Where Was The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter Filmed? A Highly Rated Classic Teen Drama!

You’ve probably seen numerous American teen drama films, but have you seen any classic teen dramas from the 60s? Well, if you have, then I’m sure one of them would be The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (1968). These days, most teen dramas are shot on school or college campuses, but not this particular movie. If you wish to find out the filming spots of this movie, then keep on reading. In this article, I’ll discuss the film and tell you where was The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter filmed. 

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter follows John, a deaf-mute, who moves to a new town to be close to his hospitalized friend. As long as he stays in the village, he helps everyone around him. The classic teen drama movie showcases legendary actors like Alan Arkin, Sondra Locke, Laurinda Barrett, Stacy Keach, and Chuck McCann. 

Arkin played the protagonist in the movie. He was an Oscar-winning actor who was also a filmmaker. He had a career that spanned over 70 years. He is considered to be one of the finest dramatic actors Hollywood has ever produced. 

Now let me quickly tell you where was The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter filmed. The classic teen drama movie was filmed in Selma, Alabama, United States of America.

From director Robert Ellis Miller and screenwriter Thomas C. Ryan, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter was released on 31st July 1968 in the United States. The teen drama movie arrived on digital platforms on 1st January 2009. It is a Warner Brothers production and was distributed by Warner Bros-Seven Arts. However, without keeping you waiting any longer, let’s dive into the details of the filming location.

Where Was The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter Filmed? Classic Teen Drama Filming Location!

Robert Ellis Miller’s The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter was a box office success during the late 60s and was nominated for two Academy Awards and received many other accolades, including Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards, Laurel Awards, and New York Film Critics Circle Awards. Renowned film critic Derek Winnert gave the movie four out of five stars, whereas The New York Times’ Renata Adler praised the entire cast, specifically Alan Arkin’s performance, calling it “extraordinary, deep and sound.” 

Miller was an influential filmmaker back in his time and had directed 22 films, most of which were successful and critically acclaimed. The classic teen drama movie received an excellent total score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 7.6 on IMDb. However, it’s about time to find out where The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter was filmed.

Selma, Alabama, United States Of America

The entire filming of the classic teen drama movie The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter took place in Selma, Alabama. Principal photography of the film began on 18th September 1967 and was wrapped up within six to eight weeks. 

All the scenes were filmed on location in and around the city of Selma, which falls under Dallas County. The Hotel Albert features in the movie quite a few times. First, when John Singer arrives in the new town, and second, when he has a meal on its terrace with Antonapoulus. 

Remember Kelly’s house, where John rents a room for which Margaret gets upset? All the scenes involving Kelly’s home were filmed at a house at 620 Mabry Street, Selma, Alabama. The opening scene of the movie was shot in the city of Marion.

A few scenes were filmed at the Wilby Theatre, which burned down in 1971 at 1103 Selma Avenue. The fair scenes in the movie were filmed at Bloch Park, situated at 108 Dallas Avenue. The climax of the classic teen drama movie occurred at Live Oak Cemetery, Selma, Alabama.

Plot Of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (1968) | A Tale Of A Deaf-Mute!

The story of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter revolves around the character of John Singer, played by Alan Arkin. John, a professional silver engraver, is a deaf mute who travels to a Southern American town to stay close to his best friend, Chuck, played by Spiros Antonapoulos, who is in hospital. Chuck is also mute but has a mental condition. John decides to be around him in case of an emergency.

John moves into Mr and Mrs Kelly’s house and rents a room. Soon, he comes across their teenage daughter Margaret, played by Sondra Locke. She is upset because she had to give up her room to John. While he tries his best to win her friendship, John meets the town drunkard, Jake, and makes him understand the value of life. Eventually, he makes many friends in the town and tries to help them in whatever way possible.

Final Words

Now that you know where was The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter filmed, I would suggest you check out the filming spots I mentioned. Most importantly, try not to miss the movie if you haven’t watched it yet. The classic teen drama film narrates a beautiful, heartfelt story. It is currently streaming on multiple digital platforms. And also, if you liked reading the article, let me know.