Then it’s small-town time! If you know your way around the province, you might recognize the entrance to town as Elora. Paul’s on Bloor Street.įinally, they get out of Dodge, stopping at this gas station, actually the Stop 50, just off the QEW in Stoney Creek. The precise location is hard to tell, but it’s from out on Queen Street East. The boys make a couple of stops, including one at this pawn shop, before getting out of town. …and you can see some Port Lands landmarks out the back, if you look past Cage’s scenery chewing. Then they go cruising up along the Gardiner Expressway… No, we’re just not sure where this might be. He goes to get his brothers out of jail and, hmmmm…red brick, cobblestone, green doors. …which becomes a bit clearer when you notice the TTC vicinity map on the wall. You can just barely recognize it by the Commerce Court awning sticking out on the left.Ĭage then ducks into the St. We’ve seen it before in The Incredible Hulk and The Taking of Pelham 123, for starters.
The rest of the cast is filled out by a good dozen people that make you go, “Oh yeah, I’ve seen that guy/gal in something I can’t quite place…”īefore heading off, the film starts in “New York.” A popular quasi-NYC location is Melinda Street. The 1994 flick stars Nicolas Cage (yes!), Jon Lovitz (yes, at least on SNL and The Simpsons!), and Dana Carvey (ditto!) as a trio of bumbling bank robbers who end up stuck in a small town over Christmas. Such is the case with Trapped in Paradise.
Given the average suckiness of most movies shot here, it’s nice to stumble across something that’s surprisingly un-terrible, something that somehow slipped through the cracks and yet has some redeeming features. Reel Toronto revels in digging up and displaying the films that attempt to mask, hide, or-in rare cases-proudly display our city. Toronto's extensive work on the silver screen reveals that, while we have the chameleonic ability to look like anywhere from New York City to Moscow, the disguise doesn't always hold up to scrutiny. Bill decides to stay in town because he is in love with Sarah and is eager to change his life.Culture Reel Toronto: Trapped in Paradise The testimonies in favor of the brothers and the silence of the locals clear the Firpos. The police and the FBI, who have been on the bandits tracks for a long time, surround the building and the sheriff's son shoots Vic. In the end, everyone ends up at the Anderson's house at the mercy of Vic and his accomplice. The three brothers are then kidnapped by two deputy sheriffs who also want the money: they also own a draper's shop and sell them the hoods for the robbery. The three, repent, return the money to a minister, leaving a note signed "The Three Kings." Dave reveals to an enraged Bill that Vic's letter was a hoax and that he had called the police to the supermarket. Meanwhile, when Vic learns about the robbery, which he had long been planning, he escapes from prison and kidnaps the Firpos' mother in order to exchange her for the stolen money. Sarah, although aware of the theft, does not report them but asks them instead to leave. Ironically, the person who helps them out is the bank manager, Clifford Anderson. However, despite their best efforts, they can not get away with the money: they have an accident with a stolen car, they end up using first a horse-drawn sleigh and then even a boat, with Alvin almost freezing to death in the river. Dave convinces Bill to go to Paradise, where they decide to rob the poorly guarded local bank when they see thousands of dollars being deposited. Since he is on probation, he is not supposed to leave the state of New York, but Alvin gives in to his mania for stealing and the three end up escaping arrest in a stolen car. Dave has a letter from his cell mate Vic Mazzucci for his daughter Sarah, who lives in Paradise, Pennsylvania. Plot – During the Christmas season, ex-con Bill Firpo is surprised to see his two brothers released from jail - the liar Dave and the kleptomaniac Alvin.