
Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, Montreal, Canada

Rue Saint-Paul leading to the Bonsecours Market, Montreal
Montreal City Hall (275 rue Notre-Dame Est, Montreal; 514-872-0077): Old Montreal’s grand, 19th-century City Hall strikes an imposing presence, which is one reason why Martin Scorsese chose it to play a courthouse where an increasingly unstable Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) in 2004’s ‘The Aviator‘. The building is designated as a National Historic Place of Canada and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free group tours are offered daily from in English, provided you schedule in advance. To get there take the metro to the Champ-de-Mars station.
Rue Saint-Paul: With its cobblestones and old-world charm, this historic street in Old Montreal stood in for Moscow in ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button‘ — after a little snow was added, of course. To see it for yourself head to Bonsecours Market at 350 Rue Saint-Paul Est. (514-872-7730). There you’ll find art galleries, boutiques and cafes that rival Paris. In the film you may not recognize the market; its signature silver dome was changed to become “more Russian”.
Place d’Youville: Another Old Montreal (or as the French-Canadians say, Vieux-Montréal) landmark remade for the big screen, the Place d’Youville is a popular public square which runs from the Place Royale to McGill Street. In 2002’s ‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind‘ the square stood in for Berlin, complete with a recreated section of the Berlin Wall. You won’t see the square’s famous obelisk in the film, though; it was transformed into an observation tower.
images via iStock.