What's The Most Famous Movie Set In Every State?
Films can make you fall in love with places you've never been. Even if you haven't stood at the feet of the Statute of Liberty, you've surely seen it a thousand times on the silver screen. Want to visit Hollywood? Just start any one of hundreds of movies about Los Angeles or California. There are famous movies from every state, whether they were actually filmed there or set there thanks to film magic.
There are more than enough films out there to represent the entirety of the United States. The most famous movie in every state might become a source of pride for locals – or it might become something of an embarrassment. The best movies by state might be comedies, westerns, dramas, or even animated films. As for the greatest movies of all, that's for you to decide.
Here are the best and most iconic films that each represent a state. Just know in advance, certain states had an unfair advantage.
1Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise- Released: 1994
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Few films are as quotable as Forrest Gump. While the titular hero doesn't spend the entire runtime in his home state, it's as impossible to separate ol' Forrest from Alabama as it is to separate him from his box of chocolates.
See also: To Kill a Mockingbird
2Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger- Released: 1939
- Directed by: Victor Fleming
Few films are as tied to a state as The Wizard of Oz. While most of it takes place in Oz – or a dream, depending on your opinion – the movie focuses on Dorothy's quest to return to Kansas. There's no place like home, indeed.
See also: Superman
3Pennsylvania – Rocky
Rocky is maybe the most inspirational film ever made, one that won awards, spawned a franchise, and created a cinematic icon. If Philadelphia didn't love Rocky, they wouldn't have him permanently on those steps.
See also: Unbreakable, Signs, The Sixth Sense, The Deer Hunter
![Colorado – The Shining]()
4Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd- Released: 1980
- Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
The Overloook Hotel, surrounded by snow and mountains, is one of the most famous locations of all time. Its beauty is matched only by the horror of The Shining's plot. The masterpiece of dread is unlike any other, and features some of the most famous lines and moments in all of cinematic history.
See also: Red Dawn, Dumb and Dumber
![Maine – The Shawshank Redemption]()
5Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton![New York – The Godfather]()
6Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan- Released: 1972
- Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Honestly, New York is where all the good movies take place. Yet even with that surplus, The Godfather is special. What some consider the greatest film of all time is a showcase of everything fans about the movies.
See also: too many movies to list
