In the quiet, fog-draped corners of Humboldt County, California, far from the glittering chaos of Hollywood, an unlikely phenomenon has taken root. A modest grocery store, the kind of unassuming place where locals grab their morning coffee and evening essentials, has been thrust into the spotlight, becoming a bona fide tourist destination. The cause of this commotion isn’t a celebrity sighting or a culinary sensation, but a piece of cinematic history. Murphy’s Market in the small town of Cutten has found itself on the map for movie buffs and curious travelers alike, all drawn by its unexpected cameo in one of the most talked-about films of the year. The film in question is Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” and its star, Leonardo DiCaprio, has inadvertently turned this humble supermarket into a pilgrimage site for his most devoted fans, who are eager to walk in his footsteps and relive a moment of cinematic magic.
The specific scene that has captured the public’s imagination is a masterclass in chaotic, comedic desperation. DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a washed-up revolutionary on a frantic mission to find his missing daughter. Clad in a bathrobe, beanie, and oversized sunglasses, his character stumbles into the market and commandeers a pay phone to call an old ally for help. What begins as a simple phone call quickly devolves into a spectacular meltdown as he forgets the password needed to patch through. The sequence, a whirlwind of shouting, pacing, and frantic energy, went viral, with audiences both laughing at and empathizing with his character’s absurd predicament. The pay phone itself became an unlikely star, a silent prop in a scene that perfectly encapsulated the film’s blend of humor and desperation. Fans were immediately smitten, and the idea of standing in that very spot, touching that very phone, became a coveted experience.
However, reality, as it so often does, has proven to be a far less glamorous companion to the silver screen. The steady stream of fans arriving at Murphy’s Market is met with a disheartening discovery: the iconic telephone is gone. It was never really there to begin with, at least not in a permanent sense. The phone, it turns out, was a movie prop, a piece of set dressing brought in for the shoot and whisked away when the cameras stopped rolling. In its place stands a mundane, utilitarian water refill machine. Five-year employee Ciara Vest has become the unofficial bearer of this disappointing news, fielding the same question countless times from hopeful visitors. “They ask about it all the time,” she told SFGATE, “And I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s not real. Well, it’s real. It’s somewhere. But it’s not here.'” The letdown is palpable, yet the tourists persist, often taking photos with the water dispenser as a quirky consolation prize.
The employees at Murphy’s Market have become accidental tour guides, chronicling the bizarre pilgrimage of DiCaprio’s fans. Jennifer Sherman, another staff member, describes a scene of constant reenactments, with people storming the aisles to mimic DiCaprio’s panicked sprint through the store. They even swarm the checkout counters to purchase cheap sunglasses, hoping to replicate Leo’s disguise. The fascination extends to the most unexpected of places, with the public restroom gaining a strange notoriety. “It’s got the same seat they put in for the movie,” Sherman noted, revealing that even the store’s porcelain throne has become a point of interest for the most devoted fans. On one memorable occasion, a group of enthusiasts took their dedication to the next level, stopping traffic in the parking lot to film their own homage to the scene. The line between spectator and participant has blurred, transforming the everyday grocery errand into an immersive, if slightly surreal, experience.
Looking back, the employees recall the filming itself as a chaotic, exciting spectacle. In 2024, the production descended on their quiet town, and the atmosphere was electric. Around 80 onlookers lined up across the street, eager for a glimpse of DiCaprio fully immersed in his character. The crew shot the scene over a hundred times, a repetitive process that could have been tedious but instead offered a fascinating insight into the craft of filmmaking. “We watched them do it over a hundred times, I swear,” Vest told the outlet. “But it makes you appreciate the process.” The experience has fostered a sense of pride and connection to the film, transforming a mundane workplace into a piece of cinematic lore. For the employees, it’s been a source of delight to see people react with recognition, saying, “‘Oh, I go there. I shop there all the time.'” The town of Cutten has been put on the map, not for its redwoods or coastline, but for its fifteen minutes of Hollywood fame.
The town of Cutten itself is a character in this story, a place where the quiet rhythms of daily life have been momentarily disrupted by a wave of cinematic tourism. The store, once a symbol of local routine, has become a stage where the boundaries between fiction and reality are delightfully blurred. The “One Battle After Another” phenomenon has turned this corner of Humboldt County into a talking point, a destination for those who appreciate the weird and wonderful intersections of pop culture and everyday life. It’s a testament to the power of film to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, to make a simple grocery store in a small town feel like the center of the universe, even if just for a moment. The story of Murphy’s Market is a heartwarming reminder that magic can be found in the most unexpected places, and that sometimes, a movie can bring a community together in the most unexpected ways.
Looking toward the future, there’s a glimmer of hope for the disappointed fans. The store’s employees have been discussing the possibility of commissioning a mock telephone, a replica that would be perfect for photo ops and would allow visitors to finally capture that iconic shot. It’s a simple idea, but one that could cement the store’s place as a permanent, quirky landmark. “I think it could probably bring more customers,” Vest said, a practical consideration for what has become an unintentional tourist attraction. The potential installation of a prop phone would be a charming concession to the film’s legacy, a way to honor the magic of the movies while also embracing the lighthearted fun of it all. It would transform the store from a place where a scene was shot into a place that actively participates in its own mythology, welcoming fans to step into the story and create their own memories. The story of Murphy’s Market is far from over, and its next chapter promises to be just as quirky and endearing as the last.
