Archive through May 26 2009

[bob cook]

Came across a few other movies that feature recognizable or almost recognizable ships. Last night on TCM - The Princess Comes Across, 1936 - with Fred McMurray and Carole Lombard. The final scene shows the Normandie.

Mae West in her movie Goin' to Town, sails for Europe of the Olympic in the final scene.

Once Upon a Honeymoon, 1942, with Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant, final scene is a ship model, looking similar to the America, turning full circle in Mid Ocean to go back and look for Ginger Roger's Nazi husband, Walter Slezak.

Also, in a number of movies during the 40's and 50's, a generic ship was used, a two funnel ship in what looks like the colors of the Italian Line. Maybe the Rex or Conte Di Savoia.

Any ideas?

 

[Grant Carman]

Not sure if this one has been mentioned, but was marooned at the cottage for 2 weeks, and one day during a heavy rainstorm, saw an old Carole Lombard/Bing Crosby movie. At the end of the movie they show a liner with a big "M" on the funnels.

Are these Matson Line? Any idea which one?

 

[Bryan Ricks]

Didn't see this listed:

An aerial shot of the United states in the opening of West Side Story. The aged and unrestored film showed her decks as red

 

[Richard Glueck]

I caught West Side Story on a PBS broadcast where the color was still good. The big liner is seen almost full length from the sky view looking straight down. Her funnels are smoking too! It's such a short scene, yet for 1961 or 62, it says so much about the role of the piers in the daily life of Manhattan residents. I would guess that those furnaces never really shut down for any length of time, simply to keep the gasket packing hot and wet. Of course it allowed the ship to maintain it's own power as well.
Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Grant Carman]

Thought I'd revive this thread to ask a question. A couple of nights ago, watched the 1930's Bette Davis movie Now, Voyager. Was it done on a set, or was it on a ship. Some of the dining room chairs looked remarkably like chairs from the first class dining room on the Queen Mary.

 

[Russell Smith]

According to WIKI (always to be taken with a grain of salt) : "Principal photography was shifted to Warner's sound stage 18 and various locations around California including the
San Bernardino National Forest while European scenes were replaced by stock footage of the Caribbean"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now,_Voyager

 

[Joe Russo]

I just saw "Brideshead Revisited" and there is a digitally animated establishing shot of an Edwardian era ocean liner crossing the North Atlantic at night. It appears to be a mixture of several ships. It looks like the Berengaria at first glance because it has three slim Cunard funnels, but a closer look reveals the Titanic's superstructure and hull.
The sets of the interior shots on the ship are art deco. The scene takes place in the 1930's.

 

[Robert H. Gibbons]

If you google "TCM Trailers" you go to Turner Classic Movies and then go to the trailer "How to Marry A Millionaire" and there is a beautiful shot of a two-funneled French liner sailing across the screen in glorious CinemaScope. In the movie "The Cardinal" there is a two-funneled Italian liner (model) taking Rev. Fermoil and the Cardinal from Boston to Italy to vote for the new Pope. Back in the early 80s, this model was on the roof of the Variety Arts building in downtown LA. It was too long to go inside! Robert H. Gibbons

 

[Jason Schleisman]

Hi Robert, I think the ship in the trailer for "How To Marry A Millionaire" is the SS Liberté (previously the SS Europa). Just imagine ~ as her former German self, this ship had sunken once right after WWII, and THEN been raised for continued service with the French.

I wonder if anyone who ever sailed on her as the SS Liberté ever realized they were sailing on a previously sunken ship.

 

[Chad Goodwin]

The SS UNITED STATES on I LOVE LUCY
The QUEEN MARY in SABRINA

 

[Jim Kalafus]

>I wonder if anyone who ever sailed on her as the SS Liberté ever realized they were sailing on a previously sunken ship.

Gutted by fire pre-maiden voyage. Sunk 1946. Partially gutted by another fire pre-1950. Worst of all, served as a floating prop for a Jane Russell musical AND had a Hindenburg survivor die on its gangplank. If ever a vessel can be said to have been accursed.....

 

[Jim Kalafus]

>The SS UNITED STATES on I LOVE LUCY

Dude, that was either the Independence or the Constitution.

Jumping ahead to 1963.... the Independence (probably mortified) made a series of cameos in the first... ahem... American made "Nudie" film starring a sort-of-celebrity. Jayne Mansfield, just minutes way from the 50 pound weight gain that gave a walrus-like quality to her later "teaser" type of films, gave "The full monty" in her self-produced bedroom farce "Promises Promises." Set aboard the Independence, it was a rather thin film about two honeymooning couples who WANT to make a baby while on vacation but both husbands are sterile. HA! Funny concept, no?

Anyway, Miss Mansfield did her nude scenes in front of cameras for Playboy, which ran a multi-page spread on the making of the film.

The end result? Some good stock footage of the Independence. As for the rest: a 3 second clip of Miss Mansfield emerging from her cabin bathroom door topless. A 3 second clip Jayne, minus clothing, writhing on a bed while having an unpleasant dream. And despite what Playboy promised, a sheet strategically hid.... oh well, you get the picture. And the scene is lit in such a way that her C-section scar looks like the Grand Canyon.

With six seconds of film of a sort of big star nude, and publicity which promised THE dirty film of 1963, what were the producers to do? The two clips were used again and again and again. At least ten minutes of running time is eaten up by endless repetitions of those two clips. You'll scream O GOD, NOT AGAIN a half hour into the 90 minute running time.

The Independence looked a lot sleeker than the stars of the film. The stock footage of Indy is of more interest... even to non ship people.... than the infamous nude scenes.

 

[Rocky Whiteside]

It was the Constitution in i love lucy.

 

[Chad Goodwin]

sorry.....i am human and can make mistakes

 

[George L. Lorton]

quote:

sorry.....i am human and can make mistakes

As do we all!

If I had a penny for every mistake I made Id' be rich enough to buy the Constitution lock stock and barrel! To error is human!