SC movie trivia question (Spartanburg, Laurens: credit, houses, neighborhood)

[carolinadreamin]

Is there a movie buff here who knows exactly where the house is in the movie Sleeping with the Enemy?

I read someplace that the first house shown, a glass-walled beach house, was built especially for the film and is in NC but I'm wondering about the other, smaller house Julia Roberts moves to that's supposed to be Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The film credits say it was filmed in Spartanburg, Clinton, Abbeville and Wilmington, NC.

The small house is in an older-looking town where the neighboring houses all have porch swings and picket fences and very quaint-looking.

[moedog]

I think the house was in Abbeville. While filming there, Julia quite admirably made national news by protesting the fact that a local restaurant refused to serve a crew member who was black---I believe she was thrown out of the restaurant in the process. Abbeville is pretty well known as one of the most backward towns in the state. I've been there a few times and find it pretty creepy...

[groove1]

check www.imdb.com

[ComputerUser000]

Originally Posted by carolinadreamin

Is there a movie buff here who knows exactly where the house is in the movie Sleeping with the Enemy?

I read someplace that the first house shown, a glass-walled beach house, was built especially for the film and is in NC but I'm wondering about the other, smaller house Julia Roberts moves to that's supposed to be Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The film credits say it was filmed in Spartanburg, Clinton, Abbeville and Wilmington, NC.

The small house is in an older-looking town where the neighboring houses all have porch swings and picket fences and very quaint-looking.

Originally Posted by moedog

I think the house was in Abbeville. While filming there, Julia quite admirably made national news by protesting the fact that a local restaurant refused to serve a crew member who was black---I believe she was thrown out of the restaurant in the process. Abbeville is pretty well known as one of the most backward towns in the state. I've been there a few times and find it pretty creepy...

I manage Abbeville's AM station, 1590 WABV.. I've been in town since December 2006. For you to say it's backwards and creepy must've meant you had a bad expierience here.

i've met nothing but incredibly ncie people and am enjoying it ehre. It's quiet with a slower pace of life, but plenty of places to eat and such....

[carolinadreamin]

I can't quite say that Abbeville is "creepy" and would have to agree that anyone who says that must have had a bad experience.

When we visited in February we also met nothing but warm, friendly people quick to answer our questions and go out of their way to make us feel welcome. We were very impressed. The beautiful town square reminded me of many quaint squares in movies and on TV that no longer exist. My husband bought me a lovely little powder box in Mama's Antique store that I look at every day and think fondly of Abbeville.

What we did find sad about it is the obvious poverty and the impoverished appearance of the town outside the well-maintained historic town square. Also, we're not African American and were not refused service anywhere. If we were, we'd be saying something else right now. I would have been outraged if I were Julia Roberts too and had someone in my party treated that way.

Paul, I know that the town square and Opera House are used extensively in the movie so it's reasonable to think the house and neighborhood were in Abbeville too. Could you ask a few of the longtime locals and see if anyone knows if that's the case?

Thanks for chiming in.

Originally Posted by Computergeek2007

I manage Abbeville's AM station, 1590 WABV.. I've been in town since December 2006. For you to say it's backwards and creepy must've meant you had a bad expierience here.

i've met nothing but incredibly ncie people and am enjoying it ehre. It's quiet with a slower pace of life, but plenty of places to eat and such....

Paul Walker
www.walkerbroadcasting.com
www.wabv1590.com

[SClady]

I live 10 miles from Abbeville. I love to visit all the shops there. The people there are friendly and helpful. I don't believe there is a place in Abbeville that would refused to serve a black white red or green person. I think the only color they care about is green, as in dollars. The house they filmed the movie in is only a couple of blocks from the town square.

[Skyliner]

Originally Posted by Computergeek2007

I manage Abbeville's AM station, 1590 WABV.. I've been in town since December 2006. For you to say it's backwards and creepy must've meant you had a bad expierience here.

i've met nothing but incredibly ncie people and am enjoying it ehre. It's quiet with a slower pace of life, but plenty of places to eat and such....

Paul Walker
www.walkerbroadcasting.com
www.wabv1590.com

Abbeville is one of my favorite small towns in the entire state. It has a really rich history and a beautiful downtown square with old shops, restaurants, and an old opera house that is still in use today. I find it interesting that anyone would say it is "the most backward" town in the state, when it is such a lovely historical attraction. The town is also home to a highly-acclaimed Pennsylvania Dutch family restaurant called "Yoders." If you want to eat there, you can expect to wait outside for awhile, but the wait is definitely worth it. I have family in central PA and have visited Lancaster County many times. Yoders reminds me of one of the countless Amish and Mennonite family restaurants in that region.

[ComputerUser000]

Like I said before, I love Abbeville... I've made a few friends. One of them has been in-dipensable............. I wouldn't be doing as well if it weren't for his help.

I will check into the things that people in the post above me have asked....

People in Abbeville really do seem kind and caring... even the cable repair techs I've had come down here have been kind.

[ZooFuzz]

Originally Posted by carolinadreamin

Is there a movie buff here who knows exactly where the house is in the movie Sleeping with the Enemy? .

SC Locations
Part of the sequence in which Laura (Julia Roberts) learns to swim was shot in the swimming pool at Converse College in Spartanburg.


The scene in which Laura is on stage on a swing was shot at the Abbeville Opera House.


When Laura tries to run away to Iowa she passes a square while she's in a bus. The square is actually the City Square in Abbeville.


Part of the bus ride also passes through Laurens County. The "Welcome to Iowa" sign was filmed on Highway 221 South, just outside of the town of Waterloo. (This info was contributed by J. Scott Tollison of Laurens. He wrote, "It was quite a sight seeing that sign near the Rolling 'S' Golf Course. It caused many drivers to do double takes and review their directions.")


The bathroom in which Laura is seeking for clues was built in Abbeville by the film company.


The interiors of the house Laura moves to in Iowa were shot in Abbeville.


The parade that takes place in the town square in Iowa was filmed in Abbeville's City Square. To give the illusion of being in Iowa, the film company changed the license plates of the street cars to fake Iowa plates. They even built a pay phone on the street.

There is a possibility that the parade scene may have been shot during the annual Spring Festival held in Abbeville rather than being completely staged by the film company.

For more info check - Movies Filmed in South Carolina SC - Sleeping with the Enemy


Hope this helps. Z