Summer of Darkness: San Francisco Noir

William Powell and Myrna Loy

It may be the City by the Bay, but San Francisco truly is Noir City. Several classic films noir have been filmed here such as: Maltese Falcon, Dark Passage, Out of the Past, The Lady From Shanghai, The Lineup, D.O.A. among many others. San Francisco is one of those cities that has it all providing an eclectic mix of neighborhood communities from the dark and gritty to the fabulously glamorous.

Day One of Summer of Darkness spotlighted the films noir of San Francisco. Those films were: Nora Prentiss, Woman on the Run, and Dark Passage.

This film stars the ultra witty (and sexy) Ann Sheridan as a San Francisco nightclub singer, who, by chance, meets Dr. Richard Talbot (played by Kent Smith). Dr. Talbot is trapped in an unhappy marriage, and it is Nora who expands his horizons be helping him lead a life of spontaneity and adventure. Unable to ask his wife for a divorce, he fakes his death to be with Nora. And you know that a tangled web will be woven.

Though most scenes are filmed out of a studio lot, there are a few outdoor scenes shot on location. San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf serves as the backdrop of the nightclub. It is here where we watch Nora croon and flirt with Dr. Talbot. Outside you see Pier 45 where the fishing boats are docked. Hardly a romantic venue, but a glimpse into the blue collar community that once had a stronghold on the City by the Bay. Of course, what's a film without a drive across the Bay Bridge.

At one time in the bridge's history, it was possible to drive east bound on the upper deck. Like the Golden Gate Bridge, the top deck had lanes in both directions while the lower deck was for shipping and transport. So this is not an error in geolocation as they are driving away from San Francisco along the top tier.

In another Ann Sheridan film noir, we have Woman on the Run. When the film premiered (following its restoration) at Noir City 13, the organizers gave the viewing audience a special treat with the then/now comparison of the city by the bay. There was a bit of a laugh when the audience saw the 1950 bay view from Coit Tower whereas today, what view? Many of the small businesses featured prominently in the film gave way to tall buildings with a plain façade. Still, there were great shots along Embarcadero, Chinatown and downtown.

There was a bit of cheating, though, in two of the filming locations. At the very beginning, what could've been a great shot of Golden Gate Heights was in fact Bunker Hill in Los Angeles. The climactic amusement part scene was not Playland at Ocean Beach. It was Santa Monica. Boo!!

My 2nd favorite Bogie/Bacall film (though very close to a tie with the favorite To Have and Have Not). This film begins in Marin County with an escape from San Quentin, a ride through Waldo Tunnel (soon to be the late Robin Williams Tunnel) and into San Francisco where we are housed at Bacall's fabulous Art Deco apartment. The dark alleys and high grade streets add not only to the ambience but are metaphors to Bogie's emotional state.