Lights, camera, action! Through the years, Big Bear Lake in Southern California has been a prime choice among film location scouts. The picture-perfect formations of the San Bernardino mountains call for the most amazing backgrounds, and several movies are proof of that stunning beauty.
Aside from Big Bear’s scenery, the city also has convenient spots to house the film crew and their equipment. It offers a number of fishing lodges and Big Bear cabin rentals—all capable of catering to large crews and production equipment. Check out five of the many classic movies filmed in Big Bear Lake!
Rocky Mountain Mystery (1935)
Rocky Mountain Mystery is a Western movie starring Randolph Scott, Charles Sale, and Mrs. Leslie Carter. The notable Big Bear locations found in this movie are the Doble stamp mill as well as other areas in the city. When you visit the city today, you will find that Doble has become a ghost town.
Gone With the Wind (1939)
Gone With the Wind stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, and Thomas Mitchell. The production team chose the Big Bear Lake location for the movie’s “shanty town” scene. Their historical advisor, Wilbur Kurtz, and production designer, William Cameron Menzies, both came to Big Bear to observe and supervise the construction of the venue.
Kissin’ Cousins (1964)
Kissin’ Cousins is a romantic comedy that stars Elvis Presley along with Arthur O’Connell and Glenda Farrell. Elvis Presley is an Army officer who returns to his town on a mission, only to find that he has a cousin who looks exactly like him. The notable Big Bear location in this movie is the Cedar Lake Mill.
Paint Your Wagon (1969)
Paint Your Wagon is a comedy musical starring Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg. The characters of Marvin and Eastwood are gold prospectors who somehow ended having the same wife. Several scenes of the movie were filmed at Holcomb Valley, Big Bear Lake.
The Girl in the Empty Grave (1977)
The Girl in the Empty Grave is a mystery TV movie that stars Andy Griffith, Jonathan Banks, and James Cromwell. The movie features different areas of Big Bear Lake, including the Women’s Club, the library, the Mobil Station, Pine Tree Park, Camp Juniper, and Baldwin Lake—among others.
You can rent a cabin in Big Bear if you want to visit and explore the locations of these famous classic films. If your family or squad is a composed of movie buffs like yourself, you can even bring everyone with you on your mini movie tour in the city!
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