Downtown (film)
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| Downtown | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical movie poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Benjamin |
| Written by | Nat Mauldin |
| Produced by | Charles H. Maguire |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Richard H. Kline |
| Edited by | Jacqueline Cambas Brian L. Chambers |
| Music by | Alan Silvestri[1] |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10,000,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | $2,346,150[2] |
Downtown is a 1990 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Richard Benjamin. The film starred Anthony Edwards, Forest Whitaker, Penelope Ann Miller and Joe Pantoliano.
Police Officer Alex Kearney is a patrolman in Bryn Mawr, an affluent, plush suburb of Philadelphia—until he stops an important businessman and his account of the incident is not believed. As punishment, he is assigned to work Downtown, considered the most dangerous, high-crime precinct in the city. Everyone at the precinct is certain that the 'by the book' suburban, pampered cop is going to get himself (and whoever is assigned as his partner), killed.
Sergeant Dennis Curren draws the unfortunate 'babysitting' assignment. However, when Alex's best friend is killed investigating a stolen car, Alex throws the book out the window tracking down the killer.
Cast
- Anthony Edwards as Officer Alex Kearney
- Forest Whitaker as Sergeant Dennis Curren
- Penelope Ann Miller as Lori Mitchell
- Joe Pantoliano as White
- David Clennon as Jerome Sweet
- Art Evans as Henry Coleman
- Rick Aiello as Mickey Witlin
- Roger Aaron Brown as Lieutenant Sam Parral
- Ron Canada as Lowell Harris
- Wanda De Jesus as Luisa Diaz
- Francis X. McCarthy as Inspector Ben Glass (credited as Frank McCarthy)
- Kimberly Scott as Christine Curren
- Danuel Pipoly as Skip Markowitz
- Ron Taylor as Bruce Tucker
- Vinnie Curto as Mr. Lopez
Production
This was the theatrical debut of scriptwriter Nat Mauldin, a writer on Barney Miller and a writer-producer of Night Court.[3]
Principal photography began 17 April 1989, according to the 19 April 1989 Daily Variety[4] and 25 April 1989 Hollywood Reporter,[4] with a scheduled wrap date of 30 June 1989.[4]
Though the plot of the movie references a Philadelphia suburb, Bryn Mawr, most of the exterior filming is done within the City of Philadelphia. The beginning of the film features Cresheim Valley Road, Stenton, and Germantown Avenues. This is in the Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill neighborhoods.
There are a few early scenes that are filmed in and around Los Angeles. The scene where Anthony Edwards pretends to pull over Penelope Ann Miller is filmed on Yale Street, in Claremont, CA.[4] Later portions of the film are in the Fairhill and Norris Square neighborhoods which are now known as "The Badlands" circa 2000. Diamond Street is within this area, but Philadelphia police districts are numbered, not named for streets or neighborhoods.
Locations
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[4]
- La Canada, California ("Bryn Mawr")[4]
- Claremont, California[4]
- Pasadena, California[4]
- University Park, Los Angeles ("Dennis Curren's" home)[4]
- Los Angeles, California[4]
- Ports O' Call in San Pedro, California[4]
- Woodland Hills, California (the "Sweet" estate)[4]
- stage 6 at the Warner Center in Woodland Hills, California[4]
- stage 14 at the Warner Center in Woodland Hills, California[4]