Once location shooting became an fixture of film noir directors managed to use about every landmark and geographic feature in and around Los Angeles. Unlike everything in Bunker Hill which is gone, many of the these places still exist and still attract filmmakers.
The five storey Bradbury building in downtown Los Angeles was built in 1893. Its ornate ironwork interior was first used by director Billy Wilder in Double Indemnity and has subsequently been seen in more than 24 films. The building is still a functioning office building and has become something of a tourist attraction for visitors.
MacArthur Park
MacArthur Park is located west of downtown on Wilshire Blvd. The park dates to the 1880s and was formerly known as Westlake Park. It was popular for boating and place for young couples to meet. The park was used in a half dozen noirs.
The name of the park was changed after WWII to honor General Douglas MacArthur. The Westlake district in which the park is located is plagued by drug dealers and high crime.
During the film noir era most travel was by train so the Union Train Station near downtown certainly was used in noir. The station was built in 1938 in the mission style architecture and remains a popular location, especially for retro films. It has been used in more that 50 films
Malibu Beach
Malibu became well known as a backdrop for the surfer and beach party films of the 1960s. But long before that the area was popular with noir directors. It’s provided quite a contrast in the otherwise shadowy world of noir.