the scenes in "Larkspur, Idaho" were actually filmed in the real-life Larkspur, California, which is about 30 minutes north of San Francisco. I thought it was funny that they kept the name Larkspur intact when they fictionalized its location. Maybe it's so they didn't have to change the name on the fire station.
shareDoes it still look as idyllic? Looked like a very small town.
shareActually it still does look rather idyllic, though it is now a pretty tony suburb area just south of San Rafael. The fire station is still intact, and the main drag still has a small-town feel. NoCal has been better at preserving some of these communities than elsewhere.
I believe that the gas station scenes (where they put some dirt on Ella Raines' face in order to make her look "plain") were also filmed on location, though that site is long, long gone.
I live in Daly City, CA, and watched "Impact" on DVD last night. When I saw the city sign for Larkspur I thought it was the one in the North Bay. So, I was surprised that it was supposed to be in Idaho. But, from your post I see that it was indeed the Larkspur I know in the North Bay. The movie "Impact" is worth a look mainly because it features on location filming in the Bay Area: San Francisco, Sausalito, Larkspur.
shareGotta love those 'Idaho' redwoods!
The gas station was indeed a Larkspur location. The station is long gone, but the building is still recognizable, now housing a hair salon (Hi Frank!) and a couple of other businesses.
Locals can 'fix' the coordinates in the scene where the excited new father drives out of Madrone Canyon near Dolliver Park, crosses Magnolia Avenue to the station and hands out cigars.
Larkspur today is still in a very beautiful idyllic setting, but is busy, crowded and upscale. Watching the movie and recognizing the location, it was funny to see the town without constant traffic and packs of bicyclists.
"NoCal has been better at preserving some of these communities than elsewhere. "
Yes, I enjoyed that part of the state when I got off the main highway. I used to drive a truck, and had a layover in Ukiah. It was one of those well-preserved towns. BTW I saw What Women Want with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt there at the theater. If I had to relocate to another part of the country, northern California would be in the running.
Nobody gets to be a cowboy forever.
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I lived in Larkspur in the 1970s and it was great to see footage of both Larkspur and Sausalito from the 1940s. I remember that gas station very well, as I used to rent space behind it. It was not in business in 1971.
See you all at The Silver Peso.
See you at DJ Cuisine ( formerly CJ Cuisine )!
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