Movies with Models

[MichaelB]

Indeed...as a child, and watching this movie (and similar), I was always envious of these fine, large models that lurked in the background!
Michael

[Tone]

The TV series Antiques Roadshow featured a model plane from this movie. It was a natural metal, single prop, high wing, with "Barranca Airways" titles on the side and a French "F" registration on the wing. The fellow bought it for $150 and it was worth several thousand dollars, according to Noel Barrett.

I just caught some portions of a movie with Cary Grant, Only Angels Have Wings. In one scene, there was on an office desk what appears to be a Pastushin ashtray model of a DC-3 or even the DC-4E, it was hard to tell since it was in profile.

[Tone]

Has to be 1968 or later judging from the blue/red tail fins markings on the Goodyear blimp!

[dasimperator]

Has to be 1968 or later judging from the blue/red tail fins markings on the Goodyear blimp!

I have the issue and it was from 1964. Perhaps they got a preliminary model.

[grwebster]

Those models hanging from the ceiling at 21 in NYC were always fascinating to me. I started going there with my parents back in the 1950s.

Later, when I lived and worked in New York, 21 of one of several restaurants I often frequented, for drinks and or dinner. Still do win I am in NYC.

The models were given to the restaurant as momentos of a big business deal supposedly done during a meal. There were several hundred models of all kinds of things hung up. Several racing cars, big tractor trailer trucks, construction equipment, automobiles, big ship models, special sailboats, a Greyhound bus, and mock-up of products in large scale like Tide detergent, Pepsi Cola, Perfumes, etc.......

All the aircraft ones were special ones - not the then more common Topping. Among those that I recall vividly were a large scale 1/50 or bigger, Boeing Clipper 314 in Pan Am colors as Juan Tripe, the Pan Am founder was a frequent dinner guest and he presented the Clipper. There was a 1/40th apx Texan SNJ, a huge Concorde, a DC-3, and a F-102, too along with many travel agency sized aircraft. But there were early Convairs, lots of Boeings and Douglas items, and many others.

Most of all the models were well coated in nicotine as this former speak-easy was a smoking place since its origins as were all restaurants and bars of the period in NYC. They changed owners {Orient-Express bought it} a while back after the smoking bans, closed the place for like a year, repainted, carpeted, and cleaned up everything, including all the original models that were then rehung in their original place.

In the photo you see posted on this thread, that section of the restaurant was for the elite, famous - national politicians like Nixon, the Kennedys, Rockefeller, 'A' level Hollywood stars, Presidents of GE, GM, etc.... - that sort. It was to the front left as you entered. The waiter is making Crepes Suzettes, one of their flaming deserts popular in the 1950s-60s. There was never a bill presented as the clients all had private accounts automatically billed to to their firms.

A long bar was to the right. Back in those days I spent some time at that bar waiting for my guests to arrive and I had some unusual conversations with some surprisingly famous folks, including Hugh Carey the former Governor of NY State, who BTW I believe is having a meal at the center table nearer the blonde in the photo. I couldn't make this up, its quite true. The 'Governor' as he was called by everyone enjoyed a few drinks before dinner and was a nice guy. I was fresh out of the Army and didn't know who Hugh Carey, as he introduced himself, was until I asked the bartender later. Met him there many times. Solid Irishman. Nice drunk, too.

The middle section was for frequent clients, not the really rich nor the famous but most well known clients, and small business heads having private accounts like me. The third section was called 'Siberia' by the regulars and was mainly for the tourists. We would never even be asked to sit there. We would wait an hour or more for a table in the center section.

In 1970 their famous 21 burger was $25.00 as I recall, that would be like $55 today I imagine. Never had any fancy stuff served in the bar room, just solid American food, Hash, etc.

Anyway 21 was a businessmen's hang out and there were always lots on interesting people there. {Think Mad Men}

There was formal restaurant on the second floor, and private bars and private dining rooms on all the floors. The Winchester room was my favorite- it had a huge display on one wall of all the bullets they made. Huge wine seller in the basement.

If you go, wear a jacket, and say hi to the Maitre d' ,Mr Carivallo, for me! Perhaps not-He is probably retired by now anyway.

[Aeronaut]

Great insights GR!
Their website has a 360 degree photo that can be enlarged and "toured":
http://www.21club.com/web/onyc/bar_room.jsp

Many unusual models

[grwebster]

Thanks for the link, many more items are hanging today than there were 15-20 years ago and the place is sparkling clean.
Did see any of my favorite models but flying that 369 panorama was like trying to hover a huey blinded by dust.

[voodoo1200]

Don't forget "7 Days in May". Lots of missile moles on desks in the background.

http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c303/ ... oupcom.gif

[voodoo1200]

Toward The Unknown (1956)

[AntonioMartin]

In Catch me if you Can, Leo DiCaprio's character is shown opening boxes of incomplete 1/144 Pan Am Boeing 707 models so he can use the decals to stick it on checks which he later cashes.

Wayne's World actually shows someone flying a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 model across the camera many times.

And, not a movie, but on the George Lopez show, they show what definitely looks like a Delta Airlines Boeing 727 desktop model many times.