City will play role in 'Public Enemies' film

COLUMBUS - Downtown Columbus is making its way back in time with film crews transforming store fronts into those from the 1930s for the movie, “Public Enemies.” Filming is scheduled to begin in Columbus on Monday.

“Public Enemies” is a film about the life of notorious bank robber John Dillinger. Dillinger's career as a bank robber spanned only four years during the 1930s but included over a dozen robberies where he stole over $300,000.

Michael Mann, formerly of Madison, is directing the film with actor Johnny Depp starring in the lead role as Dillinger. Other famous actors in the film include Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard. Over 100 extras in costume and dozens of vintage cars are also expected to be in Columbus on the days of the filming.

Columbus officials were originally told filming would only take place on Monday and crews would take down scene sets the rest of the week. Mayor Nancy Osterhaus said she was told Tuesday that more scenes would be shot on Tuesday and possibly into Thursday, March 20. The downtown area is scheduled to be closed and traffic rerouted through Thursday, March 20.

“It's been so much fun. We are the luckiest city in the Midwest,” Osterhaus said. “I just met with Michael Mann today and again he said how much he loves Columbus. They've decided to add some more scenes to be filmed on Tuesday. Monday is supposed to be the day they will film the big bank robbery scene.”

Early Wednesday morning film crews set up wooden shelves outside of Sharrow Drugs pharmacy making the store look like a 1930s drug store. A wooden false wall was built inside of the pharmacy for part of the set displaying antiques from a 1930s drug store including an old time cash register. On the other side of the building the store front window included mannequins displaying women's 1930s style hats and dresses. Changes have been in progress throughout the whole downtown over the past week.

“People are getting more and more excited as the week goes on,” Lyle Sampson, an employee at the pharmacy and board member of the city's Main Street Program, said. “We've always promoted preserving the historic facades of the downtown and as you can see it's paying off.”

Sampson and his co-workers, like many others in the downtown, have been watching the progress of the transformation of the city into a movie set since last week when crews first began taking down store awnings and building new storefronts.

Looking out across the street from the pharmacy, West James Gallery and Visitor's Center will be the site for a bank robbery scene. The scene will depict a robbery by Dillinger at a bank in Green Castle, Ind.

Kim Bates, of West James Gallery, said she was very surprised when confronted about using the building her business is located in for the movie.

“I was in shock. The woman who was looking at the different Wisconsin sites came to talk to me she said, ‘Yes, Johnny Depp is going to run out of your building,'” Bates said. “I'm still speechless. It's been just incredible.”

The West James Gallery building is owned by Todd Frey. It was built in 1861 as the First National Bank. The original building was brick and the current facade was put on in 1916, Bates said.

“I've heard film scouts came to Columbus originally to look at the Farmers and Merchants Bank but decided the lobby was too small. They looked at our downtown and decided the rest was perfect for the movie,” Bates said. “They'll only be using the outside facade of my building for the robbery scene and I've heard the inside bank scenes will be shot at a bank in Milwaukee.”

Gates said parts of her storefront will also receive a makeover. New doors will be put on the building and the current windows will be removed and replaced with other windows. Gates said she was told the current windows were too dark and would cause problems with reflections when filming.

“We've had lots of people come and look at our downtown,” Gates said. “My dream would be to have a picture taken with Johnny Depp and hang it up in the gallery.”

Streets to the downtown were closed Tuesday morning and trucks with sets and supplies rolled into town. Early Wednesday morning workers painted over the yellow curbs and the yellow middle street lines. Streetlights were taken down and crews were looking over and adding to the storefronts. Talk of bringing in cobblestone streets was also a rumor circulating through the downtown.

Local business owners said while they know scenes will be shot at the West James Gallery, they've also heard a few scenes may be shot in front of the Midwest Horse Fair office where the storefront has become a movie theater box office.

“We did some research when we found out we were going to have a theater built in front of the store and apparently John Dillinger was shot and killed outside of a theater,” Linda Gossdeck, of the Midwest Horse Fair office, said. “We don't know if this will be the theater or if that scene will be done in a different town but we'll see. It's been really neat to see the town transform.”

The movie buzz has brought Johnny Depp fans from throughout the state to downtown Columbus. Many people have been strolling through the area this week armed with cameras just to see the set and perhaps, if lucky, to catch a glimpse of Depp.

“Most people are fans of Johnny Depp from his pirate movies but we've loved him since he was in, ‘Chocolate,' and ‘What's Eating Gilbert Grape,'” Danita Bosch, of Marinette, said Wednesday morning. “I was raised in this city so it's really exciting to see this happening.”

Bosch and her daughter, Anna, drove over an hour to walk through the downtown streets to see the transformation of the stores for the film. Like almost every other visitor to the downtown, Bosch took pictures of the crew and the changes happening with the stores.

“My mother Jean Knudson was born in 1936 and grew up working in a lot of retail stores here so it will be neat to see Columbus in the movie,” Bosch said. “Columbus is just a quaint city. It's just perfect for something like this.”

Columbus Middle School fourth-grade students Brittnie Prietz, Josh Goen and Tristan Watrud accompanied by their teachers Renee Weichert and Donna Agnew also strolled through the downtown Wednesday morning as part of their language class.

“The students are looking at the storefronts and taking note of what is displayed and then they'll go back to school and write a paper on the differences of the 1930s and today,” Weichert said. “We've noticed the old-time dresses and hats, the old signs and prices of items.”

The students did say they were hoping to catch a glimpse of an actor if possible.

“I love the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean',” Goen said. “I'm really excited. Hopefully we'll see Johnny Depp.”

City officials are expecting a large crowd of people on Monday when filming begins. Private security has been on site 24 hours a day through the construction of the set.