The Untouchables (Dir: Brian De Palma, 1987).

Union Station, 210 South Canal St., Near West Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

This is one of the all time great films for location shooing. Prohibition era Chicago is perfectly re-created in modern Chicago using as many of the original locations as possible and it really gives an impression of how impressive this city must have been at the time.

Union Station (specifically the steps) is probably the most memorable of backdrops and is the location of the final big shoot out between Capone and Elliot Ness. The other memorable locations used were Roosevelt University, used as the front entrance and lobby of the Lexington Hotel, Al Capone’s home and the Chicago Public Library Cultural Centre with it‘s grand white marble staircase where Capone pleads his case to the press. I will admit that I did go on a Capone tour while I was in Chicago…but it was mostly because I got to ride in one of those 20’s cars with the running boards (this one even had a bullet hole in the back.

Written by  Film Fan.

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