Fountain Pens In Movies And Tv

[halpen9950]

Has anyone chronicled the pens on Boardwalk Empire. Several great ones, Parkers and several others.

I heard rumors the Tom Hanks is a collector. Any body have more info. I've loved being on the site.

I'm glad I joined

[OnePenGuy]

...and not only a pen in a show, but one that is commented one AND a plot point! Wheeee!!!

 

So, here's a vidcap (which isn't the best) as well, fwiw (& I'll see if I can find a better way to cache it when I get the chance): http://j.mp/AgentCoulsonKnowsHisPens Elsewhere, it was mentioned that he wasn't being truthful when he said he couldn't afford the pens. Was that the intent? I think I missed that detail...

 

 

Also, has anyone recognized the pen that Tony Stark was using (or over there)? Just curious.

[Vendome]

The final 4 episodes of Poriot had an abundance of period fountain pens on screen.

[Zut Alors]

I was watching a black/white film from 1931, "Friends and Lovers", where Erich von Stroheim's character was blackmailing Adolphe Menjou's to the tune of five thousand pounds. Von Stroheim handed Menjou a bank cheque then proffered a pen with the words:

"Extra stub, number seven - the kind you like."

I could scarcely believe my ears. I'm guessing it was a Waterman's with a broad ("extra") stub. Due to the black/white era it wasn't possible to confirm it as a red ripple but the chances are high.

[Runnin_Ute]

It was Judy Dench, not Helen Mirren.

 

Paul

Beat me to it. Thanks.

[maus930]

Last night, 12/4/2013, on the premier episode of "Mob City" on TV -- a mini series about Mob violence in LA in the late 40's

A detective is shown sitting in his car on stakeout making notes using a Parker 51

[inkstainedruth]

Re: Agents of Shield -- I thought that Agent Coulsen called it a "Waterford 44". Which as a model doesn't exist, but I was just looking up Waterfords online (after having just gotten around to seeing the episode in question) and a few models are a bit pricy (equivalent in price to some Pelikans).

Re: Mob City -- there was a story about the show in the TV section of this past Sunday's Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and I had wondered what pens would turn up.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[JotterAddict62]

I just watch the film Key Largo with Bogart and Bacall. One scene where the one young hood was laughing while reading a magazine one of the other hoods asked him why he was laughing. He replied with the reading of the cartoon joke he was reading. Goes something like this: Two cons in prison and one con tries to sell the other a fountain pen saying that the pen was guaranteed for life. Get it life, the cons were in for life.

[Harlequin]

I just watched Casablanca last night and of course there were many shots of pens being used. At least one dip pen as well. But none were clear enough to actually identify ~_~.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

In the wee hours of this morning the wife and I watched Where the Sidewalk Ends a pretty nice film noir from 1950.

 

Towards the end of the movie Dana Andrews, as sketchy detective Mark Dixon, writes a multi-page letter. I couldn't see the pen all that clearly, and the pen is just about always moving, but I think it was a Sheaffer Triumph. It would have been a quite ordinary thing to see someone writing with in those days.

 

[gentlyom]

I'm not sure of the pen maker, but Hannibal uses a dip pen to write to Clarice in the movie Hannibal.

Yes, I think he used a dipped pen with still nib. Ridley Scott did a terrific job showcasing the medieval beauty of Florence, I especially like the color he used in the film, very elegant. I also liked the sound track made by Hans Zimmer. Together, they made a thriller more like an opera aria (except the bloody part). Below is the link of Hannible writing to Clarice.

 

[carlos.q]

Last night, 12/4/2013, on the premier episode of "Mob City" on TV -- a mini series about Mob violence in LA in the late 40's

A detective is shown sitting in his car on stakeout making notes using a Parker 51

A Parker 51 is also used during the opening credits as one of the characters writes a note in a matchbook.

