs sign on the right is a giveaway to this location. That drugstore was at 400 Mason so this view looks south along Mason Street with Geary crossing in the foreground. The Hotel Minster sign on the left a block down was at 312 Mason.
… and Now, 312 Mason is still a hotel; more specifically an international hostel.
Then … Almost there! This shot revisits a junction appearing twice before during the frantic dash. Here they head west on Market Street having just driven out of Golden Gate Avenue over on the right. The turrets of the Granada Theater can be seen near the end of the block beyond the car.
… and Now, the Granada Theater has long since been demolished and replaced.
Viewed from the opposite direction this vintage photo captured the Granada in 1921, the year it opened. The opulent theater was one of many that sprung up along the length of Market Street during the silver screen heyday of the 1920s and 1930s. It was renamed the Paramount in 1931 and eventually demolished in 1965.
They arrive in time - it’s game over for Blotz, Red Moran and, at City Hall, D.A. Fuller.
As the bad guys are hauled into their cells, Tom and Ray are released from theirs to a joyful welcome by Mary and Polly McDonald. Even Chronicle Proprietor Hamilton gets in on the act, proclaiming to Tom … “They’ve found their man McDonald, and I have found mine!” All’s well that ends well.
In the movie’s final frames Polly turns to Clarence, the derring-do hero of the day. Boy, does she owe him!!
Clarence and on-duty cops are at the police station when he hears the news of the Chronicle fire …
… they pile into a car, Clarence hanging on the side, to rush across town to Chron headquarters. (This doorway location is yet to be found - a Los Angeles precinct, a studio back lot, somewhere else?).
Then … They drive out of Golden Gate Avenue in downtown San Francisco, captured here turning east on Market Street. The projecting marquee of the Granada Theater at 1066 Market Street can be seen in the block behind them near the corner of Jones.
… and Now, the same block today. The Granada Theater is no longer there; after being renamed the Paramount in 1931 it was demolished in 1965.
Then … They are on Market again. This view was filmed looking east from 1st Street towards the Ferry Building in the background. Note at top center the ‘MOISE’ sign on the corner of Fremont Street…
… in 1930 … Here’s a photo taken a few years later from the same spot. A city directory entry revealed that the ‘MOISE’ sign belonged to the Moise-Klinkner store that sold a mix of rubber stamps, badges and signs.
… and Now, the traffic nightmare omnipresent on Market Street over the past century has recently been exorcised by the simple expedient of restricting access to commuter vehicles and taxis. Dead center in the distance the Ferry Building still stands like a sentinel on the Embarcadero, visible along most of the 3-mile length of arrow-straight Market Street.
Then … Now heading north they are on Stockton Street entering the south portal of the Stockton Tunnel near Union Square. Market Street crosses at the south end of Stockton.
… and Now, the first block on the left was rebuilt in 1960 as the Sutter-Stockton garage.
Here’s a reverse look at the south entrance of the tunnel in 1953 seven years before the current Sutter-Stockton garage was built.
… and just for fun check out this cool 1913 photo of the tunnel being excavated. It opened in 1914 after taking only 17 months to build. People worked hard in those days. The building at top right at 590 Bush Street is also visible in the image above.
Then … We then see them emerging from the tunnel’s north portal into Chinatown.
… and Now, the north portal today looks the same.
Clarence arrives outside the Chronicle press room to find an angry crowd surrounding Tom, wrongly accusing him of starting the fire. He is hauled off to jail where he briefly sees Ray before being dragged off to his own cell.
Meanwhile the fire rages on while a growing crowd of onlookers gather where Market Street and Geary come together. Customers of Bercovich Cigars on the ground floor at 700 Market Street could conveniently head up to dentist Chas. Strub on the 3rd floor to take care of the yellow stains. The stylishly-hatted lady in white on the 2nd floor windowsill has the best view of all.
Then … Across Market another crowd stands in front of the Monadnock Building at 685 Market adjacent to the Palace Hotel.
… and Now, The Beaux Arts building, built the year after the ‘06 earthquake, now features in its atrium lobby colorful murals depicting in Renaissance Baroque style many well-known San Francisco personalities including Mayor Adolph Sutro, fountain donor Lotta Crabtree and Supervisor Harvey Milk.
For history buffs here’s a 1910 postcard photo of the Monadnock showing the original iteration of Lotta’s Fountain in the foreground.
