Ocean’s Eleven is one of the most exciting movies of the last century. Something about a meticulously planned out heist performed by a charismatic cast of characters just feels right. Naturally, a movie about a casino heist is set in Las Vegas. But, in addition to Nevada, Steven Soderbergh’s retelling of the Rat Pack escapade from the 1960s also takes place in Florida, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New Jersey. Let’s look at the iconic locations used in this classic movie.
The Bellagio
The Bellagio, 3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard, with its fountains and an eight-acre lake, is the only casino that gets robbed, in contrast to the original, which targeted five places in one night. The charmingly corny “dancing waters” of the casino are used to unexpected emotional effect in the film’s finale.
With water displays becoming larger and bigger and wetter and wetter, the competition for attention along the Vegas Strip became more and more bizarre. Remember that you are in the midst of a desert. Then came Bellagio, an Italian lakeside hamlet, followed by Treasure Island with its pirate fight, La Mirage with its volcano, and Treasure Island.
Numerous Gaming Locations
Soon after breaking his parole, a former inmate of Rahway State Penitentiary, currently known as East Jersey State Prison, Route 1, Avenel, NJ, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) assembles a crew: Frank Catton (Bernie Mac) at the baccarat table of the shutdown Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in AC, which, according to news reports, went on sale; Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon) in Chicago at the Irish bar Emmit’s, 495 North Milwaukee Avenue; and Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), who is teaching poker to the TV stars in the back room of the Deep. The nightclub then changed its name to Basque, although it has closed its doors.
At Derby Lane Dog Track, 10490 Gandy Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida, Ryan then approaches veteran Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner). The grounds of the dog track were transformed into the “San Diego” circus, where Yen (Shaobo Qin) dazzled the audience with his acrobatic prowess.
Reuben Tishkoff’s (Elliott Gould) “Vegas” residence is located at 999 North Patencio in the California desert resort of Palm Springs. According to Tishkoff, the man walking out of Caesar’s Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South (as seen in Rain Man), was the biggest Vegas robbery ever.
The Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility is located on the campus of the University of California, Irvine, and serves as the “California Institute of Advanced Science,” from which the team steals a “pinch” to produce an electromagnetic pulse.
At the historic Musso and Frank’s Grill, 6667 Hollywood Boulevard, Rusty and Danny have a drink. The oldest restaurant in Hollywood (it debuted in 1919), which can also be seen in Tim Burton’s Ed Wood and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, is a piece of pure Hollywood history. It was a favorite hangout for authors; regulars included William Faulkner, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, F Scott Fitzgerald, and William Faulkner. It was frequented by Charlie Chaplin and Humphrey Bogart, and it is still a favorite among celebrities.
Owner of the Bellagio Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) is enjoying some boxing at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, 3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South at Tropicana Avenue, while his coffers are being emptied. At the moment, this resort is the biggest and most ambitious in all of Las Vegas. Naturally, the movie finishes with the cheesy yet glamorous waters of the Bellagio.