Woman On The Run (1950)
The Movie
Woman On The Run, directed by Norman Foster, is a well-paced thriller featuring a host of San Francisco locations plus two in Southern California for good measure. It was released in 1950, the most prolific year for movies of the film noir genre. Ann Sheridan stars and makes the most of her many acerbic, wise-cracking putdown lines. She is ably supported by a first-rate cast, including, for a change, an homme fatale.
The opening scene in the movie was filmed in Los Angeles and the closing scene in Santa Monica; between them all the rest, the bulk of the movie, were filmed in San Francisco.
The Story
While out walking his dog Frank Johnson (Ross Elliot) witnesses a man being shot. The killer sees Frank and tries but fails to shoot him too. Frank flees the scene and goes into hiding fearing that he is a marked man. His wife Eleanor's (Ann Sheridan) reluctant help is sought by the police to find him. Instead, she teams up with tabloid journalist Danny Leggett (Dennis O'Keefe) who is willing to pay well for his story, but the journalist's motive isn't quite what it seems ...
(You can watch a good quality print of the movie here)
The Locations -
Opening Credits The view from the Top O' The Mark, Mark Hopkins Hotel, One Nob Hill
The Opening Location Hill Street Tunnel, Hill Street at 1st Street, Bunker Hill, Los Angeles
Witness to a Murder 138 North Hill Street above the tunnel, Bunker Hill, Los Angeles
Investigation View of Bunker Hill Central Police Station and South Hill Street, Los Angeles
Eleanor's Apartment 5 implied locations: Top O' The Mark, Mark Hopkins Hotel--- 819 Mason Street--- South Hill Street, Los Angeles--- Clay Street near Jones--- 1801 Laguna Street
Doctor's Office Alta Casa Building, 897 California at Powell
Tailing Eleanor, California at Powell --- Powell between California and Pine--- Montgomery between Vallejo and Green --- Market Street by the Emporium
Hart & Winston The Emporium, 845 Market between 4th and 5th
Cab Ride 1 Stockton/Ellis/Market Street junction --- Union Square at Maiden Lane--- Northwest corner of Portsmouth Square
Lancey's Waffle Shop Pacific Building, 817 Market Street at 4th
Searching For Frank - 1 Fisherman's Wharf--- Pioneer Park--- City Hall--- St. Mary's Square
Oriental Roof Gardens and Sullivan's Grotto 776 Commercial Street --- Commercial Street side entrance of Eastern Bakery at 720 Grant Avenue
Searching For Frank - 2 (The Navy Stores) 110 S. Embarcadero--- 506 Market Street--- 124 S. Embarcadero--- Jackson Street at the Embarcadero
Searching For Frank - 3 The Embarcadero near pier 24--- Pier 43--- The Embarcadero near Harrison--- Pier 45 Shed A--- Pier 41 1/2-- Fisherman's Wharf Marina--- Al Scoma Way
Washington Square Park, Volunteer Fire Dept. Memorial, Columbus Avenue, Washington Square in North Beach
Cab Ride 2 Union Street at Montgomery
Coroner's Office 650 Merchant Street in the Old Hall Of Justice Building, Portsmouth Square, Chinatown
Amusement Park Ocean Park Pier, Santa Monica
Laffing Sal Has The Last Laugh Ocean Park Pier, Santa Monica