Fountain Pens In Movies And Tv

[jsonewald]

There is at least one used in "Cat's Meow", by Kirsten Dunst.

[beak]

Searched topic for TOPSY-TURVY (1999) but not there! D'oyly Carte hands Sir Arthur Sullivan a fountain pen; he stares at it not understanding (where's the ink!). DC explains "It's a fountain pen; it has it's own ink inside."

Edited January 14, 2011 by beak

[BikerBabeDK]

Quite a while ago, I was asked by a 'Film Prop Buyer' if I could supply a pen which could 'blot' on demand, I told her that I would give it some thought, and perhaps she could get back to me a while later.

She didn't do so, and I discovered a way of the pen 'blotting on demand', it turned out to be the advert for a car manufacturer, 'vore sprung dourke tecnik' [almost certainly the incorrect spelling!!!] but they avoided the actual blotting on demand.

Not much of a claim to fame!

Truffle Finder. :embarrassed_smile:

 

Allow me: "Vorsprung durch Technik". Progress through technology.

[HBlaine]

I see them every now and then in the various historical documentaries running on the History and Military Channels. My favorite to bemoan is this MB 146 (I swear it's the same pen) that always shows up entirely anachronistically. (Once in the hands of an actor portraying Bram Stoker, the other in the hands of an actor portraying Hermann Goering.)

 

There is apparently a set of interlocking English documentaries that reuse a rather well put together scene of an actor portraying Heinrich Himmler reading files at his desk. There is a non-descript FP/MP set in a pen tray on the desk that I can never identify. In the few scenes where the actor is shown writing, he's using what appears to be an "old style" (rounded cap) Pelikan 200. (The parts showing the FP/MP I usually see in the series "Hitler's Bodyguards", though I've seen these scenes reused in other series.)

 

I've seen another series (the title of which escapes me), also showing an actor portraying Himmler, writing with a black Pel 400. And, I remember some documentary on the Normandy campaign, that showed an actor portraying Rommel writing with a vintage looking pen that had a "click on" cap. (I brought this up ages ago on another forum, and someone suggested it might have been one of the Kaweco Dia remakes.) A similar scene (in some "final days of WWII" series) showed an actor playing Montgomery signing a letter to Eisenhower using a metal capped pen with a click on cap. (You could literally hear the "click!" as he recapped the pen.)

 

The anachronistic use of modern pens in these series always irks me. Yes, I know most people won't even notice, but... C'mon. One of the above series with the actor playing Himmler showed him dictating a letter. The typewriter being used was a period accurate model, compete with the double sig rune key. I mean, they'll go to the trouble to find THAT monstrosity, but can't find some collector willing to loan a beater Pel 100?

 

Though, I shouldn't complain... I remember one documentary showing a wartime American intelligence officer writing a report with a Sheaffer NoNonsense.........

Edited January 14, 2011 by HBlaine

[Leftytoo]

In the British TV serial "As Time Goes By", each episode begins with a woman writing a letter with a Conway Stewart, maybe a 100, judging by the steeply tapered cap.

 

In the Britcom "Keeping Up Appearances" each show begins with Hycinth addrsssing an envelop with a Parker pen (distinctive arrow clip).

 

Bob

[beak]

And Alan Bennett's 'A Lady of Letters' from the Talking Heads series; the lead gets into trouble for writing busy-body letters, and discusses her pen, another Parker I think.

[ReverendPen]

In the movie Rain Man, Rain Man always has a Sheaffer in his shirt pocket. Could be a RB / BP or pencil, but the white dot is clearly seen

 

The movie Doubt has many references to fountain pens vs the newly introduced ball point.

 

Also if I remember the last episode of 24 had a FP in it.

[Surnia]

Recently finished anime Soredemo Machi Wa Mawateiru, the final episode. She um.... "Modifies" a Montblanc her uncle gave her by sawing off the back end and superglued a magnifying glass to it... Probably a 149, since the episode references a 100,000 yen price tag...

Edited January 15, 2011 by Surnia

[gregamckinney]

While not in production, the original Perry Mason episodes can often be found on TV (tip: weekdays at noon on TV20 if you are in the San Jose area, or buy the seasons on DVD like I do. )

 

I love penspotting when watching Perry Mason.

