Mr. Arkadin (1955)

aka Confidential Report
dir. Orson Welles

The Criterion Collection produced a DVD box set that includes a comprehensive re-edit that combines material taken from all the known versions of the film. Despite being assembled without the original director's participation, the Criterion version seems to be the most coherent and easy to follow of all the known versions. Given the kaleidoscopic nature of the film, and Welles' penchant to mix several different places in the same sequence, it's a daunting task to identify all of the filming locations. So far, this post only covers the Munich and Paris locations. The French Riviera and Spanish locations have yet to be investigated.

Guy Van Stratten (Robert Arden) visits Zouk (Akim Tamiroff) – Sebastianplatz 4, Munich, Germany

Van Stratten inquiring about Arkadin’s (Orson Welles) past in Paris – Rue Royal, Paris, France. The famous Maxim’s is on the left of the frame.

Van Stratten questioning another witness – Pont Alexandre III, Paris, France.

Van Stratten asking a concierge about Baroness von Nagel (Suzanne Flon) – Place des Vosges, Paris, France.

Van Stratten crossing the Place de la Concorde, Paris, France.

Van Stratten on his way to Arkadin’s hotel – Place Pigalle, Paris, France. The Hotel Royal Pigalle is now called Villa Royale.

Van Stratten talking to the two policemen who have been following him – Rindermarkt, Munich, Germany. The block has since been rebuilt, and it’s not possible to get a view of the Neue Rathaus (New Town Hall) from there.

The church behind the policeman – St. Peterskirche (St. Peter’s Church), Petersplatz 1, Munich, Germany. The church is the oldest in Munich, and its 90-meter high tower – nicknamed "Alter Peter" (Old Peter) – is one of the enduring symbols of the city.

Van Stratten rushing through the square – Am Kosttor, Munich, Germany. The fountain in the center of the square is called Wolfsbrunnen or Rotkäppchenbrunnen and is topped by a bronze sculpture of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.

Van Stratten is nearly run over by Arkadin’s car – Platzl, Munich, Germany. The famous Hofbräuhaus is in the background. The three-floor beer hall dating back to the 16th century is featured more prominently in Dario Argento's Suspiria.

The restaurant where Van Stratten gets goose liver for Zouk – Still searching for this location

Van Stratten's hotel – ORAG-Haus, Oberanger 9, Munich, Germany.

Arkadin’s car rushes past Van Stratten – Weinstraße at Schäfflerstraße, Munich, Germany.

Van Stratten takes refuge in a church but Arkadin finds him there – Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Trinity Church), Pacellistraße 6, Munich, Germany. This was the only church in the center of Munich which had been spared from destruction by bombs during World War II.

See also...

The Third Man

Othello

Mayerling (1968)

dir. Terence Young

The student riot – Hofburg, In der Burg, Vienna, Austria. The building on the right is the Reichskanzleitrakt (Imperial Chancellory Wing). The monument in the center is the Kaiser Franz I Denkmal (Emperor Franz I monument).

The emperor Franz Joseph I (James Mason) looking at the riot from the Imperial Chancellory Wing – Hofburg, In der Burg, Vienna, Austria. The Emperor actually lived in this wing, and Young and his crew were allowed to film inside the imperial apartments.

Crown Prince Rudolf (Omar Sharif) arriving at the palace – Swiss Gate, Hofburg, In der Burg, Vienna, Austria. The gate is the entrance to the oldest part of the palace, Schweizerhof (Swiss Court).

Secret police agents watching Rudolf and Count Hoyos (Ivan Desny) arrive at a party – Still searching for this location

Rudolf and Hoyos riding a carriage after the party – Still searching for this location

Rudolf arrives in the palace to meet with his mother, Empress Elisabeth (Ava Gardner) – Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, Vienna, Austria. He is then greeted by a courtier at the south side of the palace. This was the imperial summer residence and is now a popular tourist attraction.

The arrival of Edward, the Prince of Wales (James Robertson Justice) – Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, Julius-Tandler-Platz, Vienna, Austria. The current terminal was built in 1978.

Empress Elisabeth riding – Spanish Riding School, Michaelerplatz 1, Vienna, Austria.

Baroness Maria Vetsera's (Catherine Deneuve) family estate – Musée Jacquemart-André, 158 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, France

Maria visits Rudolf – Hofburg Passage, Vienna, Austria

The Emperor’s escort leaving the church – Karlskirche, Kreuzherrengasse 1, Vienna, Austria.

Someone shoots at the Emperor from the foot of an equestrian statue – Still searching for this location but this looks like a studio set since I was unable to find any similar statue in Vienna.

The Emperor's escort stops in front of the palace – Naturhistorisches Museum (Museum of Natural History), Maria-Theresien-Platz, Vienna, Austria.

Rudolf visits his cousin, Countess Larisch (Geneviève Page) – Palais Schwarzenberg, Schwarzenbergplatz, Vienna, Austria. It is owned by the aristocratic Schwarzenberg family. Parts of it are a posh hotel, and the building is also used for various events and occasionally for filming. The James Bond movie The Living Daylights was shot there, and a scene in Before Sunrise was filmed in the palace garden.

Rudolf meets with Maria near a skating rink – Still searching for this location

Rudolf accompanies the Emperor to military inspection – Blauer Hof, Laxenburg, Austria. Laxenburg was a summer residence, along with Schönbrunn palace (see above), for the Austrian imperial dynasty. Blauer Hof was the birthplace of some members of the royal family, including Rudolf.

Maria is sent to Venice by her family – Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy.

Rudolf meets with Maria at a railway station – Franz-Josefs-Bahnhof, Julius-Tandler-Platz, Vienna, Austria.

Rudolf hunting with Prince Edward – Mayerling, Austria.

Count Hoyos tries to convince Rudolf to join the Hungarian conspirators – Schönbrunn Palace, Schönbrunner Schloßstraße 47, Vienna, Austria. They meet at the north side of the palace.

View of the hunting lodge where Rudolf and Maria meet their demise – This is apparently a studio mock-up since the actual lodge was turned into a convent after Rudolf's death and no longer looks the same. A neoclassical church was built there with the altar positioned directly over the spot where Rudolph and Maria were found dead.

See also...

A Room with a View

The Wings of the Dove