Speaking of screen grabs of 3rd and Olive,
gsjansen posted a couple of screenshots from "My Gun is Quick" (1957), a Mike Hammer outing, a year or two back:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=4253.
Here's a few more of my faves with Bunker Hill contrasting nicely with mid-century modern LA. It seemed all of a piece to me back then.
(All below from MGM/UA via netflix):
Mean streets:
Hillcrest Hotel:
Trouble on Clay Street:
Going down:
"Unconcerned but not disinterested":
Did the Frenchman defenestrate himself or was he pushed?:
Everybody drives a Ford:
3rd & Olive:
Tailing the perp:
Hugging the curve:
Taking the Harbor:
Closing the gap:
Hitting the beach:
Down at the docks:
Outside "Immigration":
The bad guy's glam digs:
"LAPD HQ" (old Parker Center, 150 Los Angeles Street)
Lobby card with a bit of highly suggestive imagery:
If anyone hasn't seen it, the whole thing's on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAiued1AWzw