Reel SF

San Francisco movie locations from classic films

san francisco usa

San Francisco movie locations from classic films

Filtering by Tag: Fort Mason

Chan Is Missing - Pier Pressure

February 18, 2024  /  CitySleuth

Then… Jo and Steve meet on the municipal pier at Aquatic Park (map), a place popular with local fishermen who enjoy the added bonus of great views in all directions. The 1400 foot-long circular pier was built in 1933; it has slowly deteriorated over the decades resulting in its recent closure to the public in 2022. That’s Pier 45 at Fisherman’s Wharf in the background at upper left, drawn in by the telephoto lens.

… and Now, the fishermen above were between the two lampposts below, near the far end of the sweeping breakwater pier. For the matching photos in this post Citysleuth found online images taken pre-closure. The cylindrical concrete structure seen ahead was meant to be a concessions stand complementing two similar ones on the shore at Aquatic Park but it never was completed.

 

Then… Steve wants to know why Jo refuses to go to the police about the stolen money. When Jo defends Chan, talking about his struggle to find his identity in America, Steve gets angry. In the background we see the liberty ship S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien berthed at Fort Mason, a rare survivor of the 2,710 liberty ships built to supply troops and critical materiel to Europe during WWII.

… and Now, The Jeremiah O’Brien was berthed here for many years but has since been moved to Pier 35. Note the decaying condition of the municipal pier’s concrete wall; note too the fence that was erected down the middle to exclude the public from this more dangerous seaward-facing half of the pier before it was finally closed completely.

This 1982 photo shows the Jeremiah O’Brien at its Fort Mason berth around the time Chan was filmed (compare it to the Then image above). It has been completely restored and is one of only two liberty ships still operational today. Interesting trivia - its engines were filmed for the engine room scenes in the movie Titanic.

 

Then… Steve lays into Jo, telling him there are no identity problems in the community any more. His voice rises … “What are you tripping on this sh-t for? The guy f-cked up man, he couldn’t cope with it”.

… and Now, in both photos we see an art deco building alongside the Aquatic Park beach at far left. Originally a bathhouse, it’s now a maritime museum.

… in 1948 … The pier and the bathhouse are seen here in 1948, nine years after the depression-era W.P.A-funded Aquatic Park project officially opened to the public (the aforementioned unfinished concessions stand is visible at the end of the pier). Designed to resemble an ocean-going ship the sleek streamline-moderne building provided swimmers with changing rooms and showers . At one time it also housed a private upscale restaurant and nightclub until outraged protests succeeded in shutting it down. Note the sidewalk waves lapping against the Beach Street entrance - a touch of whimsy.

… and Now, The bathhouse became a maritime museum right after troops who used the building during WWII handed it back. Hey, those waves are still there today!

 

Then… Steve gets increasingly agitated but Jo is adamant; he won’t report his friend to the police. They separate, backs turned.

… and Now, the Golden Gate bridge is but one of the many fine views from here. The pier wall was showing damage 40 plus years ago, above, but is far worse now, below.

 

Back at Chester’s Cafe they sit, wordless, Steve silently stewing. Chester’s was popular with workers from the cable car barn at the end of the block, some of them seen here in the background.

 
1 Comment
tags / Aquatic Park, Fort Mason, Fisherman's Wharf

Dirty Harry - Ransom Run: Hamburger Stand

May 15, 2022  /  CitySleuth

Then … Gonzalez takes the high road while Callahan takes the low road to the hamburger stand at Aquatic Park. Here, traveling west on Lombard Street Gonzalez is about to make a left turn into Fillmore, where he will pass the Doggie Diner that is just beyond the right edge of this image. The same footage of the left turn, but revealing the Doggie Diner, was used earlier, seen in the previous post. Note the corner gas station on the left, note too the gas prices: 29.9 and 33.9 cents per gallon. After adjusting for the 715% inflation since then that’s equivalent to $2.14 and $2.42 per gallon today. Hmmm.

… and Now, today the gas station site is occupied by a Honda Service Center; it was shuttered when CitySleuth took this recent photo.

Here’s an interesting blast from the past of workers picketing that gas station in 1947. It’s the same corner as above but the view looks across Lombard towards Fillmore.

 

Then … Cut to the Marina district - Callahan is racing towards the tunnel that runs under Fort Mason to Aquatic Park (map).

… and Now, the tunnel is still there but there is no train activity today, the tracks are gone and the tunnel entrance is fenced off and boarded up. Those vehicles are making the right hand sweep from Marina Boulevard into Laguna Street.

… and Now, here’s the tunnel viewed from Laguna Street.

 

This aerial view outlines the path of the tunnel. 1500 feet long, it was constructed in 1913 to serve the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition that was built in the Marina to herald to the world that San Francisco had recovered from the 1906 earthquake and fire. The single track tunnel continued to be used for freight train traffic until the late 1970s.

 

In the tunnel he is accosted by 3 deadbeats who demand the ransom bag and his wallet; he tells them to get lost but they persist. No worries, his Smith and Wesson and yet another of his classic lines … “You don’t listen do you, asshole” do the trick - they flee.

 

Then … You can see the distant Marina entrance as he emerges at the Van Ness Avenue end in Aquatic Park (map).

… and Now, it’s now boarded up but there is currently a proposal to have the City extend the Muni F-Market & Wharves vintage rail line from Fisherman’s Wharf to here then continuing on through the tunnel, terminating at the Marina (read about it here and for policy wonks the favorable EIR report is here).

 

Then … The hamburger stand is directly opposite the tunnel; a pair of phone booths is alongside them, one of them ringing. When Callahan sees an old man step to the phone to answer it he jumps over the low railing and snatches it from him.

… and Now, the stand is still there but it has been closed during the pandemic. It’s one of two extant streamline moderne-styled concessions stations built in the 1930s, part of the Aquatic Park project. Note the drain pipes on either side of the counter, also visible in the Then image above. The low railing bordering the sidewalk curb is gone but visitors can still see evidence of their existence in the sidewalk pavers. No phone booths though, CitySleuth would be surprised if they weren’t a movie prop.

 

“You know Mount Davidson Park? Go to the cross”. Callahan’s expression says it all - the cross on Mount Davidson is more than 6 miles away.

 
6 Comments
tags / Cow Hollow, Fort Mason, Marina

Click in this box to search this site ...