But did you know that small town wasnt a movie set or. Hope floats house in smithville, tx virtual globetrotting. Heres where all the best austin movies were filmed. If you like hope floats you are looking for sentimental, touching and feel good movies about with small town, starting over, romance, family relations, fall in love, family problems and infidelity themes of drama and romance genre shot in usa. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Sweet home alabama filming locations chris credendino. This town served as the backdrop for pigeon creek, alabama and housed 12 of the 16 filming locations we visited.
In short, if youre looking for a perfect weekend away, head on down to smithville, the town where hope floats. The first was hope floats, and the second was the tree of life, which starred brad pitt and was released in 2011. The entire town knows what happened to flawless beauty birdee since connie let her know about the affair on a national talk show. Hope floats and tree of life were filmed in this central texas railroad town and i have to admit, the hope floats house mccollumchapmantrousdale house was why i looked up this town. Just over two decades ago, the movie hope floats, starring sandra bullock and harry connick jr. Hope floats fans can watch the movie in the same texas town. Birdee pruitt has been humiliated on live television by her best friend, connie, whos been sleeping with birdees husband, bill. The 2008 film tree of life with brad pitt was filmed there.
A look at the house used in the movie hope floats starring sandra bullock and harry connick, jr. The home in the movie is the mccollumchapmantrousdale house, built in the neoclassical style in 1908. A bill board welcoming visitors to smithville reminds everyone about the movie hope floats, which was filmed there. Your storytelling contines to touch the hearts of many. The town also earned the guinness book of world records certification for baking the worlds largest. You see my baby girl has just got a job in smithville tx where the movie was filmed. Not only was hope floats filmed there, but so was the 2008 film tree of life with.
The movie fans among you and sandra bullock fans may remember this home as the residence of sandra bullock in the movie, hope floats which was filmed in smithville, tx, a town that has seen its share of movies filmed there over the years. Sandra bullock as birdie pruitt, the discarded wife, and harry connick jr. Jan 22, 2019 just over two decades ago, the movie hope floats, starring sandra bullock and harry connick jr. As mother and daughter struggle to adjust to their new lives, birdee slowly gains the strength to open her heart and find hope again. Hope floats is a turgid melodrama with the emotional range of a sympathy card. Not only was hope floats filmed there, but so was the 2008 film tree of life with brad pitt. May 29, 2018 according to bullocks hope floats producing partner linda obst, the future oscar winner was involved 100 percent in every aspect of making the movieincluding casting harry connick jr. An added claim to fame is also being the setting for not one, but two hollywood films. As the first town in texas to qualify for the texas film commission designation, smithville is known for being film friendly, with numerous movies from hope floats to tree of life making use of its charming downtown and pristine neighborhoods. After hope floats, smithville became known as one of the premiere filming locations in texas.
This rural town in litchfield county, connecticut served as inspiration for the town of stars hollow. Located around an hour outside of austin in bastrop county along the colorado river, it has been the site. As the first town in texas to qualify for the texas film commission designation, smithville is known for being film. Just a mom trying to help her baby girl clear her list even if it is one item at a time. Hope floats in smithville texas todays destination smithville texas. The elementary school in the movie is a 1924 high school building. Come see many beautiful historic homes and old buildings. Known as the strawberry capital of texas, the small town of. Oct 05, 2018 fans of hope floats can walk around the same little town that sandra bullock and harry connick jr. The house from the movie hope floats in texas hooked on.
But for this articles sake, were focused on the former. It has to be a small town and all the historical businesses and homes have been taken care of through the years. Hope floats and tree of life were filmed in this central texas railroad town and i have to admit, the hope floats house mccollumchapman. While the circumstances surrounding birdees return to texas arent ideal, its hard not to be won over by the southern town, which is at least as charming as birdees high school beau, justin harry connick, jr.
