Dark Passage - Irene's Apartment Views
1. View From The Living Room
Then ... In the movie, the exterior view across Irene's patio is a photo backdrop used on the studio soundstage to set the location. In the real apartment at 1360 Montgomery #10 that view would look east across the Bay towards Yerba Buena Island but close examination of the movie view reveals that, although similar, it's different. Finding the explanation was a challenge, and here it is ...
Below is a recent photo taken from the end of Alta Street, a cul-de-sac close to Irene's 1360 Montgomery Street apartment, looking not east, but north across the Bay to Angel Island. This doesn't match the movie view above either but ...
... if this view is reversed (below), we have a match! The contours of Angel Island match perfectly as does the multi-story white building, now with added new structures on either side. So, the director had a photo taken from Alta and reversed it for use in the studio set. Why not use the real view? Who knows, but anals like CitySleuth notice such things.
2. View From The Bedroom
Then ... This looks out across the lower part of Montgomery to where the upper Filbert Steps begin.
... and Now, the building just visible on the left is a private residence now but in 1947 it housed the Shadows Restaurant, a favorite of Bogart and Bacall during filming ...
... and perhaps while dining there they lit up using one of their matchboxes?
3. View From The Front Door
Then ... Irene's view through the apartment's front door peephole when she hears the doorbell ring shows, behind the visitor, the 3rd floor hallway and the stairs leading up to the top floor.
... and Now, exactly the same.