For a 20th anniversary reprise of a SF noir - themed festival I believe you need to show as many films that actually did a fair amount of shooting on the streets of SF, instead of relying on rear projection action, with everything else filmed back at the Hollywood studio. Make it real and give younger San Franciscans a full view of what their city looked like in circa 1950.
That’s why I would include Thieves Highway into a 2023 festival. The streets and neighborhood of the old produce market area totally vanished decades ago in an urban renewal project. Even the Embarcadero area that the film uses is now no more, transformed into more of a Barcelona seaport look. Not that it isn’t attractive, but something vital and gritty was lost. Also, I think The Sniper could be reprised. It shows Telegraph Hill that has barely changed from the early 50s. Also, include Dirty Harry for a good many street scenes, and throw out mediocrities like Experiment Alcatraz and San Quentin . Also, with some films like Mr. Dynamite and The Treasure of Monte Cristo you may be hard pressed even finding prints that can be screened on the big Castro screen. On the last day I would find a way to move The Conversation and Point Blank to another day and move up Shakedown and The Lineup to the afternoon. Although, the thought of ending the festival with that rip roaring car chase at the end of The Lineup is a great way to end the festival.
For the evening, YES, Vertigo, why the hell not? Arguably the greatest film ever made. I saw it on the Castro screen decades ago before it’s more current restoration, and have seen it twice since in the Chicago area on the big screen, with one screening having Patricia Hitchcock in person. Years ago, my greatest film experience was watching Abel Gance’s Napoleon at the SF Opera House on a triple screen, with the SF Opera Orchestra conducted by Carmine Coppola – just overwhelming. Next to that, seeing Vertigo on the huge screen both here and at the Castro was next on the list. I can’t think of a better film to end a 20th anniversary festival. While it may have been seen at the Castro numerous times, for all of us that have made that film part of our DNA will come back to it and pack the theater.