Key West Lighthouse in Key West, Florida, stands across the street from the Ernest Hemingway Home and is one of the city’s most recognisable historic landmarks. The lighthouse was established in the 19th century to help ships navigate the reefs and waters around the Florida Keys, and today it operates as a museum. Its white tower, keeper’s quarters and position on Whitehead Street make it part of the same historic Key West streetscape as the Hemingway House, which is why the two locations are often connected in film-location discussions.
The lighthouse is most closely connected to “Licence to Kill” (1989), where it appears during the Key West section of the James Bond film. The film uses several locations around the city, including the Ernest Hemingway Home, St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, Mallory Square and other Key West landmarks. Key West Lighthouse is not used as heavily as the Hemingway House, but it is visible in the same sequence and works as part of the security setup around Bond’s confrontation with M.
In “Licence to Kill” (1989), James Bond is brought to the Ernest Hemingway Home after going rogue in pursuit of Franz Sanchez. During the scene, an armed guard is positioned by Key West Lighthouse across the street, watching the area while M strips Bond of his licence to kill. The lighthouse can be seen from the Hemingway House side of Whitehead Street, making it part of the geography of the scene even though the main dialogue takes place at the Hemingway property. It is a small but recognisable Key West detail in one of the film’s most important turning points, where Bond breaks away from official orders and continues his vendetta on his own.
Licence to Kill
Licence to Kill was shot entirely outside the United Kingdom, making it the first Bond film not to use Britain for principal photography.
The Ernest Hemingway Home
The Ernest Hemingway Home has appeared in films including "Licence to Kill" (1989) and "The Leisure Seeker" (2017).
The Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea
The Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea is best known to film fans from Licence to Kill, where it appears during the opening section of the James Bond film.
The Moorings Village
The Moorings Village is best known as the Rayburn family inn in "Bloodline" (2015–2017). The Netflix series was filmed largely in the Upper Florida Keys.
Caribbean Club
Caribbean Club is best known for its connection to "Key Largo" (1948). Decades later, the bar also appeared in "Bloodline" (2015–2017).
CVS Miama Beach
In Scarface (1983), 728 Ocean Drive is used for the Sun Ray Apartments, now a CVS, where Tony Montana and Manny Ribera go to make a drug deal.
Colony Hotel
Colony Hotel has appeared in productions including Miami Rhapsody, Dexter and Bad Boys for Life. It is also strongly connected to the Scarface.
The Carlyle
The Carlyle has appeared in several productions, including Scarface (1983), Miami Vice, The Birdcage, Pronto, Random Hearts and Bad Boys II.
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Fontainebleau Miami Beach appears in Goldfinger (1964), Scarface (1983), The Bodyguard (1992), Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988), and many more.
Swifty Laundromat
In Striptease, Swifty Laundromat is used for one of the scenes showing Erin Grant’s everyday life away from the club world that dominates much of the film.
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