Impact (1949)
The Movie
Impact, directed by Arthur Lubin, was first released in New York City on March 20, 1949. It's an excellent noir thriller with enough twists and turns to keep the audience guessing until the very end. Nob Hill and Chinatown locations are prominently featured throughout as well as locations north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Story
Walter Williams (Brian Donlevy) is a tough businessman with a soft center as far as his glamorous wife Irene (Helen Walker) is concerned. When Walter asks her to accompany him on a business trip she first agrees then, citing a last minute excuse, asks him to take her 'cousin' with him instead. The cousin is actually her lover and on the drive west he brutally attacks Walter and leaves him for dead. The story takes a sudden turn when the cousin is immolated in a fiery accident as he flees the scene. Walter recovers, dazed and confused, but lies low in a small town as a form of revenge while the authorities, assuming the dead man is Walter, arrest his wife and accuse her of plotting his murder. He meets and falls for compassionate divorcee Marsha Peters (Ella Raines) who persuades him to tell the San Francisco police what really happened. Yet another twist puts him in jeopardy and it takes Marsha's determination and the pedantic but persistent policeman Lieutenant Quincy (Charles Coburn) to sort everything out.
You can watch the movie here.
The Locations
Bayview Apartments Brocklebank Apartments, 1000 Mason Street, Nob Hill
"Meet Me In Sausalito" Rexalls Drug Store, 690 Bridgeway, Sausalito
"From Irene And Me, Sucker" Mount Wilson Red Box Road --- Angeles Crest Highway
Railroad Depot Santa Susana Depot, E. Los Angeles Avenue near Tapo Street, Santa Susana, Simi Valley --- Longs Place and Hinckles Place, opposite the depot, Santa Susana
Telegraph Office Brocklebank Apartments, 1000 Mason Street, Nob Hill --- Fairmont Hotel, Mason Street at California, Nob Hill --- Western Union office, 669 Grant Avenue, Chinatown --- Window view of Coit Tower from the Hall of Justice, Portsmouth Square
Larkspur - M.P. Service Station Magnolia Avenue from Ward Street, Larkspur, California --- Hil Probert Service Station, 238 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, California
Larkspur - Walter Lies Low 234 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, California --- St. Patrick's Church, King Street at Locust, Larkspur, California --- Corriganville Movie Ranch, Simi Valley
Larkspur - Fire Call City Hall and Fire Station, Larkspur --- 121 William Avenue, Larkspur, California
Walter Faces The Music Taylor Street at Jefferson, Fisherman's Wharf --- San Francisco International Airport --- Hall of Justice, 750 Kearny Street, Portsmouth Square
Confrontation Powell at Post, Union Square --- Market at The Embarcadero --- Powell Street at Market
Desperately Seeking Su Lin - 1 Immigration Office, 630 Sansome Street --- 838 Washington Street, Chinatown
Desperately Seeking Su Lin - 2 Hall of Justice, 750 Kearny Street, Portsmouth Square --- Sentinel Building (aka Columbus Tower), Columbus and Kearny, North Beach
Chase Though Chinatown - Su Lin To The Rescue Kearny and Washington --- Washington near Grant --- 800 block of Grant --- Grant at Washington ---- Ross Alley --- 11 Old Chinatown Lane