I am on my church’s search committee for a new minister. After we narrow down our list of candidates to four or five, we are flying them out to San Francisco and interviewing them on separate weekends.
Part of the committee’s job, of course, is to get them to fall in love with The City. To do this, we are collecting San Francisco items to remind them of their stay. It’s a goodie bag of mementos — it’s not a bribe. Really.
One of the items we decided to include the gift bag is a DVD of a movie made in — or featuring — San Francisco.
We’ve gotten suggestions of Mrs. Doubtfire and Foul Play. Doubtfire sounds common to me. They may already own it, especially if they have children. Foul Play has an ominous tone, no?
Your suggestions of SF-based movies designed to woo someone to the city are appreciated!
A couple of titles come to mind, “What’s Up Doc?” (with Barbra Streisand) and Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”.
I was going to suggest one of several Hitchcock films, but those would be even more ominous sounding.
Thanks. Hitchcock is classic. And, we can be a scary group. Maybe they’d be a good match!
Frankly, I’d get all three of the “Tales of the City” movies/miniseries.
Pacific Heights, but then maybe that would run them away.
I haven’t seen it, but someone at the bar mentioned it last night. A coupl others jumped on him with comments similar to your “run them away” line!
Thanks for the suggestion!
And “Time After Time” (when Jack The Ripper goes forward in time to moreorless present day SF with HG Wells hot on his trail….really good SF atmosphere with Malcolm MacDowell and Mary Steenburgen).
And “The Game” with Michael Douglas.
And the original “Bullitt” with Steve McQueen which has a spectacular car chase through the streets of Russian Hill.
And “Dark Passage” with Bogart and Bacall.
Oh and Hitch’s last movie was “Family Plot” which was also filmed here (his favorite US city was SF).
Thanks! Great choices.
While there are too many so-so ones available and every ones taste differs, try perusing IMDB search on SF for some other titles.
Thanks for setting up the search. There at #2, Tales of the City! None of us thought of that one.
S,F. Movies
The website http://www.sfheart.com/sffilms.html mentions a large number of films set in San Francisco. My particular favorites would be Vertigo, Harold and Maude, and The Graduate.
Re: S,F. Movies
Yeah, Harold and Maude is one of my all-time top movies. It’s got death. It’s got sex. It’s got angst. Lovely!
Except, I don’t recall much San Francisco in it. East Bay mud flats, yes. Marin hills, yes. But, SF? The Daddy’s group thinks SF is there. I guess I’ll have to re-watch it just to check!
Thanks for the link, but even they didn’t have The Times of Harvey Milk!
Thanks for the links and personal recommendations.
The Daddy’s crowd came up with The Times of Harvey Milk as a must-have, too. I don’t know how I missed thinking of it. Although I don’t know if it meets the entertainment criteria.
Please keep tagging in.
Make the candidates feel welcome
Just greet each candidate with:
“[Y]ou’ve got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
S. F. MOVIES
WHY NOT “SAN FRANCISCO”?