Bullitt - Escape From The Mob
As the credits roll, the movie opens with mob henchmen closing in on informant Johnny Ross (Pat Renella).
Ross hides in his Chicago office as the mob approach from its outdoor patio. This scene according to the director Peter Yates on the Blu-ray DVD commentary was filmed at the Warner Brothers studio (thanks to reader Luis who pointed this out).
... and this is the office (below) as seen by the thugs from the patio.
Then ... Ross slows his pursuers with a smoke bomb and makes his escape from the building's garage. It was set in Chicago but this was filmed in San Francisco - he is on the basement level of the garage at the 450 Sutter Street Medical Building.
... and Now, it's still very recognizable 45 + years later.
Then ... Ross roars at high speed out of the garage exit at the end of Chelsea Place, an alley off Bush between Stockton and Powell Streets (incidentally, just steps away from where Sam Spade's partner Miles Archer was done in by Brigid O'Shaughnessy in The Maltese Falcon) ...
... and Now, pretty much the same.
Then ... He mounts the narrow sidewalk and tries to take out one of his pursuers who in turn takes a pot-shot at him before jumping into a doorway to avoid being run down.
... and Now, the view up Chelsea Place today to Bush Street at the top. The well-known Masa's restaurant can be seen across Bush.
... and Now, below, this recent picture shows scars on the wall where the fleeing car scraped by - can they be the same ones after more than 40 years? The doorway at far right is the one the gunman backed into as the car went by.
Comments (2)
There's a very rare car parked in the garage to the far right as Ross makes his escape, a Bizzarini 5300 GT Stradale Spyder, one of at least three believed versions of the Corvette powered Italian sports car. It's not a location but does add some interesting European flavor to the shot.