51st State, The

Date: 2001
Director: Ronny Yu
Production Company: Alliance Atlantis Communications, Focus Films

Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Robert Carlyle, Emily Mortimer
Location(s): Cheshire, Merseyside

Region(s):

Storyline:

An American master chemist plans to score big on a once in a lifetime drug deal. All does not go as planned and he is soon entangled in a web of deceit.

Additional Information:

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A suburban street in Liverpool. Finch Lane in Liverpool, Merseyside.

There have been no changes

Finch Lane again

Now

Alongside the 'Yew Tree'pub looking down Finch Lane

The pub has been demolished and the site is now fenced off

Robert Carlyle scrambles over the pub wall

The pub may have gone but the wall in Haydn Road survives

Liverpool city centre - Food stall with St Georges Hall in the background

Now - the side of St George's Hall

Brunswick Street in Liverpool city centre

Now - unchanged

Carpeted stairs up to a hotel in the film - again in Brunswick Street

This is actually India Buildings - originally built in the 1930s as offices for The Blue Funnel Shipping Line - it's still used as office accommodation

Looking out from India Buildings onto Brunswick street

Now – this area hasn’t changed

India Buildings again - and a kilted Samuel L Jackson

The post box on the wall is still there

Another view of Brunswick Street

Now

Looking down Brunswick Street towards Castle Street

Now - the building in the centre is the old Bank of England in Castle street

Presumably near the previous locations - Neil Rigby has identified this as Walter Street in Liverpool - it's off Regent Road - known as the Dock Road

Walter Street where Emily Mortimer joins the car chase.- identified by Neil Rigby - photo by John Owens.Neil Rigby has done some excellent research on the car 'duel' and car 'chase' - identifying : Fenwick Street, Princes Street, Water Street, Tower Gardens, Waterloo Road, and Regent Road among others.

Probably on the Liverpool Dock Road somewhere. Update: this location has been identified as Waterloo Road near the junction with Saltney Street - thanks to Neil Rigby

Now - the only difference is the tall building which has appeared in the last few years - photo by John Owens

Looking from the River Mersey with views of the Liver Building. Because of the recent buildings that have gone up it is not possible to replicate this shot

But here's a go. Prince's Parade, Prince's Dock looking towards the Liver Building. Sent in by Neil.

'Valins' chemist shop - not a familiar name

An old Kelly's Directory lists a Valins chemist at 31 Sefton Street in Litherland, Liverpool - it's now a Boots chemist

A wider view shows the row of shops on Sefton Street, Litherland.

The row of shops now - this confirms the location.

‘Mersey Lab for Agricultural Sciences’ - I can't find a trace of such place but Bob Lamprey identified the location "This is the western wall old "Granada Cinema" East Prescot Road, Liverpool, eastern end of a crescent of shops located at the junction of Dovecot Place and East Prescot Road."

On Google Earth, if you stand at the junction of Back Dovecot Place and East Prescot Road at the East end of the shops, you can see the vertical columns of brick on the cinema side wall as shown in the photos. A few years ago this was a blank wall with a covered side entrance/exit for the cinema, then windows were added followed by arched structures. All that can be seen now from the photos are the brick columns going up the side of the building. Now photo by John Owens.

The same building, the old "Granada Cinema" on East Prescot Road found by Bob Lamprey.

A close up. Now photo by John Owens

This is Chadwick's warehouse in Kitchen Street Liverpool - identified by Neil Rigby

The warehouse now - pic from John Owens (copyright Google StreetView 2010)

Another warehouse scene - This Still grabbed by Neil Rigby

Identified by Neil Rigby as Mill No 1 - Dock Road Wallasey - photo courtesy Google Street View

'Liverpool Gant Street’ police station - the street doesn't doesn't exist in Liverpool - location not known.

Neil Rigby has been in touch with Stel Pavlou, the writer on 51st State, who in turn put him on to Jaynie Miller, a production secretary on the film.They were very helpful and identified this location as DBH House Boundary Street Liverpool.She also revealed that ffs016 and ffs017(both sets) and other interior filming was also done at this location. DBH House is the home of Liverpool Film Studios.Brilliant detective work by Neil Rigby. Now photo by John Owens

Street of terraced houses probably in Liverpool - not identified.Update - this has now been identified as Netherby Street in Liverpool 8 - thanks to Neil Rigby

Netherby Street - photo by John Owens

Liverpool Football Club's Anfield Stadium on Anfield Road in Anfield, Liverpool 4. I couldn't get in to take a "now" shot . . .

. . . but Antony Blair took this wider view of the redeveloped stadium.

Maybe a Scottish Castle near a golf course?

Identified by Neil Rigby as Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas in Cheshire - picture also from Neil © craig thornber at http://www.thornber.net/cheshire/htmlfiles/cholmond.html