h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

st. louis has served as a backdrop for a few 'travelling' movies... 'canonball run', 'planes, trains, and automobiles', and 'national lampoon's vacation' come to mind. i know parts of several movies have been filmed here and there around town, but specifically 'white palace' sticks out as a major motion picture shot primarily in st. louis. i forget how long ago it was, ten years or so i guess. it starred susan sarandon and james spader.

i remember reports in the newspaper and on evening news about extras being needed, but i never went to check it out.

sarandon's character worked at the counter of 'white palace', a greasy hamburger joint not entirely unlike a white castle (for those few of you who may be familiar). the production company actually took over a white castle restaurant and remodeled it for the set in the movie. when production wrapped the local customers were given the choice of whether they wanted their restaurant restored to pre-production design or left the way they remodeled it. in the end they had it restored to pre-production state.

i'm sure there have been others.