With its soaring, starry ceiling and lovely Beaux Arts architecture, New York City’s Grand Central Terminal makes for a dramatic cinematic location. More than 50 movies and television shows have been filmed in or feature the iconic New York building.
Grand Central Terminal is one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions, drawing in more than 20 million visitors each year.
Explore these top five classic and unforgettable movies that include scenes showcasing the commuter railroad terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
01. North by Northwest
In Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1959 film, North by Northwest, a Madison Avenue adman portrayed by the dashing Cary Grant is mistaken for a government agent and pursued across the country by a gang of spies. He makes a thrilling escape from New York City in a captivating nighttime sequence filmed inside the actual station. This film is often hailed as one of Hitchcock’s most masterful works and is considered one of the greatest films of all time. It delivers everything—comedy, suspense, and standout performances from Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
02. The Cotton Club
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Cotton Club is set in the legendary Harlem jazz nightclub during the 1920s and 1930s. It features a climactic ending (spoiler alert) with actors Richard Gere and Diane Lane boarding the famous Twentieth Century Limited train in Grand Central Terminal. Initially released to negative reviews and a poor box office showing in 1984, the film has since been re-evaluated and is now regarded as one of Coppola’s most underrated pieces.
03. Midnight Run
Midnight Run is a critically acclaimed 1988 film that features Robert De Niro as a bounty hunter tasked with transporting Charles Grodin from New York to Los Angeles to collect his fee. De Niro’s character drags Grodin through Grand Central to catch a train, marking the beginning of their adventurous journey. This captivating film is celebrated as one of the best road-trip, buddy movies ever made.
04. The Fisher King
The Fisher King is an often-overlooked gem directed by Terry Gilliam, showcasing a stunning scene where Grand Central Terminal transforms into a dazzling ballroom filled with waltzing commuters. To orchestrate this scene, over 400 extras waltzed around the terminal from 8 p.m. until the first commuter trains arrived at 5:30 a.m. the following morning. This modern-day fairy tale highlights the actions of a radio shock jock and features remarkable performances by Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams.
05. Superman: The Movie
The 1978 film Superman: The Movie from Warner Brothers showcases awe-inspiring scenes set in villain Lex Luthor’s fantastic subterranean lair beneath Grand Central Terminal. Although it features the terminal, these scenes were actually filmed on a soundstage in London, which somewhat detracts from its authenticity. Nevertheless, it remains an engaging movie that features a young and charismatic Christopher Reeve, strong performances from Gene Hackman, and a famously campy portrayal of Jor-El by Marlon Brando.
