Opening scene: Martin Steckert (Richard Harris) being interviewed by the prison shrink, Dr. Mennen (Linday Wagner).
Just denied for parole, Steckert grips the bars with his bloody knuckles after punching the walls. Brewer (John Ireland) sympathizes.
The escape plan: “I’ll light my arm on fire!”
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Oh wow! Here it is!
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Here’s the jail in the movie.
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The jail where Martin Steckert was housed!
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This is Toronto’s “Don Jail.”
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It was originally opened in 1864!
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It was closed in 1977.
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Here’s the new wing.
Attention to Detail
I was also extremely interested in what had changed (physically) over the years, and what has stayed the same…specifically, what had stood the test of time at these filming locations? For example, the scene at the jail where Steckert peers out the window to see Brewer boarding the street car: What exactly on this street had remained the same…and what had changed? Would the burger joint still be there? I admit, this is all super nerdy and over-the-borderline obsessive. But it’s also fun. So I took a walk down to the exact location where Brewer boarded the streetcar, to compare Gerrard Street East 1984 to 2005. A lot sure had changed, to the point it was almost unrecognizable. Check out the photo gallery here:
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The view from Martin’s cell!
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And this is the exact place Brewer got on the streetcar when he left the jail…
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I’m standing at the exact spot!
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The pole is still here, although the restaurant across the street has since left.
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I’d recognize that pole anywhere!
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Getting on the car, just like Brewer.
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“See you at the lake, Steck!”
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Brewer, leaving on the streetcar…same spot!
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Here’s the location on Google Maps.
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Close-up.
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Today, the location is home to a Tim Horton’s.
As you can see from the photo album above, the neighborhood looked completely different in 2005. What was a hamburger diner during the movie filming in 1984, was a coffee shop during my visit in 2005, and today, a Tim Horton’s. I wonder how many different restaurants and shops have lived on this lot since Martin’s Day. And why am I so obsessed with all of this?!
Don Jail Today
While doing my research for this new Martin’s Day website, I was elated to discover that they now offer self-guided tours of the old jail. So cool! Looks like a trip back to Toronto is in order soon! Here’s a very interesting video detailing the history of Don Jail:
Cocktail
Another fun fact about the jail where Martin Steckert was held: It was the same jail used for this famous scene in the 1988 blockbuster Cocktail with Tom Cruise!
We also were able to locate another downtown scene from the movie that day–not as cool as the jail, but a smaller scene–a plaza Dr. Mennen passes while in a street car. Not a huge deal, but still a part of the movie that was neat to see in person.
Finally, here are the scenes from Martin Day’s at Don Jail:
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My 2022 trip to Don Jail
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My 2022 trip to Don Jail
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My 2022 trip to Don Jail
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My 2022 trip to Don Jail
See more about Don Jail here:
- Wikipedia article
- National Post article
- Rare photos inside Don Jail
- Ghost stories from Don Jail
- Don Jail tour info
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