The film centers around a mysterious character named sam doonby, played by schneider, who shows up in a small texas town, smithville, which is every bit as beautiful as when hope floats was shot here. John is cool under pressure, unflappable and above all a gentleman. Feb 22, 2010 this image was a reject from the frames challenge because i shot it one day too late to be included. But, lets be honest, every season is the season for gilmore girls. May 30, 2018 if youve ever driven down highway 71 toward houston, you may have seen a sign just past bastrop. Geography professor trent biggs, and doctoral student kris taniguchi talk about development vs preservation in the tijuana river watershed. Fans of hope floats can walk around the same little town that sandra bullock and harry connick jr. With our diverse and breathtaking landscape coupled with amazing architecture and historic landmarks, directors have jumped on the opportunity to film hit movies in the lone star state. Where did the cast staysleep in smithville while filming.
Dream towns, fantasy and real january, 2012 by susan 126 comments when i visit my doctor once a year for a checkup and whine about that 15 lbs i can never seem to lose, he always goes into this big spiel about how i should buy one of those exercise stepper thingies, forgetting weve had this talk before. She and her young daughter bernice go back home to her mother rowlands and the small town in which she grew up, where everyone knows of. Hope floats begins with a talk show where a woman learns that her husband and her best friend are having an affair. We have had 2 major motion pictures filmed here in smithville, hope floats and the tree of life. The woodstock independent recently interviews bob hodgins, then location manager for the movie, on the unpredictable and tumultuous experience of shooting the film.
Hope floats is vintage movie whose story never goes out of date because there broken marriages everywhere you look. A film friendly community, smithville featured in country. The house has a swimming pool in the back yard that the movie crew covered up because they didnt want a. While birdee and bernice are fictional characters in the 1998 film hope floats, smithville is a very real place.
It was also the location for tree of life, starring brad pitt, jessica chastain and sean penn, filmed in 2008. Hope floats tells the story of birdee pruitt bullock, a former small town beauty queen whose husband has cheated on her with her best friend. Birdee takes her young daughter bernice and flees chicago, returning to her mothers. Sep 15, 2016 the crew said it chose the small texas town because theyd seen the 1998 movie hope floats, which was also filmed in smithville, and really liked the areas character and feel.
Why should an test charge be of negligibly smaller magnitude. Why you should plan a trip to smithville, texas, where. Filmed and edited by jeneene chatowsky, sdsu multimedia. Hope floats is a 1998 american drama film directed by forest whitaker and starring sandra. Basically, your norman rockwell look and feel it has to exist in a location where we get snow. Downtown smithville still has the smalltown feel from the movie, and is sure to revive some of your favorite scenes. Hope floats fans can watch the movie in the same texas. Hope floats in smithville, texas blue sky traveler. Filmed in woodstock, illinois even though part of the movie was filmed in pennsylvania, the location for most of the shooting of groundhog day was actually woodstock, illinois.
Did the cast hang out at any specific places when they werent working. This material could obviously lead in a lot of different directions. Dont expect to grab a bite at honeys diner, though, as the restaurant was built just for the film. This 1998 kprc story with brendan keefe shows how one movie can put a small town on the. The 1998 movie starring sandra bullock and harry connick jr. It probably still gets curiosity seekers, such as myself, who spend money while visiting. The city of smithville sits on the outskirts of austin and has hosted plenty of hollywood types over the years. Aug 07, 2014 on the first day we traveled to a small outoftheway town called crawfordville where the majority of the movie was filmed.
In 2009, tv comedy scrubs filmed a twopart special on location in hope town. Even though part of the movie was filmed in pennsylvania, the location for most of the shooting of groundhog day was actually woodstock, illinois. This is the home sandra bullock used as her house in hope floats. Birdee tries starting over with her daughter, bernice, by returning to her small texas hometown, but shes faced with petty old acquaintances who are thrilled to see birdee unhappy except for her friend justin. Birdee calvert must choose between her morals and her heart after her husband divorces her and a charming young man, who her daughter disapproves of, comes back into her life. The crew said it chose the small texas town because theyd seen the 1998 movie hope floats, which was also filmed in smithville, and really liked the areas character and feel. If you were to go to smithville, youd see clear signs of the movie having been filmed. Jul, 2018 you could easily spend a weekend traveling to the shooting locations for some of the best tv shows and movies shot in the austin area. Eightyfour cast and crew members turned up in hope town, temporarily increasing its population of 300 by over a quarter. Hope floats tells the story of birdee pruitt bullock, a former smalltown beauty queen whose husband has cheated on her with her best friend. In the 1998 romantic drama hope floats, sandra bullock played birdee pruitt, a woman whos publicly humiliated on national tv when her best friend announces shes having an affair with birdees husband.
