Best NYC Movies Set in 24-Hours

When you read a novel or watch a movie or any standalone story, the timespan it takes place across can vary: the story can take place over a few hours, a few days, a few weeks -- or a few years, decades, or centuries. 

It therefore takes a special skill to tell a story within one day -- 24 hours -- that has an engaging beginning, middle, and end. Obviously the goldstandard of a 24-hour story is James Joyce's 1922 legendary novel Ulysses, a tale of two down-on-their-luck Dubliners, whose lives intersect on June 16, 1904. 

Most movies that take place over 24-hours are action movies -- they're basically lengthy chases, one slambang sequence after another -- that only work narratively over a short period of time. Also, the movie usually has a hook that such and such a thing must be done before a specific time or else a bomb goes off. Non-action movies are harder to tell within 24-hours but some have tried.

Either way, this list of the best movies set over 24-hours is intriguing. 

There are a bunch NYC movies on this list that take place over 24-hours (or less), some of which I've either written about or reviewed over the years: Dog Day Afternoon, My Dinner With Andre, After Hours, Do The Right Thing, Night On Earth, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. 

A couple of other very good set-within-24 hours NYC movies that aren't on this but that I've also written about are New Year's Day and Vanya on 42nd Street. 

Of course NYC is the perfect place to set a story within 24-hours because there's so much to do, and it's so relatively easy to get around, that a lot can happen within a short period of time. I hope many such movies will be made in the future!

ECLIPSE!!!

EARTHQUAKE!!!

Mr NYC has full coverage of this minor-level event!

Year from now New Yorkers will tell where they were for the quake of '24.

Little Paris NYC

Certain parts of NYC become known as little satellites of other countries: Little Italy, the Chinatowns of Lower Manhattan & Sunset Park and Flushing, the Greek and Egyptian neighborhoods in Astoria, the Russian neighborhoods in Brighton Beach,  and others.

Now, apparently, in NoHo, there's also Little Paris. This area used to be heavily French in the day (much like Yorkville used to be heavily German) but this waned over the 20th century. Now there's been a rebirth of French businesses in the area and it's been official redubbed as Little Paris. 

Watch this to learn more:

The Unbuilt Monuments of New York City

MTA Commercials: 1970s to 1990s

Classic Mr NYC

A few years ago I did a short review of the 1989 movie Road House, a dopey flick about a bouncer from NYC who is hired to go out and work at a bar in Missouri. 

Originally played by the late Patrick Swayze, his character is expert at bringing calm and order to bars whose clientele spend all of their time beating each other up -- and, of course, there's also a greedy businessman villian and a hot chick who complicate his life.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, people like Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Vandam and some forgotten others were stars (briefly) since there seemed to be a huge appetite amongst audiences for movies where good big guys with muscles beat up bad big guys with muscles.

Lots of big guys with muscles beating each other up was huge box office back then.

Interestingly Patrick Swayze wasn't really one of these guys -- he was a geniunely talented actor better known as a dancer (thanks to Dirty Dancing) and "sensitive" man, but Road House was his contribution to the genre and, extremely dumb movie that it is, it was a huge hit.

Road House has just been remade with Jake Gyllenhaal, another very talented actor. I don't know, if this movie is successful, if it this will trigger another round of movies of big guys with muscles beating each other up -- the main draw for this movie is that apparently he spends most of his time with this shirt off so women should enjoy this.

I haven't seen it yet and I know if the main character originates from NYC like in the original but apparently, instead of Missouri, he heads out to the Florida Keys. But it's a reminder that movies about guys who from NYC who head into the wider world and get into crazy adventures in a great genre all its own. 

The Ceramic Arts of Mr NYC

I made these:

Not bad, right?

Remembering Fernando Wood, NYC's "Scoundrel" Mayor

Imagine a politician who built his wealth in real estate, was a racist demagogue who supported the Confederacy, incited a riot, married and fathered multiple children with multiple women, tried to undermine democracy and the law to make himself a dictator, and used his executive public office to enrich himself ...

Of course I'm talking about the mid-19th Century NYC Mayor Fernando Wood.

Born in Philadelphia in 1812, Wood migrated to NYC and worked as a laborer, got involved in Tammany Hall politics, and was eventually elected to Congress in 1840. After one term he left and got into real estate, accumulating a fortune but remaining involved in politics until he finally was elected mayor in 1854.

His administration was basically a giant shakedown and bribery operation but he did notch some significant achievements: rebuilding the city harbor, overseeing the approval and eventual creation of Central Park, and implementing the grid system. He also attempted to change the city charter to essentially make the city government the extension of one man – him – so he could act as a dictator. When he ran for re-election in 1856, he furloughed the police department and got a band of thugs to menace and beat up voters in order to get reelected. He was never prosecuted for this. 

Defeated for a third-term, Wood eventually got elected mayor again in 1860 – just as the Civil War was breaking out. He supported slavery and the Confederacy, and called for NYC to secede from New York State so it could keep trading with the south.

So did Fernando Wood ever face public disgrace or jail for his corruption and crimes?

Oh no. In 1862, he returned to Congress and opposed abolition. And he remained in Congress, becoming chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, until he died in 1881, a very wealthy man with a mansion on West 77th Street.

He also had three wives and fathered 16 children. The man was forever busy.

Today we live in an era of aspiring dictators and corrupt chief executives with a love of racism and violence and money. So while history has not been kind to Fernando Wood's memory, in some ways, he'd be right at home in our era.

But he's been condemned, at least, by popular culture: see the 2012 Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln and listen to the 2011 Bowery Boys episode.

In many ways, Fernando Wood makes later NYC mayors Jimmy Walker and Eric Adams look like pillars of virtue.

QC Spa on Governor's Island

Recently my lady and I visited the QC Spa on Governor's Island. It's REALLY NICE and REALLY EXPENSIVE but it's a great place for couples to go and luxuriate together in this lovely spot on one the city's odd but gorgeous islands. A few things:

1. As mentioned, it's EXPENSIVE. You might do this an a "stay-cation" activity instead of an out-of-town trip.

2. It's located in an old multi-story building and it's easy to get a bit lost in. Also, some of its more interesting rooms can be a little tricky to find so keep your eyes open and explore. 

3. Bring a bathing suit -- they provide a robe, slippers, and lots of towerls but not anything below the waist.

4. There is an amazing outdoor pool and jacuzzi complex right on the edge of the island where you can swim and relax in the water with the view of Lower Manhattan right in front of you. It's amazing!

5. Leave your phone at home! 

6. Finally, try to go during a weekday if you want some privacy. Despite its cost, this place is very popular and the weekends can be crowded.

7. If you spring for a massage, be prepared for one of the best massages you ever got.

Enjoy!