L.A. Confidential (1997)

The 1997 Curtis Hanson film “L.A. Confidential” is one of the most iconic Los Angeles movies of all time, shown through the lens of a 1950s noir film.  Aside from two scenes being built as sets; Bud holding the D.A. from the window and the motel shootout at the climax of the film, all other scenes shot at real locations.  A vast undertaking, the locations span all over the city.

The Hush Hush office of Sid Hudgens, played by Danny DeVito, can be found at the Crossroads of the World plaza on Sunset Blvd, a former shopping mall featuring a building in the shape of a sea vessel.  The location has also been seen in such films as “Indecent Proposal” and “Cafe Society.”  Sid’s office is located near the back of the property.

laconfidential18

LOCATION: 6671 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

The house where Bud White, played by Russell Crowe, reports to a scene of domestic abuse can be found in Long Beach.  It has since been remodeled.

laconfidential20

LOCATION: 4216 Rose Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

This location, a cane and basket supply, serves as the liquor store where Bud first meets Lynn Bracken, played by Kim Basinger.

laconfidential1

LOCATION: 1279 S Cochran Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019

Jack Vincennes, played by Kevin Spacey, makes a drug bust at this house, using it as an opportunity to get some press for himself.

laconfidential2

LOCATION: 1714 N Gramercy Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028

He stands on the street in front of the house speaking to Sid Hudgens, with the camera facing toward Hollywood Blvd.  The building in the distance is a former bank, designed by the same architects of the L.A. City Hall.  It was dressed to look like a movie theater in the film.

laconfidential3

The interior lobby of the police station can be found in Venice.  The same building has appeared in numerous films, such as “Assault On Precinct 13,” “The Net,” “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension” and many more.

assaultonprecinct13-1

LOCATION: 685 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Two of Mickey Cohen’s men are gunned down in front of this home.

laconfidential4

LOCATION: 4439 Victoria Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90019

The exterior of the police station is the Los Angeles City Hall.  It’s been featured in endless movies, such as “Liar Liar,” “Ray,” “The Nice Guys,” “Chinatown” and “Gangster Squad,” just to name a few.  The interiors were a combination of the old Pacific Electric Building (610 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90014), now converted into lofts, and the Old Venice Police Station (685 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291).

laconfidential5

LOCATION: 200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

The Nite Owl Coffee Shop location can be found in Downtown Los Angeles.  It’s next to Wild Bill’s Leather from “Seven” and across the street from where Forrest and Lieutenant Dan celebrate New Year’s in “Forrest Gump.”

laconfidential6

LOCATION: 119 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Bud follows a lead to the house of Pierce Patchett, played by David Strathairn.  Known as the Lovell Health House, the property is located in the hills of Los Feliz, up some very narrow roads at the hilltop, not far from the Griffith Observatory.

laconfidential7

LOCATION: 4616 Dundee Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

laconfidential8

Here is the home of Lynn Bracken, the Veronica Lake lookalike, which sits next to a golf course.

laconfidential9

LOCATION: 501 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Jack Vincennes and Ed Exley, played by Guy Pearce, follow a lead on the Night Owl Massacre to this home, which is located just across the street from Bob’s Market from “The Fast And The Furious,” which can be seen briefly in the background.

laconfidential10

LOCATION: 1255 Bellevue Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026

The investigation leads to this house on N Bronson Ave, which has since been destroyed by fires.  What’s left of the house is still standing, but will almost certainly be razed altogether soon.

laconfidential11

LOCATION: 1241 N Bronson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

A woman is held captive at this home in Lincoln Heights.

laconfidential12

LOCATION: 496 E Ave 28, Los Angeles, CA 90031

The property is also seen from this hilltop view in the film.

laconfidential13

The suspects escape, but are tracked down at the home of Roland Navarette, where a shootout ensues.

laconfidential21

LOCATION: 2618 San Marino St, Los Angeles, CA 90006

Pierce Patchett throws a party at the John Snowden House in Los Feliz.  A famous architectural design by Lloyd Wright, the house gained infamy when a book alleged that one of the former owners tortured Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia victim, inside the home, although this has never been proven.  The house is only seen from interior views in the film.  It pops up again in another scene, when Vincennes and Dudley Smith, played by James Cromwell, discuss their investigation in the kitchen.   The house has been featured in the films “The Aviator” and “Wrong,” as well as the TV series “I Am the Night.”

laconfidential19

LOCATION: 5121 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Jack Vincennes and Sid Hudgens meet up at the Frolic Room on Hollywood Blvd.  The famous bar was also seen in such films as “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood” and “The Little Things.”

onceuponatimeinhollywood48

LOCATION: 6245 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

A dead body is found at this motel on Sunset Blvd.

laconfidential14

LOCATION: 6720 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Bud visits the house of Meeks.

laconfidential15

LOCATION: 1704 Morton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Exley meets with Vincennes at the famous Formosa Cafe, an iconic spot in West Hollywood.  The restaurant has also been seen in such films as “Swingers,” “The Big Empty” and “The Majestic.”

laconfidential16

LOCATION: 7156 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Jack visits the house of Captain Dudley Smith.

laconfidential17

LOCATION: 5668 Berkshire Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90032

While the climactic motel shootout was built as a set, it was not constructed on any studio lot.  Instead is was built on the grounds of the Inglewood Oil Field in Culver City, giving it the strong illusion of being a real location.

Related articles: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992)

Leave a comment