MovieChat Forums > The Italian Job (1969) Discussion > Prison location

Prison location

posted 14 years ago by MrLocation
4 replies | jump to latest

I recently visited the Malmaison Hotel in Oxford, England as I understood it to be one of the three prisons they used in the film (the others were Wormwood Scrubs in London, England and Kilmainham in Dublin, Ireland). As it is now a hotel, I do appreciate that they would have significantly renovated the interior, but wouldn't they have kept the original metal railings and metal stairs? These are not the same as in the film, but they DO look like they are original - complete with worn wooden stair nosings. There are also extra levels today that were not seen in the film. The staff at the hotel DID say it was used for The Italian Job and Bad Girls. Would anyone be able to throw some light on this? Thanks.

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[–] CooperKid 13 years ago

This might be obvious but if they were converting a prison into a hotel they definitely wouldn't keep the original metal railings and stairs. Why would they?

You're only supposed to blow the doors off!

[–] Cobram 13 years ago

I'm pretty sure that all the large interior shots were filmed in the Victorian section of the Kilmainham Gaol.

Man without relatives is man without troubles. Charlie Chan

[–] MrLocation 13 years ago

Agreed. The only scenes filmed in Oxford were where Bridger went to the toilet and the end of the robbery jubilation when he sat down for his celebration dinner.

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[–] mmryan-912-161753 13 years ago

The prison staircase and wide shots were filmed in Kilmainham.
There were also outdoor scenes filmed in Bray, South of Dublin.