Why 1971? Well, there are a lot of vintage pictures from different sources on the internet taken in San Francisco during 1971. Also, I’m old enough to remember what San Francisco was like in 1971. Besides, 1971 was probably an important year for some people. (Thumbnail images)
Coming out of the Yerba Buena Tunnel onto the Bay Bridge:
Look at that grouchy looking guy on the northwest corner of Jefferson and Taylor Streets. I hope I don’t look like that when I take pictures around San Francisco. (Vintage picture, SF Chronicle)
The 1971 San Francisco skyline from the top of the St. Francis Hotel: You can spot a number of the same buildings in both pictures. (Vintage picture, San Francisco Public Library Archives)
Fleishhacker Pool and Pool House after closing in 1971: The pool is buried beneath the parking lot of the San Francisco Zoo today, and the Pool House was burned down by homeless people shortly after I took my picture.
Edging into the Tenderloin on O’Farrell Street, looking east from Mason Street: (Vintage picture, amazingurban.com)
The old YMCA Building on the Embarcadero, with the infamous Embarcadero Freeway on the right: (Vintage picture, San Francisco Public Library Archives)
A couple of buddies fishing behind Pier 5: The pier has been cut back and remodeled now, so this is as close of a comparison picture I could get. You can just see the top of Yerba Buena Island on the right in my picture. (Vintage picture, UC Berkley Library Archives)
Looking across Embarcadero Center Plaza toward Market and Steuart Streets from the Vaillancourt Fountain: This is as close of a comparison picture I could get because the Park Padel Pickleball Court obstructs the view from the fountain in the vintage picture now. The Southern Pacific Building is on the right in both photos. The Rincon Annex Post Office Building is blocked from the view here now by One Market Plaza. The Hills Brothers Coffee Building is in the far background of the older picture. The old Audiffred Building is behind where the San Francisco Railway Museum Building on Don Chee Way is today. (Vintage picture, San Francisco Public Library Archives)
San Francisco Film Locations Then & Now 
Oh wow! I totally remember that pair of Mexican fan palms at the west end of Yerba Buena Tunnel in the first picture, although I did not realize that they were such a well matched pair. Your picture suggests that they were planted intentionally as a pair. Because they are on the island, where Mexican fan palms are not as common as they are elsewhere, I doubt that they are feral. I never gave it much thought, and I can not remember seeing the trees since I was very young. The Canary Island date palms on the Embarcadero Center Plaza are . . . impressive. They look like they have always been there. I can sort of see why some native might not be so fond of them though.