Jan, 2012 i live in a town, similar to the ones mentioned above. The house from the movie hope floats in texas hooked. I just saw this movie, but remember when it came out. On the first day we traveled to a small outoftheway town called crawfordville where the majority of the movie was filmed. Hope floats in smithville, texas olympus compact camera.
Oct 18, 2006 the film hope floats which i have not seen was filmed in smithville in 1997, and the town has no doubt benefited from the influx of hollywood money. Harry connick jr and sandra bullock in hope floats. Birdee learns the lifealtering news during the film. Established in 1827, the town flourished as one of the railroad towns in texas when the rail system came to town in 1887. Dream towns, fantasy and real between naps on the porch. Readjusting to life under her mothers roof in the small town of smithville isnt easy, but an old friend named justin matisse keeps things interesting, at least. The house has a swimming pool in the back yard that the movie crew covered up because they didnt want a pool in the film. Devastated, she flees from chicago with her young daughter and moves back in with her mother in smithville, texas. Just a mom trying to help her baby girl clear her list even if it is one item at. It was a really nice small town and the locals were very fri. Hope floats 1998 film locations global film locations. Feb 1, 2020 this is the home sandra bullock used as her house in hope floats. About those famous groundhog days filming locations. Why you should plan a trip to smithville, texas, where hope.
Nov 05, 2015 geography professor trent biggs, and doctoral student kris taniguchi talk about development vs preservation in the tijuana river watershed. If youre like me, youve enjoyed your fair share of gg bingefests, complete with candy, pizza and in my case copious amounts of alcohol, and. Jul 01, 2019 the 2008 film tree of life with brad pitt was filmed there. You could easily spend a weekend traveling to the shooting locations for some of the best tv shows and movies shot in the austin area. As he helps birdee get back on her feet, love begins. The episodes featured hope town landmarks and points of interest such as the elbow cay lighthouse. Everybody in smithville and the world witnessed her public humiliation.
Its where the mayflower grace inn is located, and thus the starting point for the idea that would become stars hollow. But lately, the town is getting known for being texas film friendly. The film hope floats which i have not seen was filmed in smithville in 1997, and the town has no doubt benefited from the influx of hollywood money. Smithville is perhaps best known as the home of hope floats, the 1998 movie starring sandra bullock, harry connick jr. Sights from hope floats, tree of life the 2011 film starring brad pitt and many others lie all around town. Back in town, shes dealing with catty old friends and acquaintances from high school who cant help rubbing it in her face that she isnt as perfect as she thought while still trying to get back on her feet with her. Devastated, birdee and her young daughter head home to the small town she left behind. If you were to go to smithville, youd see clear signs of the movie having been filmed there. It turns out that many famous movies have been filmed right here in texas, and i can see why. Hope floats, which often resembles a rosy commercial, does indulge in too much awkward slow motion, and in occasional embarrassing romps that are meant to signify family fun. On the following day, we traveled north and south of atlanta to visit the remaining 4 locations. Birdees house, employment agency, high street, hope floats 1998 film locations, sandra bullock, smithville, texas.
The church used was saints peter and paul church in kovar, texas, about 6 miles from smithville. Much of hope floats was filmed on location at this house in the small town of smithville, texas. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums. It seems most promising as comedy or satire, but no. But when her cheating husband reveals infidelity to her on a national tv talk show, her perfect life comes crashing down. A visit to smithville and you will feel like you have been here before as two movies filmed here. There are lots of antique shops on main street and super small restaurents in town. Hope floats smithville, tx texas classics trail texas film. The real places that inspired gilmore girls stars hollow. The city of smithville is about as charming as it gets. However, none made smithville more famous than 1998. This image was a reject from the frames challenge because i shot it one day too late to be included. Smithvilles picturesque and quintessential small town vibe is why its been the setting for tons of motion pictures.
1250 1350 341 259 465 1564 901 222 1061 670 887 527 1441 935 1327 545 917 789 308 1447 783 1518 498 1203 1166 674 1282 354 100 1100 1515 215 1375 1058 1207 1198 274 1359 155 1059 1075 72 903 336 1437 874 708