[inkstainedruth]

My husband and I were over at a friend's house this afternoon, watching the most recent Marvel Comics _Wolverine_ movie on (I think) PPV. There's a scene towards the end of the movie when a mutant named Viper stabs someone in the neck with a fountain pen. Given that the scene takes place in the home of his late father, a wealthy industrialist who believes in "traditional" Japanese culture and values, I'm presuming it's some Japanese brand (I think it was maybe a desk pen, but didn't have the tapered barrel I think of with most desk pens -- the end of it was flat). There was some sort of logo on the end of the barrel, but I didn't get a good look at it. The pen was black and the design on the back of the barrel lighter in color, like it was engraved. The pen *did* seem to have a relatively large nib on it ("standard" looking nib -- not hooded, not triumph-style).

Anyone out there with better eyes (and a better knowledge of company logos) than me? Or have the ability to watch the pen and freeze-frame on that one image of the logo?

Thanks in advance (my friend was like "Oh, of course she wants to look at the *pen*...").

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[2GreyCats]

I've seen a recent commercial with a woman writing a letter using a fountain pen, where the camera is actually on her writing with it for several seconds. Of course, I can't remember what product or company the ad is for. Drat.

[MarcS]

In "Saving Mr. Banks", a recent Disney release, a contract is prominently signed with a black fp that looks a lot like the burgundy fp lovementos cites earlier in this discussion. Another Tom Hanks movie: coincidence? The same character had already been seen taking notes with a bp, so plot and setting did not dictate fp use.

[carlos.q]

I've seen a recent commercial with a woman writing a letter using a fountain pen, where the camera is actually on her writing with it for several seconds. Of course, I can't remember what product or company the ad is for. Drat.

Maybe it's the Edible Arrangements ad:

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/75xD/edible-arrangements-when-words-fail-send-the-best-gift-ever

[UncleNick]

My husband and I were over at a friend's house this afternoon, watching the most recent Marvel Comics _Wolverine_ movie on (I think) PPV. There's a scene towards the end of the movie when a mutant named Viper stabs someone in the neck with a fountain pen. Given that the scene takes place in the home of his late father, a wealthy industrialist who believes in "traditional" Japanese culture and values, I'm presuming it's some Japanese brand (I think it was maybe a desk pen, but didn't have the tapered barrel I think of with most desk pens -- the end of it was flat). There was some sort of logo on the end of the barrel, but I didn't get a good look at it. The pen was black and the design on the back of the barrel lighter in color, like it was engraved. The pen *did* seem to have a relatively large nib on it ("standard" looking nib -- not hooded, not triumph-style).

Anyone out there with better eyes (and a better knowledge of company logos) than me? Or have the ability to watch the pen and freeze-frame on that one image of the logo?

Thanks in advance (my friend was like "Oh, of course she wants to look at the *pen*...").

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I'm pretty sure it was a Sailor Pro Gear. The interesting thing to me was that it appears that it was used as a desk pen in an Esterbrook ball shaped holder. I've been looking for a modern desk pen. if i could have a modern pen in a near matching vintage holder I would be happy.

[fsasya]

Re: Agents of Shield -- I thought that Agent Coulsen called it a "Waterford 44". Which as a model doesn't exist, but I was just looking up Waterfords online (after having just gotten around to seeing the episode in question) and a few models are a bit pricy (equivalent in price to some Pelikans).

Re: Mob City -- there was a story about the show in the TV section of this past Sunday's Pittsburgh Post Gazette, and I had wondered what pens would turn up.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Re: Re: Agents of Shield: I haven't checked a video capture yet but from two viewings of the scene, I thought it was a Levenger True Writer, a very nice $79 pen.

Edited January 15, 2014 by fsasya

[irrigger]

If you watch episodes of The Munsters, you can see several examples of era desk sets and pocket pens. Basically common place items for the early 60's.

[dooooooor]

Yesterday I watched the German film Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel, 1930) and lo and behold the main character is a teacher and he and his students all use dip pens. I was particularly intrigued because it looked like the inkwells were built into the desk, which was pretty cool. Or there might've just been a compartment in the desk that holds an inkwell and the pen, but that isn't as cool.