Michael Mann’s Public Enemies Shooting in Chicago
May 23, 2008 by Brian
(photo of Public Enemies clapperboard)
Public Enemies, Michael Mann’s upcoming film about Chicago gangsters in the 1930s, began filming in Lincoln Park today. This involved restoring the Biograph Theatre, where John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp in the movie) was killed, to its 1934 appearance. Here are a few photos that I took before the cops moved everyone off the sidewalk to start filming (click on the photos below to see the full size version):
Mann himself (or at least I’m 99% sure it is) shortly before the cops chased the public away.
The restored theatre facade, with marquee showing
Manhattan Melodrama as the current film.
A slightly different angle a few minutes later, after the air conditioning banner has been added. Notice also the old-fashioned telephone booths being installed on the left.
Actually, most of the block got a facelift. The facades of the three buildings to the right are completely artificial. The “Food Store” in actuality is a Qdoba. The building on the far right is being used for extras holding.
Lots of storefront windows like this all along Lincoln Avenue. It wasn’t just a matter of changing the items in the displays to older stuff, either. Most of the stores are actually restaurants, so the displays themselves had to be built.
Lots of vintage signs were added, too.
Of course, no urban period movie would be complete without a fleet of vintage automobiles.
I honestly thought this was Christian Bale, who plays Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent who led the manhunt for Dillinger. Even now I think this guy looks like a dead ringer for Bale in profile. But it’s just some extra, or perhaps a stand-in.
Nice. That is a hell of a lot of work that goes into those films.
Spoiler!
I’m joking, of course.
You know, it probably was Bale. The man is a master of disguise, after all. The guy even pretended to have an American accent when doing press for Batman Begins, just to not confuse anyone. You may have been duped by the production manager or make-up. Who would suspect?
Great pics…thanks for the post-
If you get close enough to get pics while they’re filming, (if the cops don’t chase you off) would love to see one of Dante Spinotti in action…
Was at the shoot watching Scorsese film The Departed…(we could actually stand directly behind the tent Scorsese was in and the video playback tent…guess Mann doesn’t like on-lookers) and the most amazing thing was watching Scorsese and Michael Ballhaus set up one of the shots of them playing Rugby on Boston Common…to see them collaborating was amazing…
Nice verisimilitude–Manhattan Melodrama was the film playing at the Biograph when Dillinger was gunned down.
Great pics! I can confirm that is Michael Mann. Also in pic #9 that is not Bale. He is an extra. I stood next to that guy all night last night. Really nice guy but not who you think.
Nope…not Bale. But not too far off. The stand-in they were using in Madison looked strikingly similar to the man himself, much more than this guy.
Great shots of the theatre…..wish I could just follow this production around…..
To be clear, I do know that the picture is NOT Bale. Shortly after Jeanine snapped that shot, the guy turned around and actually doesn’t look much like Bale at all from straight on. I just initially thought it was Bale as he walked by, because I saw him from the side.
To be clearer, I never thought it was Bale but took a picture for Brian’s sake. I figured they wouldn’t have paraded Bale in with a bunch of other extras, and I think everyone else around us would have noticed and would have been screaming/drooling, etc.
so not Bale. It’s actually my brother; his name is Luke. usually he gets the “Richard Gere look-alike,” so i think the Bale comparison is a welcome change. even if it was only in profile.
definately by brother!!! he is a total stud though isn’t he!