The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Sad that the pre-renovated 331 Club (now a Drinking Liberally hangout) didn't make the cut of locations for the movie. It would have been perfect.

Sounds watchable. I'll look for it in February.

I think Mayslack's still has that old-time patina that you just can't fake.

in south minneapolis, Westrum's is truly horrifying contemporary ugly, lots of TVs and bad wallpaper and blonde veneer tables. it would take guts to make a film there. literally no charm at all.

similar would be all those high-volume downtown joints with no real character at all, Loon, Urban Wildlife, Donovan's-- these places are just designed to move as many drunk people in and out as possible. Places where you just can't get comfortable for the long haul. i think cuzzy's is just about perfect, but Bunkers down the street works pretty good too.

didn;t Grumpy Old Men shoot inside Mayslack's? I thought I remebered that.. and what was the bar in Feeling Minnesota? i thought that was a nordeast bar. Hey, what other bars have beein in Minnesota-based films?

No, Hick, I think it was the 331 Club that was used for GOM. I defer to Alexis, our lovely Girl Friday, for confirmation. You are right about Mayslacks, it DOES have an honest dive patina.

I was living across from Nye's when they were filming. All I ever saw was Matt Dillon's canvas chair. I was just happy it didn't say Matt Damon.

There was a bar called Spanky's on St. Paul's east side near where I grew up. They filmed a scene from "That Was Then This Is Now" with my next door neighbor in a cameo with no speaking lines. The pub has since been torn down.

sh-moon... you can't be serious.

Isn't that the only thing anyone orders there? That's the only thing I order there aside from booze. No offense to the rest of their menu but I'd sleep in a bed of that roast beef.

Henry Hormann, was Spanky's the bar that Charlie (Morgan Freeman) owned in "That Was Then .... This Is Now"? I've always wondered where that bar (and the druggie flophouse) were located.

For those of you who haven't seen that movie, it's far from spectacular but it makes great use of the Twin Cities. There are some great scenes in East Saint Paul, Uptown, beneath the Washington Avenue Bridge, around the old Historical Society (now the MN Judicial Center), and so on.

Mike S - yes, you are correct. I agree with you, too, not a brilliant movie but decent enough (I think it's based on an S.E. Hinton book, the author of "The Outsiders." It does make great use of the Cities'. I remember being all excited to see it when it came out, my buddies and I went to the theater and saw it on the big screen. It was when I was 17, so I thought every movie ruled.

He was one of the creators of the original Sample Room menu, so judge for yourself as to whether he's got skills or not. I'm definitely willing to drag my hangover a few blocks over to Mayslack's to check out the weekend breakfast.

Don't forget about Erte's Peacock Lounge. A great little bar that provides a nice escape when you find yourself not so into the band playing over at the 331.

I have a copy of that movie. Ed Asner and Verne Gagne, yes. Also, The Crusher.

It's funny, that bar scene is set in Texas.