Double Indemnity: Film Locations

Double Indemnity (1944)

If you look at any lists of best film noirs you are likely to find that many people place Double Indemnity (1949) at the top. It's easy to see why. Billy Wilder's classic is dark, steamy and thrilling from beginning to end. Fred MacMurray, cast against type, gives a perfect performance as the insurance salesman who turns into a scheming killer. And not to be outdone, Barbara Stanwyck is one of the most seductive femme fatales to appear on screen. For me, an added point of interest is that so many of the scenes were shot on location around Los Angeles. Here are some of those dark and gritty locations as seen in the film and how they appear today.

In the opening scene we see MacMurray racing through downtown Los Angeles on the way to his office building. In the first shot MacMurray drives down Fifth Street, passing the Biltmore Hotel and then crossing Olive Street. In the comparison below, you will notice that the Biltmore Hotel is still standing on the left side of the image. On the right side of the image all of the buildings have been replaced by modern glass buildings.

MacMurray races down 5th Street near Olive St.

5th Street at Olive Street. Biltmore Hotel on left.

In the next shot we see MacMurray's car whiz down Olive Street coming towards Fifth Street. One of the buildings we see is the Philharmonic Auditorium built in 1906. In 1938 the facade of the building was remodeled and given a more streamlined look. The building has since been demolished.

MacMurray drives down Olive St. towards 5th St.

The Philharmonic Auditorium building is in the background.

Olive at 5th Street in 1984. The Philharmonic Auditorium is still standing.

Photo from USC Digital Archive, (c)2004, California Historical Society

Contemporary view of Olive at 5th Streets. The Philharmonic Auditorium is now demolished. In the background is the Subway Terminal Building.

Dietrichson House, 6301 Quebec Drive, Hollywood Hills

Above is a scene of Fred MacMurray leaving the Dietrichson house where Barbara Stanwyck's character lives. Below is the same house today.

Dietrichson House - 6301 Quebec Drive, Hollywood Hills


Dietrichson House

Dietrichson House

Getting to the Dietrichson house can be a little tricky. To get to this home located near the top of the Hollywood Hills you must drive up a series of very narrow and winding streets. Some are one way only because the streets are so narrow. Once you get to the top you will have a beautiful view. Below is a screenshot of the view from the Hollywood Hills and a picture of the view today.

View from Hollywood Hills

View from Hollywood Hills

Fred MacMurray's Apartment, 1825 N. Kingsley Drive

Fred MacMurray's Apartment, 1825 N. Kingsley Drive, Hollywood

Fred MacMurray's Apartment

Newman Drug Store

Above is a screenshot of the Newman Drug Store. The building is still standing but the Newman Drug Store is long gone. When I rewatched this film I recognized the drug store from the book, The Story of Hollywood, which shows many Hollywood buildings as they used to be, as well as many buildings that no longer exist. This building is located at the Southwest corner of Hollywood Blvd and Western Avenue.

Hollywood Blvd and Western Ave.

Hollywood Blvd and Western Ave

One of the main points of action in the film takes place at the Glendale Station located at 400 W. Cerritos Ave, Glendale, CA. Below is the shot of the station in the film and how it appears today. Not too much has changed. It's here where MacMurray's and Stanwyck's characters dump the body of Mr. Dietrichson.

Glendale Station, 400 W. Cerritos Ave, Glendale, CA

Glendale Station, 400 W. Cerritos Ave, Glendale, CA

During the movie, Lola Dietrichson (Jean Heather) and MacMurray visit the famous Hollywood Bowl located at 2301 North Highland Avenue. Like in so many other movies, Heather and MacMurray don't go through the entrance, but instead climb up the back hill and watch from the top.

Heather and MacMurray at the Hollywood Bowl

The Hollywood Bowl as it appears today.

If you're looking to track down these locations yourself I recommend starting in downtown Los Angeles early in the morning before traffic gets too bad and then working back towards Hollywood.

Sunset Boulevard - Film Locations

Sunset Boulevard, a 1950 film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Gloria Swanson and William Holden is probably one of my favorite films. The film tells the story of struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis (Holden) who is desperately trying to sell his latest script to a producer at Paramount in order to get out of his dismal financial situation. When Gillis leaves Paramount Studios and begins driving along Sunset Boulevard he is spotted by repo men. Gillis, on the run, pulls into what he thinks is the driveway of a deserted mansion.

At the mansion, Gillis encounters Norma Desmond (Swanson), a forgotten legend of the silent films. Desmond, desperate to get back into pictures, allows Gillis to stay at her mansion if he in returns helps her with a screenplay that will reintroduce her to audiences.

Wilder, wanting to keep his film as authentic as possible, makes reference to many real Hollywood films, people, and places. Below are some images of the places that can be seen in Sunset Boulevard.

Alto-Nido Apartments 1851 N. Ivar Ave

This is the location of Joe Gillis's apartment building.

(Photo: (C) Paramount Pictures)

Holden at his typewriter in what is supposed to be the interior of the Alto-Nido apartments.

This is the entrance to Paramount Studios. The window on the left side of the gate is the old security window. It's here in the film where the security guard greets Norma Desmond. The fountain was not built until the 1990s. During the time of the film this area was still part of Bronson Avenue which is the road the stars drove down to enter Paramount. The new drive-on entrance to Paramount is located on Melrose Avenue.

(Photo: (C) Paramount Pictures)

Above is an image of the Paramount Studios entrance as seen in the film. That's Norma Desmond seated in the back of the automobile. Notice there is no fountain in the foreground.

Stage 18 - Where Cecil B. Demille greets Norma Desmond

(Photo (C) Paramount Pictures)

Cecil B. Demille greets Norma Desmond outside Stage 18

Directly across from Stage 18 is a long 2 story building. It's on the second floor of this building where the writers offices are located in the film.

(Photo: (C) Paramount Pictures)

Above is a photo of William Holden and Nancy Olsen (one of the script girls) inside the writers building across from Stage 18.

(Photo: (C) Paramount Pictures)

Above is a photo of Schawb's Pharmacy. Schwab's was a very popular hangout with the early Hollywood crowd, especially with writers, actors, and other creative types. Holden's character is seen going into Schwab's a couple times in the film.

Schwab's Pharmacy location - 8024 Sunset Boulevard

As you can see in the image above Schwab's pharmacy no longer exists. The building was torn down and a new mall was built in it's location. Interesting enough, the location is changing again. When I took this photo about 3 years ago the main business in the mall was Virgin Megastore. During the last year the Virgin Megastore has since closed it's doors and the mall complex is going through many other changes.

(Photo: (C) Paramount Pictures)

Above is an exterior shot of Norma Desmond's mansion as seen in the film. The mansion was located just 10 blocks south of Paramount Studios. Wilder considered the mansion perfect for his film but it didn't include a swimming pool, so the production constructed one. However, the pool was for show only. It was not capable of operating as a functioning swimming pool.

NW corner of Wilshire and Irving Boulevards

Above is a photo of where the Norma Desmond mansion once stood. Like many historic buildings in Hollywood the mansion met it's demise, just like Joe Gillis in the film.

Your thoughts?