Lights, Camera, Boston: The City In Movies

By Luciana Almeida
Dec 15, 2009, 12:56 AM
7 Comments

BOSTON — The promise of transforming Massachusetts into “Hollywood East” has been around a long time, but the future remains uncertain. Still, that doesn’t mean Boston and the rest of the state haven’t been the setting for many films over the years. A look at some of the more notable ones.

Don’t see a favorite? Tell us your favorite Boston-based movie in the “Comments” section below.

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Bridget

Wasn’t 21 based on students at MIT? The caption says they were from Boston College.
Paul Zink

This is a good list of films set in the Boston area, BUT it omits one of the best: “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” from 1973, based on the novel by George V. Higgins. Oddly enough, the book and the film were the subject of a flattering critical portrait aired on WBUR several weeks ago.
Caroline Christian

You could mention Charley (based on Flowers for Algernon).

If a swiss cheese memory serves, Field of dreams
has a scene filmed in Boston (maybe stock footage ?)
Randy B. Christianson

HEY! HEY! “The Verdict” is the movie that got Sidney Lumet to abandon newyahhk for points north, getting Paul Newman an acting Oscar w/ an impressive assist from Boston streets. And wouldn’t “The Crucible” be kinda a suburban Boston movie?
Maraith

Two things:

The article says 21 is about Boston college students (not Boston College students. (I had to read it twice because I thought the same thing you did, Bridget.)

Paul Newman did NOT get an Oscar for The Verdict. He should have. But only nominated.
Bill

Blown Away, with Tommy Lee Jones, Jeff Bridges, and Forest Whitaker.
http://bpl.org/news/ma_film_series.htm Gina Perille

Timing is everything. Throughout 2010, the Boston Public Library will present Made in Massachusetts, a year-long celebration of movies filmed in the Bay State. These cinematic treasures – both historic and contemporary – are all pulled from the BPL’s media collection. Organized into monthly themes, the series highlights the local people and places that have lured Hollywood and independent filmmakers to Massachusetts over the years.

MORNING EDITION

ON POINT

HERE & NOW

RADIO BOSTON

SCIENCE FRIDAY

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

MARKETPLACE

FRESH AIR

Arts, Music and Theater

SUPPORT