Crime of Passion (1957) - Film Locations

Crime of Passion (1957)

Barbara Stanwyck knows how to play tough women and her role as Kathy Ferguson Doyle, in the 1957 film Crime of Passion, shows just how tough she can be. Stanwyck plays a San Francisco newspaper advice columnist. She is a working girl with grand ambitions in an era of stay-at-home housewives. Then one day Los Angeles detective Bill Doyle, played by Sterling Hayden, arrives in San Francisco to arrest a fugitive and meets Stanwyck. The two fall in love.

Stanwyck abandons a career opportunity in New York to marry Doyle, move to Los Angeles, and become a suburban housewife. It doesn't take the ambitious Stanwyck long to lose her mind. She becomes restless with her husband who has no career ambitions and is content working just enough to live comfortably. Stanwyck also can't stand the other officer's catty, subservient housewives. Stanwyck wants to live a better life and if her husband isn't going to do anything about it she will - even if it means committing murder!

Crime of Passion is an interesting film for its representation of the 1950s woman and what her role should be. Should the 1950s woman be the submissive housewife? As Hayden's partner, Charlie Alidos, played by Royal Dano, says to Stanwyck, "your work should be raising a family, having dinner ready for your husband when he gets home." But that's not the kind of work Stanwyck wants. Even after she marries Hayden and takes on the role of the housewife she is still the dominant force in the household, telling her husband what he needs to do. When Stanwyck's husband doesn't work to get a promotion Stanwyck does it for him. She doesn't spend all day cleaning house and preparing dinner for her husband.

Despite the social commentary, Crime of Passion is a middle-of-the-road film - a bit too melodramatic for my taste. As always, my favorite thing about the movie is seeing Los Angeles in the 1950s. There are glimpses of downtown Los Angeles and some early Los Angeles suburban neighborhoods. There are also some great lines of dialogue. My favorite is an exchange between Stanwyck and Sara Alidos (Virginia Grey). At a party of police officers and their wives, Stanwyck and another wife are discussing a car accident she had been in. Grey keeps cutting Stanwyck off and says, "You know, I've been driving for twenty years now and I've never had an accident. Not one. Maybe a few near misses but nothing that was ever really my fault." Stanwyck replies, "You mustn't be discouraged Sarah - you must keep on trying." Snap!

Here are a few film locations seen in the film:

200 Block E. First Street, Los Angeles

200 Block E. First Street, Los Angeles

In one scene we see Stanwyck riding with Hayden down the 200 Block of East First Street in downtown Los Angeles. They are on their way to the Police Department. Above and below are photos showing First Street as it appears in the film and how it appears today. You will notice a dramatic change. The only building still standing from the 1957 screenshot is the building on the left with the red awnings. The other buildings have been torn down and replaced by a large hotel building.

220 E. First Street, Los Angeles

220 E. First Street, Los Angeles

Below we see Stanwyck and Hayden entering the parking garage of the police department. The building on the far right is the police department and the building on the left is City Hall. Both the police department and City Hall buildings are still visible today, although, you will notice that gap in the skyline has since been filled by another building.

Entering Police Headquarters, Los Angeles

Los Angeles City Hall & Police Department

Police Department

Police Department, East First  Street, Los Angeles

Barbara Stanwyck home in the "Valley"

Above is a screenshot of Stanwyck and Hayden moving into their new house which is supposed to be located in the Valley. I really love this image! Look at all the newly developed homes with their manicured lawns and freshly planted trees.  To top it off, look at that giant drive-in movie theatre screen in the background! How very 1950s suburbia. I would really like to see how this neighborhood appears today. Have the homes been kept up? Are the trees towering over the streets? One thing is for sure that drive-in movie theatre is not there. I think they're used to be about 5 or 6 drive-ins located in the Valley and I don't believe there are any still standing. Are there any readers out there who are experts on drive-in movie theatres who might recognize the one seen in this film?

Your thoughts?

Suddenly (1954) - Film Locations

 Suddenly (1954)

In the film Suddenly (1954), Frank Sinatra leads a group of assassins who are preparing to shoot the president of the United States when he is scheduled to arrive in the small town of Suddenly, California. To do this, Sinatra and his henchman locate a home up on a hill that looks down at the train station where the president is expected to arrive. There, Sinatra and his gang take the family living in the home hostage and set up a sniper rifle aimed out the window facing the train station. When the president arrives at the train depot, Sinatra will be ready to take his shot.

Last week I set out to visit the town of Suddenly, which is really the small town of Newhall, California, about 30 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, hoping to track down some of the locations from this Sinatra film.  I did find a few locations, however, a lot has changed in Newhall since the film was made. The train depot still exists, but was moved to a new area of the city and some of the businesses seen in the film no longer exists. Below are few locations I did find.

American Theatre, Newhall, Ca

The film opens with a montage of the town. One of the buildings that we see is the old American Theatre located at 24527 Spruce Street. The theatre, which was built by the western film star William S. Hart, opened in 1941 and operated as a theatre until 1965. Today the building still stands and is currently the local American Legion Hall.

American Legion Hall, Newhall, Ca

Main Street, Suddenly (1954)

Above is a view of Main Street as seen in Suddenly and below is a view looking down the same street today. If you look in the background you can match up the mountains. This area is now known as old towne Newhall and is filled with small town shops and restaurants, however, some of the buildings that can be seen in Suddenly are no longer standing.

Main Street, Newhall, CA

Suddenly (1954) Train Station

Above is the train station where Sinatra has his rifle aimed as he waits for the president to arrive. The train station is still standing but it has been moved about 3 miles from the original location. The train station is now located at 24101 Newhall, Avenue and serves as the headquarters for the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society (SCVHS). Thanks to Barbara at the SCVHS for her help in answering some of my location questions!

Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society , Newhall, CA

According to Barbara, there was no home in the hill that looked down at the train station. To create the illusion that there was a home on a hill, the film crew built a tower with a window and filmed Sinatra looking through the fake window.

Sinatra looks out at the train station.

The Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society will be presenting a screening of the film Suddenly at the same train station seen in the film. The screening is on Saturday, June 12 and the cost is $5.  In addition, they will be showing the silent Mary Pickford film, Ramona, which was also filmed in the area. For more details click here.

Way Station Coffee Shop

If you make the trip out to Newhall and you're looking for a great place to eat, I definitely recommend the Way Station Coffee Shop, located at 24377 Main Street. Dieters be warned: the portions are HUGE, the food is carbs galore, but the taste and price is just right. From what I hear, the restaurant has been around for decades and it certainly has an old time diner feel.

Me chowing down on an open faced roast beef sandwich.

Wifey eating a chili cheese dog so big it took up the entire plate!