The Italian Job Locations

The 2003 caper movie, "The Italian Job", wasn't filmed exclusively in Los Angeles.

In fact, the film opens with a heist in Venice, Italy, where we see the guys successfully steal $35 million in gold bars.

But they are betrayed by one of their own, and the film's grand caper (to steal back their loot) is strictly a "Los Angeles Job".

Since this website is called "Seeing Stars in Hollywood", we're going to stick to the L.A. locations, and tell you where you can find them the next time you pay a visit to Hollywood.

Their unusual tactic is to use L.A.'s infamous traffic to the thieves' advantage. They stage the world's biggest traffic jam, in the heart of Hollywood, and then use tiny mini-Coopers to manuever freely on the sidewalks of Hollywood.

Click here to see a map of all "Italian Job" filming locations.

This early scene, where "Handsome Rob" (Jason Statham) is stuck in
L.A. traffic behind an actor rehearsing his lines, was shot at the corner of
7th Street and Parkview., west of downtown. They are heading east
on 7th (you can see the L.A. skyline in the distance). You can also see
MacArthur Park on the left (north) side. The distracted actor makes a
left turn onto Park View.

When the good guys meet (several times) on the rooftop of a tall Art Deco
tower overlooking the Sunset Blvd, that is really the Argyle Hotel (formerly
known as the Saint James Club), at 8358 Sunset Blvd, on the Sunset Strip.
(In the above shot, you can see the Hyatt West Hollywood nearby.)

Several scenes (pictured here) were shot at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.
Union Station was the last grand train station built in the U.S. With its classic
Art Deco look, it has appeared in a number of movies (including "Pearl Harbor"
and the recent "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle"). There was even a 1950 movie
called "Union Station". You'll find it across from Olvera Street, at
800 North Alameda Street, in downtown L.A.

Above, you can see Grauman's Chinese Theatre, shot from across the street,
looking north across Hollywood Blvd.

Below, is an aerial shot from the movie, showing three different armored cars
turning off Hollywood Blvd. Note the stars from the Hollywood Walk of Fame
on the sidewalks to the right of the trucks.

Two of the trucks are decoys, designed to fool the good guys in pursuit.

MORE "Italian Job" Filming Locations!

The photos on this page are stills from the DVD of "The Italian Job"
(which you can buy by clicking here) and are copyright Sony/Columbia/Tri-Star Pictures.