Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Goldie Hawn’s 1940s Bungalow in “Swing Shift”

by HOOKEDONHOUSES on JULY 5, 2010

Swing Shift movie poster Goldie Hawn

One of the questions I get asked a lot is whether the bungalow court from the movie “Swing Shift” is the same as the one from “Alvin & the Chipmunks.” I wasn’t sure, so I started researching it. I couldn’t find much information online about it, so I rented “Swing Shift” to see for myself.

Swing Shift-Christine Lahti's bungalow

My conclusion: they’re not the same. The bungalow court in “Alvin & the Chipmunks” was a little larger, with more houses and more space between them.

Swing Shift bungalow complex from street

A blogger named Julie who lived in a “Swing Shift” bungalow says:

My bungalow is one of seven built around a courtyard back in 1929, presumably for studio housing. In 1984, it was the location of the Johnathan Demme movie Swing Shift, where Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell say they met and fell in love. Right there on my front lawn.

The housing complex in “Alvin” is known as St. Andrews Bungalow Court, and it was built in 1919, 10 years earlier than these. Here’s what those bungalows look like:

Alvin and Chipmunks-neighborhood

You can see more photos of those bungalows here. Here’s a photo Julie posted of her charming “Swing Shift” porch on her blog:

Swing Shift bungalow today-Julie's photo

It looks like the porch has been altered a little since the movie was filmed in 1984. At the time she wrote the post in 2005, the bungalow was rent-controlled and she was paying only$835 a month for it. Sounds like a bargain to me.

bungalow courtyard from street

As the movie opens, Jack (Ed Harris) returns home from work, walking up to the bungalow he shares with his wife Kay (Goldie Hawn):

Bungalow exterior1

Their front porch is small but charming with the Adirondack chairs:

front porch-Adirondack chairs

Kay steps into the living room:

front door-living room

bungalow living room

front door-sofa and carpet

In this scene, when Ed Harris (Jack) sat down on the chair, he was wearing nothing but a towel and exposed more than he intended to. Oops. It made it to the theaters before anyone noticed it. Viewers saw plenty on the big screen, but it was cropped for the video version.

Goldie Hawn-Ed Harris-Swing Shift

Goldie Hawn-living room

Jack returns home from the war to discover that his wife has been cheating on him with her boss from work (Kurt Russell).

Ed Harris-dining rm table

Here she is with Lucky, who came home with her and borrowed one of her pink robes. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have been together since making this movie.

dining room-Goldie and Kurt

The Bedroom:

bungalow bedroom

In this scene we get a glimpse of the bathroom.

bungalow bedroom 2

Doesn’t Goldie Hawn look like her daughter, Kate Hudson, from that angle? Kate was only 5 when this movie was made.

bungalow bedroom-Kurt Russell

Kay’s Kitchen:

bungalow kitchen

Looking out toward the street from the courtyard:

view of street from bungalows

This is the kind of movie you watch more for the scenery–the sets and the 1940s fashions–than for the plot. I also enjoy the actors in it–especially Goldie Hawn and Christine Lahti’s characters, who strike up an unlikely friendship while working the swing shift.

Do you have a favorite Goldie Hawn film? I always get a kick out of “Private Benjamin,” but my favorite has to be “Housesitter” (I love that little yellow house!).

Visit my TV/Movie Houses page for more, from Hanging Up to Hope Floats. Or check out the bungalows from “Alvin & the Chipmunks.”

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