Perry has a 2-pen desk set on his desk (has been a couple different models over the years/seasons: at least one Parker and one Sheaffer set.)

There is an episode where a woman seeks help from a doctor friend, who writes her a note with what appears to be an Esterbrook Dip-less pen/set.

There are several scenes at banks or in military offices where desk pens are seen.

 

I love that show- the pens are a bonus.

 

Regards, greg

[ravantra]

I just saw Inkheart with my kids. At the end of the movie a girl writes on her arm with a FP.

[beak]

If not spotted already, from DUPLICITY (recent feature with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen)...

 

Company CEO of a rival CEO;

"I mean who writes with a fountain pen any more! For Christ's sake - how frickin' pretentious is that!"

I think the pen in question is an MB?

Edited January 17, 2011 by beak

[sherlock_tomes]

In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Dr. Henry Jones (Sean Connery) is inside a German tank with a German soldier's arm wrapped around his neck as they fight. Connery reaches inside his jacket, pulls out a FP, reverses it, and manages to pull the filling lever with with his thumb, squirting the soldier in the eye with the effectiveness of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. This seems unlikely to me. When I pull the lever on my lever fillers, I get messy blobs, not malicious jets capable of shooting upward a couple of feet with precise aim.

 

It's difficult to see the fountain pen, but the end of it seems to form a perfect hemisphere.

[kwinana]

Fountain pens are not often seen in current TV and movies -- they were quite evident in the vintage flicks from the 20s and 30s.

Yesterday I was watching a MATLOCK rerun on Cable -- Episode "Ihe Accident" The killer was caught because he used a Fountain Pen

(with a flex nib) to sign a document and the victum had only received the pen hours before he was killed -- the document could only

have been signed by the killer with that pen because of its unique characteristics. Matlock remarked

-"this is a real fountain pen- I hear they are coming back"

 

A great movie, House of Games 1987 or so, Waterman Patrician, Man 100 I am not sure. Maybe someone can help. It had a screw on cap and was black with gold trim. It was a promoinent prop in the movie. Anyone remember and what pen was used?

[beak]

A great movie, House of Games 1987 or so, Waterman Patrician, Man 100 I am not sure. Maybe someone can help. It had a screw on cap and was black with gold trim. It was a promoinent prop in the movie. Anyone remember and what pen was used?

 

Just checked - surely a big modern Pelikan - M800 black (?)

[beak]

Woah - House of Games - they switch pens. Maybe she has several - not unknown to members! A little later they show her using a push-on cap pen, similar but a slightly different colour - though that could be the grading. Did / do Pelikan ever make push-ons?

[LouisA]

A great movie, House of Games 1987 or so, Waterman Patrician, Man 100 I am not sure. Maybe someone can help. It had a screw on cap and was black with gold trim. It was a promoinent prop in the movie. Anyone remember and what pen was used?

 

Just checked - surely a big modern Pelikan - M800 black (?)

 

Pelikan! Bite your tongue. I'll have you know that is a Waterman Le Man 100.

[beak]

A great movie, House of Games 1987 or so, Waterman Patrician, Man 100 I am not sure. Maybe someone can help. It had a screw on cap and was black with gold trim. It was a promoinent prop in the movie. Anyone remember and what pen was used?

 

Just checked - surely a big modern Pelikan - M800 black (?)

 

Pelikan! Bite your tongue. I'll have you know that is a Waterman Le Man 100.

 

I stand corrected (again). :embarrassed_smile: They do look very similar in the pic though, don't they?

[LouisA]

I just saw Inkheart with my kids. At the end of the movie a girl writes on her arm with a FP.

 

Saw that also. Very nice pen and nib. Sorta looked like a Nakaya Piccolo.

[Dutchpen]

i remember that i saw a modern jade duofold fountainpen in the movie Anne Frank (the Dutch girl from the 2nd world war). i remember thinking that it's a little cheap to use a duofold which was made after 1995 in a story from 1939-1945 !! original duofold's from that time are often for sale on ebay.

i thought that the original pen she used was a montblanc fountainpen which she got from her aunt.

 

but on the other side, ho notices this.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dutchpen]

see: take a look at 03:45http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH2HxdnUdWE