Then … Armed with Stevenson’s address Herbert exits the chartered Bank of London at 465 California Street; he watches a woman hailing a cab then mimics her. The large building facing us at the end of California is the 1917 Southern Pacific Building at One Embarcadero.
… and Now, in today’s view the e-biker deliverymen arrayed outside a takeout restaurant next to the bank is a common sight today across the city.
Then … The cabbie, asked to drive as fast as possible, complies by roaring through the city streets at breakneck speed. Here he crests California Street at Powell (incidentally, four blocks down the hill he will pass the bank where he picked up Herbert). Note the quaint signal booth on the corner at far right.
… and Now, it’s still there today. This junction is the only place where two cable car lines cross; the manned booth controls each passing car while the gripman drops the underground cable in order to coast over the one that crosses.
… in 1968 … the booth and the crossing cable car lines were filmed from above in the movie Petulia.
In 1935 the booth was knocked over by a reckless driver; It came to rest a short way down the hill in front of the Alta Casa Apartments entrance at 897 California, the corner building seen above (a newer building has since replaced the Alta Casa).
Then … They barrel down California, here approaching Grant Avenue (there’s the Southern Pacific Building again where California ends, with the Bay Bridge visible beyond). Chinatown’s iconic pagoda-styled Sing Fat building on the right and Sing Chong building on the left at Grant were built shortly after the 1906 earthquake in a style meant to look classically oriental to occidental eyes.
… and Now, this view hasn’t changed but ownership of the building at far right has - it’s now the Ritz-Carlton Hotel whereas when the movie was filmed, above, it was the home of Cogswell College.
Then … the cab reaches the end of California at the cable car terminus. Unlike the Powell Street Lines there is no turntable here because the California Line cable cars are double-ended.
… and Now, today’s tourists waiting to board the cars outnumber those in the 1970s.
Then … The cab arrives at the Hyatt Regency California Street entrance.
… and Now, that entrance is still used by those on foot but guests arriving by car are now dropped off around the corner on Drumm Street in the covered porte-cochère seen on the left. Note how it has been opened up by removing some of its original concrete posts.
Then … Our first view of the inside is the spectacular atrium enclosed within the balconies of the hotel’s 17 stories. Opened in 1973 the brutalist-styled hotel immediately made an impact. The centerpiece sculpture, Eclipse, is by Charles O. Perry and behind it are pod-shaped glassed elevators that treat guests to breathtaking views.
… and Now, the floor layout has changed over time but the sculpture and the elevators have not.
Then … Herbert is impressed as he enters the atrium from street level. (That’s one of the elevators on the right next to the escalator).
… and Now, this is the only escalator serving the atrium - here it is now.
Stevenson is astonished to see that Herbert has tracked him down through time.
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.
Herbet is at his wit’s end after visiting bank after bank (15, no less) in the Financial District in an unsuccessful search for Stevenson. But suddenly across the street he spots something that warms the cockles of his heart and snaps him to attention (click the image to see his reaction - there’s more to acting than saying lines).
Then … The sight of the Chartered Bank Of London nostalgically adorned with the Union Jack gives him hope that surely Stevenson had been there. It occupied the first floor of the Merchants Exchange Building at 465 California Street.
Then … Herbert cheerily doffs his cap as he walks through the entrance lobby.
… and Now, there’s little change here; the lobby has retained its marbled grandeur but the center doorway ahead has a little more glass and all three doors have newer handles.
Then … The doors open into the bank hall. Herbert meets Amy Robbins (Mary Steenburgen), the bank’s Foreign Currency manager. He is very interested to encounter a woman in that position; she is very interested in him, period. Note the mural to the left on the back wall…
… and Now, that mural, depicting a merchant ship in rough seas, is still there, one of five in the room that were commissioned by young architect Julia Morgan who helped redesign the space after significant earthquake damage in 1906. The hall is now empty, used by the Clint Reilly Organization as a high-end social and entertainment space; they own the Merchant’s Exchange Building and are headquartered there.
For Amy, it’s love at first sight. Perhaps because of this she doesn’t hesitate telling him that Stevenson was indeed there and that she had recommended the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Drumm Street to him as a place to stay. She also gives Herbert her card and offers to show him around town. (As an aside, the real H.G. Wells wrote about Women’s Lib; now he’s experiencing it first hand). Herbert leaves, happy to have hit the jackpot twice. (That’s a photo of Queen Elizabeth on the right).
Before the breakup, there’s the makeup - Joey’s wife has inexplicably returned. They throw a celebration party at a location as yet unfound by CitySleuth. (Anyone recognize it?).
At the party Buddy picks up a bracelet with the name Eric on it. Eric is there; when he reclaims it the two seem to hit it off.
Then … Afterwards while Teddy and friends enjoy lunch together Joey is back to his usual self, flirting outrageously with two young women as they pass by.
… and Now, set in San Francisco but they were filmed right here on this lawn in front of the Los Angeles Tennis Club at 5851 Clinton Street in Los Angeles’ Hancock Park neighborhood. Tennis courts can be seen in the background, both Then and Now.
This aerial gives a good overview of the location - the arrow indicates where their table was set up in front of the clubhouse.
Then … Suddenly Buddy’s live-in partner shows up; he has come across Eric’s bracelet and is not amused. He summarily dumps Buddy’s suitcase and clothes on the ground in a theatrical announcement of their breakup.
… and Now, the house behind them (also seen behind the young women 4 images above) is still recognizable despite an added unsightly security wall. This is the Clinton Street side of the corner house at 591 N. Cahuenga Blvd, directly opposite the tennis clubhouse. The tail of the arrow in the aerial view above points directly to it.
Then … Teddy is genuinely concerned. He drops Buddy off at his place in Telegraph Hill.
… and Now, he was parked on the upper level of Montgomery Street where it intersects Alta Street (map). The view looks to the east across Montgomery, down Alta, and beyond to where the Bay Bridge meets Yerba Buena Island; Oakland and the East Bay Hills are in the far distance. Note the leaning tree both Then and Now; most likely it’s the same one.
Then … Buddy ‘s apartment is on the western portion of Alta Street.
… and Now, Alta has seen some of its houses updated but most, as is true across the Telegraph Hill neighborhood, remain unchanged.
… in 1968 … Digressing for a moment: Jerry Garcia (pre-beard) and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead were filmed a few houses up on the left in front of 103/105 Alta in the movie Petulia.
… in 2011 … Here’s the same place in 2011, back then it was pretty much unchanged.
and Now, but since then it has been remodeled; the shingled house next to it has not.
After Teddy tries but fails to lighten the mood with a weak joke in Buddy’s apartment, the two share a hug. (Is that a prop continuity goof? The suitcase matches the one Buddy brought in (5 images above) but the tennis racquet cover is a different color).
