The people of Catalonia are lining the Ramblas thoroughfare in capital Barcelona to catch a glimpse of a blonde starlet and a man in a green fishing hat shouting "action!"

Director Woody Allen has promised his new movie - starring current muse Scarlett Johansson - will be a "love letter to Barcelona, and from Barcelona to the world" in the same way Manhattan was to New York.

But Barcelona's people are not so keen to be helping foot the bill for the movie.