Naman Shrestha
Based on John Banville’s 2014 novel ‘The Black-Eyed Blonde’ and the fictional character created by Raymond Chandler, ‘Marlowe’ is a neo-noir crime thriller movie helmed by the Academy Award-winning director Neil Jordan. Set in the late 1930s, it follows a competent yet down-on-his-luck private detective named Philip Marlowe, who gets hired by the beautiful heiress Clare Cavendish to look into the disappearance of her ex-lover.
As Marlowe digs deeper into the case, he gets pulled into a deadly conspiracy and investigation that he intends to bring out in the open. The period thriller movie features brilliant onscreen performances from some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, Jessica Lange, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and Alan Cumming. Moreover, the setting of the late 1930s Bay City and the backdrop of seemingly apt locations of the era make one wonder where ‘Marlowe’ was shot. If you are one such curious soul, we have you covered!
Marlowe Filming Locations
‘Marlowe’ was filmed in Spain, Ireland, and seemingly in California, specifically in Catalonia, Dublin, and Los Angeles. According to reports, the principal photography for the crime thriller movie commenced in early November 2021 and wrapped up in December of the same year. Now, without further ado, let’s travel back in time to follow Marlowe in his investigation and get a detailed account of all the specific sites that feature in the Liam Neeson starrer!
Catalonia, Spain
Most of ‘Marlowe’ was lensed in Catalonia, an autonomous community that is also designated as a nationality. Several exterior scenes set in the late 1930s Los Angeles were recorded in and around Barcelona, a province at the heart of Catalonia. During the shooting schedule, the production team utilized the locales of various sites across the autonomous community, including Hotel de La Gavina, Pza. Rosaleda, s/n, 17248 S’Agaró in Girona, the town of Blanes in Girona, the towns of Sitges and Alella in the province of Barcelona, and the municipality of Sant Cugat del Vallès.
As per reports, the filming unit transformed Restaurant Miami at Carrer Muralla de Sant Domènec, 1-3, in Manresa, into the fictional Schmidt’s Liquor situated on Granville Street in Bay City. Furthermore, an ancient building called the Terrassa Regional Business Confederation in Terrassa served as another key production location for the thriller movie.
Liam Neeson #liamNeeson rodaje de Neil Jordan , hoy en Manresa pic.twitter.com/PzEvkAEfWn
— MAGDA (@Magda_Riera) November 25, 2021
In a February 2022 interview with Collider, the movie’s screenwriter William Monahan teased a bit about the production locations. He said, “…We met in Ireland. He’s (Neil Jordan) off doing this in Spain of all places, Barcelona, Spain with Liam Neeson. He had the genius idea to do 1939 Los Angeles in Barcelona, which still has the trolley tracks, the old buildings, and its own relics of Spanish colonial architecture, and looks a little otherworldly in the way that LA would’ve been at the time. Also, when you get out into the fringes, what would’ve been the west side in LA, after it became irrigated, it became all jungly hillsides and things like that. That area of Spain looks really interestingly like the Los Angeles of the 1930s.”
Dublin, Ireland
Most of the interior scenes of ‘Marlowe’ set in 1930s LA were recorded in Dublin, Ireland’s capital and largest city of Ireland. Situated at the mouth of the River Liffey in Leinster, it is a hub for arts, culture, education, administration, and industry. The city is home to numerous landmarks and monuments, including Dublin Castle, the Spire of Dublin, the Ha’penny Bridge, Christ Church Cathedral, and the National Museum of Ireland.
Los Angeles, California
Additional portions for ‘Marlowe’ were seemingly taped in Los Angeles, the largest city in California. Given that the story is set in 1930s LA, it only makes sense that the team shot a few scenes on location in the City of Angels itself. Situated in Southern California, the city has been famous for its gorgeous beaches, posh neighborhoods, and ties to the entertainment industry for many decades.
Read More: Is Marlowe Based on a True Story?
