The film Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp as famed bank robber John Dillinger, was filmed on location in Columbus, Wisconsin in March of this year, some 25 miles from the city of Madison and 75 miles from Milwaukee. The city, population 4500, agreed to divert traffic to facilitate filming and the county road that served as the detour collapsed under the added load of traffic. The resulting repairs are more than chump change at $116,000 and remain a bone of contention.
The film company transformed the Columbus downtown area to resemble what it might have looked like in 1930 for the filming of several scenes including a bank robbery. They also transformed a local Craftsman era mansion into a brothel to shoot an assignation scene between Dillinger and his prostitute girlfriend.
Dodge County, left holding the bag so far for the spendy road repair, has filed a claim against the city of Columbus. Mayor Nancy Osterhaus said that talks are ongoing between city, county and NBC Universal to split the bill.
Public Enemies hits theaters on July 1, 2009. See photos and a movie trailer below.