General questions about movies, TV and more since 27 Jan '25, 02:13

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When I was a kid in the 60's, I saw a movie I swear starred Peter Falk as an American impersonating a German officer in WW2. At the end of the movie, Falk is sitting in an opera house next to a beautiful actress in a box seat. German soldiers enter the opera house and Falk knows he is about to be arrested, and gently puts his hand over the actress' hand. Was this a Peter Falk movie? And what the heck is the name of this movie?

franco2251

Answer: Whoever it was, it wasn't Peter Falk. He made three World War II movies: Italiano Brava Gente (1964), Anzio (1968), and Castle Keep (1969). He did make a German film, Wings of Desire (1987), a movie about two angels observing people making a movie about World War II.

When sitcom TV shows have restaurant scenes, are these typically filmed in a real restaurant or is a set created?

Answer: Due to the logistics involved in filming, in most cases, a set would be created. In some cases, a real restaurant might be used, but it would involve compensating a business for lost revenue during the filming, obtaining special city permits, hiring police to monitor crowd control, etc. It is simpler and more economic to build a confined set.

raywest

The above is certainly true but a rare third option is filming in an old, closed business. The place is refurbished by the crew, it looks realistic and it is simple to move the action in and out of the venue. An example is the bar at the beginning of The Wolverine, set in the USA but filmed in an old, closed pub in rural Australia.

Good point. There was actually a movie with Drew Barrymore (I don't know the title) that filmed a scene near my house that used a recently closed tavern.

raywest

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