News
5 CRE SPOTS YOU SEE IN THE MOVIES
August 15, 2012
| Walking the streets of San Francisco, it’s easy to forget how many great flicks were filmed at notable CRE sites here. Today we’ll show you how to conduct a self-guided tour of film locations in The City by the Bay (and really impress your friends in the process). |
| 1. HILTON SF FINANCIAL DISTRICT |
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| “Go ahead, make my day.” The famous catch-phrase was born in San Francisco on the set of the 1971 film Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood.The rooftop pool in the opening scene was shot at the Hilton SF Financial District at 750 Kearny St. Other film locations in San Francisco: San Francisco City Hall, the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant St and California Hall at 625 Polk St. |
| 2. AMERICAN ZOETROPE |
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| Though the famed director’s studio, American Zoetrope, is in San Francisco, Francis Ford Coppola’s only film set entirely here is the 1974 classic The Conversation. (Coppola’s Italian eatery Cafe Zoetrope is located in the lobby of the North Beach building.) Harry Caul (played by Gene Hackman) is a surveillance guru with a guilty conscience when he suspects a couple he’s spying on will be murdered. His workshop is located at 297 Kansas St in Potero Hill, the American Roofing Co. building. The opening scene was filmed in Union Square. |
| 3. LOMBARD STREET |
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| Known as the world’s “crookedest” road, Lombard Street was also home to John “Scottie” Ferguson (played by James Stewart), the main character in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller Vertigo. Scottie’s apartment was located at 900 Lombard, right at the bottom of the hill. The 1972 comedy starring Barbara Streisand—What’s up, Doc— featured a car chase down the road. The winding, switchback design was instituted in 1922 after being suggested by property owner Carl Henry. |
| 4. THE INTERCONTINENTAL MARK HOPKINS |
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| The InterContinental Mark Hopkins at One Nob Hill isn’t just the location of Bisnow’s Retail Summit on Aug. 28 (sign up here!), it was the setting for a scene in the 1968 film Bullitt starring Steve McQueen. Detective Frank Bullitt must keep prized-witness John Ross alive and his first encounter with the bad guys is in the lobby of the Mark Hopkins. Bullitt’s apartment remains unchanged today at 1153-1157 Taylor St, a three-story frame building built in 1906. |
| 5. 2640 STEINER ST |
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| This may seem like the quiet Pacific Heights neighborhood we all know, but the house on the corner of Broadway and Steiner was once home to the Hillard family in the 1993 comedy Mrs. Doubtfire. Daniel Hillard (played by Robin Williams) disguised himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children after a bitter divorce from his ex-wife (played by Sally Field). A scene where Mrs. Doubtfire fends off a mugger is shot on Columbus Avenue in North Beach. |
