It’s no secret that the Northwoods of Wisconsin was a favorite hangout of Chicago gangsters back in the prohibition era, but I was still surprised that Michael Mann elected to keep it real and shoot most of the movie at or near the locations where they happened.
Via The New York Times:
“For bad guys on the lam, Wisconsin was once the refuge of choice. Al Capone, John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson all headed for the state’s north woods when the heat was on.
…
Even if Capone didn’t leave much solid evidence, it’s possible to follow the route taken by F.B.I. agents in April 1934 when they flew into Rhinelander and raced northwest to Manitowish Waters in hopes of capturing Dillinger and his gang of bank robbers. The coming film “Public Enemies” — er, shot around Wisconsin — has heightened interest in the gangster haunts, particularly Dillinger’s.”
As luck would have it, I’ll be traveling back to my hometown of Rhinelander in a few days to celebrate the 4th of July weekend with friends and family. My scheduled event for Thursday night? A bucket of popcorn and a ticket to Public Enemies.
