Boston on the Big Screen
From The Boondock Saints and Good Will Hunting to Mystic River and The Departed, Boston is bustling with Hollywood action. These days, it seems as if a regular walk through the Commons or stroll down Newbury street has the potential to turn into a star-studded event!
Here we’ve compiled a few new and notable films that are filming in Boston and some of the spots you’ll see on the big screen.
Gone Baby Gone, to be released October 19, marks Ben Affleck’s directorial debut. Based on a Dennis Lehane novel of the same name, it tells the story of two detectives in search of a 4 year old girl who has been kidnapped in Boston. Starring Casey Affleck and Morgan Freeman, this is sure to be a suspense packed chase around the city.
Some filming took place at the Chart House restaurant on the Waterfront. Located at 60 Long Wharf, the restaurant is inside the four-story brick Gardiner building, built in the 1760s. It’s also near the New England Aquarium and the Provincetown Fast Ferry dock.
The film’s funeral scenes were shot at Mount Auburn Cemetery, which includes the graves of such notables as Buckminster Fuller, Winslow Homer, Amy Lowell, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Isabella Stewart Gardner.
Bachelor No. 2, stars Kate Hudson and Dane Cook in a comedy where the main character, Tank, helps out a friend by taking his ex-girlfriend out on a lousy date. This date is intended to make her realize how great her former beau is, however, with Dane Cook as the lead, there’s bound to be hilarious mishaps. The film also features Alec Baldwin and Jason Biggs.
The film’s wedding scene takes place at the Old South Church in Copley Square. This historic church was a spiritual gathering place for Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Phyllis Wheatley. While in the Copley Square area, you can stop by The Shops at Prudential Center for some fabulous shopping.
Producers transformed Galleria Umberto, considered one of the best pizza parlors in Boston into “Jeezus Crust” for the filming. Located on Hanover Street in the North End, this is definitely a hidden jewel. Serving signature Sicilian pizza and only open for lunch, Galleria Umberto brings in tourists and locals alike for their $1 slices! The New England Sports Museum is close by, as well as Old North Church, the oldest church building in Boston.
The Great Debaters, to be released December 25, chronicles the true story of a 1930s African American debate team from Wiley College in Texas taking on Harvard University and stars Denzel Washington.
To see some of the places where this movie was filmed, take a walk down beautiful Acorn Street in Beacon Hill where several scenes were filmed, and then stop at the Otis House Museum, a grand example of the life of Boston’s governing class post-American Revolution. Harrison Gray Otis made a name for himself by developing Beacon Hill into the bustling neighborhood that it is today.
The Nichols House Museum is also close by, exemplifying the architecture and home life in an early Bostonian townhouse. Filled with Flemish tapestries, family heirlooms, European and Asian Art, it also houses works by American sculptor Augustus Saint Gaudens.
21, to be released on March 21, 2008, is a fact-based story of 6 MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. Kevin Spacey and the rest of the cast and production team filmed in Boston recently.
Great Bay Restaurant near Fenway Park was the setting for some scenes in the movie, giving the modern seafood restaurant a place in Hollywood.
For a 24-hour hankering for pancakes or eggs with home fries, stop in to the South Street Diner, also featured in the film, located right across from South Station. This landmark, built in 1947, is owned by local restaurateur Sol Sidell, who makes everyone feel like a regular. Locals and tourists love this greasy spoon hot spot for its comfort food and fun.
For more places in Boston appearing on the big screen, check out the Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour and the Theater-on-Wheels Movie Tour!
Planning a trip to Boston? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go Boston Card.
I met Kevin Spacey while he was filming 21 on Boston University’s campus last march!