# Greatest Chicago-based movies of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685 "2008-02-07T16:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/1 "2008-02-07T16:35:53Z")
Give me your top three, in order. I’ll tally who gets the most votes (3 points for a first-place vote, 2 for second-place vote, 1 for third-place vote). Criteria? That the movie is rooted in Chicago. It’s up to you if having the city be prominently featured is important, or if the actual content of the movie trumps all. There’s no cut-off for voting. I’ll just keep a semi-running tally of who’s ahead. Here’s mine: 1. The Blues Brothers 2. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 3. The Untouchables Semi-running tally: So far, Blues Brothers is in the lead. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/2 "2008-02-07T16:39:06Z")
What was that movie with Catherine Zeta-Jones about the all dancers and singers in Chicago, and they were in jail in Chicago and Rene Zellweger was tried for murder in Chicago…? I think it was called _The Bus That Couldn’t Slow Down._ ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/3 "2008-02-07T16:40:27Z")
I love Chicago, but I don’t live there. Chicagoans, forgive me if I step on toes with any of my choices. The Fugitive Chicago The Blues Brothers ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/4 "2008-02-07T16:43:23Z")
I’ll third _The Blues Brothers_. I made it a point to buy the special edition DVD when I was in Chicago. I was watching it at Midway waiting for my plane and ended up with a handful of people around/behind me watching with me on the laptop. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/5 "2008-02-07T16:49:44Z")
_Call Northside 777 Medium Cool Hoop Dreams_ ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/6 "2008-02-07T16:56:34Z")
Perfect Strangers. Oh dammit, you said _movies_. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/7 "2008-02-07T16:58:10Z")
How can it not be _The Sting_? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/8 "2008-02-07T16:58:20Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] What was that movie with Catherine Zeta-Jones about the all dancers and singers in Chicago, and they were in jail in Chicago and Rene Zellweger was tried for murder in Chicago…? I think it was called _The Bus That Couldn’t Slow Down._ [/QUOTE] No, that was Dr. Zhivago My votes are The Blues Brothers & Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/9 "2008-02-07T17:01:36Z")
The Untouchables The Sting (partially) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/10 "2008-02-07T17:09:45Z")
1. Eight Men Out 2. The Untouchables 3. High Fidelity ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/11 "2008-02-07T17:16:04Z")
1. Eight Men Out 2. Blues Brothers 3. The Sting ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/12 "2008-02-07T17:23:32Z")
Forgive my provincialism, but I’ve got to put in a vote for [Code of Silence](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088936/), since a good chunk of it was filmed in my neighborhood. [Thief](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083190/) also had some Uptown scenes, including one in which the Green Mill blew up. When I saw that in the ad as a kid I ran out to see and was puzzled to find the joint still standing. You also got a glimpse of Uptown in [Next of Kin](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097967/), though it quickly cuts away to hill country. [My Bodyguard](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081207/) had a number of familiar locations, and if I recall right it was filmed at Lakeview High School. [Bad Boys](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085210/) featured streets in my neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/13 "2008-02-07T17:46:27Z")
1. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 2. The Fugitive 3. The Blues Brothers With The Untouchables missing it by that much. Man, I’ve gotta watch The Untouchables again, I haven’t seen it in years. Although I did manage to catch the train station shootout on TV a months ago. Quite a lucky break. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/14 "2008-02-07T17:52:04Z")
**Risky** Muthafuckin’ **Business** **Adventures in Babysitting** **Looking for Mr. Goodbar** **Cooley High** [This](http://www.amazon.com/Hollywood-Lake-Michigan-Chicago-Illinois/dp/0964242621/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202406682&sr=8-1)is a great book that pretty much covers it. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/15 "2008-02-07T18:33:14Z")
**Ferris Bueller’s Day Off The Blues Brothers Risky Business** ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/16 "2008-02-07T18:34:15Z")
How about the John Hughes trifecta of **Sixteen Candles** , \*\*The Breakfast Club \*\* and **Pretty in Pink**? Oh wait, they were filmed in Chicago burbs but I guess the city itself didn’t really figure prominently. Okay, how about **The Breakup**? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/17 "2008-02-07T18:36:38Z")
[QUOTE=WOOKINPANUB] How about the John Hughes trifecta of **Sixteen Candles** , \*\*The Breakfast Club \*\* and **Pretty in Pink**? Oh wait, they were filmed in Chicago burbs but I guess the city itself didn’t really figure prominently. Okay, how about **The Breakup**? [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure that _Weird Science_ was filmed in Chicago burbs as well. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/18 "2008-02-07T18:56:40Z")
[QUOTE=WOOKINPANUB] How about the John Hughes trifecta of **Sixteen Candles** , \*\*The Breakfast Club \*\* and **Pretty in Pink**? Oh wait, they were filmed in Chicago burbs but I guess the city itself didn’t really figure prominently. [/QUOTE] You left out **Uncle Buck**. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/19 "2008-02-07T18:58:28Z")
1. The Sting 2. Eight Men Out 3. The Blues Brothers ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685/20 "2008-02-07T19:37:06Z")
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off High Fidelity The Fugitive & The Break Up (tied) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-chicago-based-movies-of-all-time/436685.md?page=2)