“Green Book” has just won 3 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali) and Best Original Screenplay. Set in the 1960s, it follows the story of Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) who is hired as a driver by Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), a renowned pianist who is going on tour to southern states.
The movie has been surrounded with controversies and criticism, specially because Dr. Shirley’s family has stated that the friendship depicted in the film did not happen.
Controversies aside, let’s focus on the locations used for this road-trip movie. Surprisingly enough, it was entirely shot in Louisiana, with only one day of filming in New York City. See below some of the cities and places where the characters where supposed to be.
1. Copacabana Club
Before being hired by Dr. Shirley, Tony was working for a club as a bouncer. In the movie, that club is in Manhattan. In real life, however, the exterior is the International House Hotel on Camp Street in New Orleans disguised as a club. The interior is the Carver Theater in New Orleans.
2. Hot-dog contest
Early in the film, Tony gets into a hot-dog contest to get some money. That scene was shot at The Clover Grill (900 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130).
3. Tony’s apartment
Before leaving for the road-trip, Tony says goodbye to his wife and children in front for their building, which supposedly is in the Bronx. In fact, it was shot downtown Hammond, in front of Northshore Broadcasting building — dressed up with a fire escape and laundry line — in the 100 block of S. Cypress Street, at its intersection with East Thomas Street.
4. Party in Pittsburgh
Tony and Dr. Shirley stop at a private party in Pittsburgh. In reality, this house is also in New Orleans and it is the W.P. Brown House (4717 St. Charles Ave.), which was also featured in the TV show “The Purge.”
5. Performance in Indiana
One of the tour stops is in Hoover, Indiana, where there is a problem with Dr. Shirley’s piano. That location is actually the McAlister Auditorium on the campus of Tulane University.
6. Performance in Macon, Georgia
Another stop is Macon, Georgia, which was filmed at the Orpheum Theater in New Orleans. Coincidentally, this is where the movie premiere during the 2018 New Orleans Film Festival.
7. The Saenger Theatre
Doubling as a fancy hotel lobby, The Saenger Theatre was used in the film where the two characters have an argument about Tony’s grammar and diction.
8. Memphis, Tennessee
At one point in their tour, Tony accidentally meets some friends from New York as they are arriving at a hotel in Memphis. That scene was shot at the Roosevelt Hotel, just off Canal Street. This hotel has also been used for “Twilight: Breaking Dawn” and “Trumbo.”
9. Swimming Pool
Without spoiling it, we can say that one of the major revelations about Dr. Shirley’s life happens after he was swimming. It was filmed inside the New Orleans Athletic Club.
10. Concert at a private club
Later in the movie, one of the concerts take place at a very fancy private club, where there is a problem in the restaurant involving Dr. Shirley. Those scenes were shot at the Clubhouse at English Turn Country Club.
11. Performance at a bar
After leaving that private club, Dr. Shirley and Tony go to a local bar, where the pianist has an impromptu performance. That was shot at Ruby’s Roadhouse on Lamarque Street in Mandeville.
12. Raleigh, North Carolina
One of Dr. Shirley’s shows was at a private house, supposedly in Raleigh, North Carolina. That is actually Houmas House Plantation in Ascension Parish.
13. Parking-lot picnic table
The most amusing situations of the movie would happen when Dr. Shirley helped Tony to write letters to his wife. Since Tony had no idea how to write a nice letter, Dr. Shirley would dictate them. One of those scenes happened at a picnic table outside a restaurant. That scene was shot at Miss Anne’s Fried Chicken in the Tangipahoa town of Amite.
We’ll leave you with the trailer, so you can see some of the locations we mentioned!
Contributor Carolina Malhado also has a blog reviewing movies, TV shows and theater in New York. You can follow it on Twitter and Instagram as well.
Great book. You can find great reviews at http://essaypapers.reviews/
The book is very cool and conveys the spirit of the times. I am writing an essay about America in the 1950s and although the events of the book take place at about the same time, it is cool to see how the culture, history, and morals of that time are described. Of course, I was also inspired by https://samploon.com/free-essays/1950s/ as there are many essay examples that also describe this era. But books like these more deeply convey this period of history.
I have thought so many times of entering the blogging world as I love reading them. I think I finally have the courage to give it a try. Thank you so much for all of the ideas!
I asm new