Chicago in the Movies: The 9 Most Famous Spots
Chicago has long been a haven for film-makers, with its extensive mob history and architecture and the various neighborhoods, sports-team obsessed fans, beautiful lakefront views, the emblematic EL train and iconic eateries.
Cult rom coms like When Harry Marry Met Sally and Drinking Buddies, coming-of-age movies ranging from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to Sixteen Candles, mob movies like The Untouchables to adventure blockbusters like The Dark Knight and Divergent were all filmed in this lake front city. Check out some emblematic spots here (most of which are reachable by public transportation)! For the more avid watchers there are guided tours.
1. Chicago Union Station
Chicago Union Station
Chicago Union Station, other than home to millions of passing travelers, is also home to the momentous shootout in The Untouchables, in addition to Michael Mann’s Public Enemies where the 110 foot atrium and gigantic marble floor time travel to the notorious mob history. Other famous Chicago gangster films have taken place on the same marble floor including Road to Perdition. So catch Oscar-winner Sean Connery in a movie about the infamous Al Capone amidst an already historic Chicago landmark. Also check out its appearance in My Best Friend’s Wedding.
500 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
2. University of Chicago
Park, University
“The L” Train
3. The Art Institute of Chicago
Museum, Art Gallery
4. Wrigley Field
Sports Center, Park
As you can imagine, prime scenes of many a baseball movie have taken place at Wrigley Field including A League of Their Own, Rookie of the Year, About Last Night, 8 Men Out, and Hardball just to name a few. A League of Their Own makes the on-screen jump back to 1943 before women, as the title suggests, had a league of their own, and illustrates the story of Geena Davis’ effort to make it happen. It also is also prominently featured in the hit – pun intended – film Rookie of the Year. The story details the somewhat goofy story of a unexpected accident turning a less than talented 12-year-old little league player into an all-star pitcher for the Cubs with an almost mechanically precise arm.
5. Wicker Park
Brewery, Music Venue, Park
6. Pump Room
Restaurant, American
7. Music Box Theatre
Music Box Theatre
John Cusack, already a component of Chicago history, filmed part of High Fidelity at the Music Box Theatre about a music snob living in Chicago. Rob, the protagonist snob, visits the Music Box and Biograph’s theatres as well as a variety of other Chicago spots.
3733 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
8. O’Hare International Airport
O’Hare International Airport
The glam airport that a young Macaulay Culkin finds himself lost in is the setting of the second in the series of the family classics Home Alone 2. After the McCallisters depart from their Winnetka home, they race through O’Hare to make it to Terminal 3 but lose their troublemaking son in the process.
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