"Rush Hour"

Obnoxious LAPD officer Chris Tucker thinks he's getting a promotion when he's sent out to work with the FBI on a kidnapping case in Brett Ratner's "Rush Hour" (New Line, 1998). Really his job is to keep Chinese detective Jackie Chan away from the case. So he takes him to Grauman's Chinese, 6925 Hollywood Blvd. On the marquee: "Titanic."

 

The film also features Ken Leung, Tom Wilkinson, Tzi Ma, Julia Hsu, Chris Penn, Rex Linn and Mark Rolston. The cinematography was by Adam Greenberg.   

 

 

 

In the forecourt Chris says "See? Just like home, baby."

 

At the footprints of the Duke. "You know John Wayne, don't you?" No, they don't go to the movie. 

 

See the many pages about Grauman's Chinese on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building along with hundreds of photos. 

 

 

 

Later the kidnapper phones in his ransom demand. FBI guy: "We got it. 620 S. Broadway. Downtown." He's actually calling from the building at 556 S. Broadway. If you squint, you can see that the theatre in the distance is the Los Angeles, 615 S. Broadway. 

 

See the pages about the Los Angeles Theatre on the LA Theatres site for a history of this 1931 vintage house.  

 

A view south on Broadway. The Palace Theatre is on the left, hiding behind that tree. On the Los Angeles marquee it's the 1976 John Cassavetes film "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie." 

 

 

 

Jackie tries to warn these FBI guys not to send men into the building. "Is this where you'd be if you wanted $50 million delivered?" They don't listen.

 

The blast. It's the Silverwood's Building, on the northeast corner of 6th and Broadway. 

 

A moment later. We then get a lovely chase through scaffolding in the Arcade Building, at the time getting a big remodel. The film's finale is up in the air at the Convention Center. And, of course, we get a suitcase opening and money fluttering down.

On IMDb: "Rush Hour"