Early Hollywood Product Placement

[Zut Alors]

We sometimes strain to recognise fountain pen brands/models in films or TV series. But imagine if one of the characters actually identified it for the viewer. It happened!

 

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.

 

Has anyone else experienced precise pen identification on film?

 

 

[kkshadow]

There's a scene in The Birds where Kim Novack, dressed to the nines and obviously very well off, whips out .... an .. Esterbrook "J". Not that there's anything wrong with the Esterbrook, but so out of character, and especially for Hitchcock and his eye for detail. I'm probably the only one in the audience who saw it, but for me, it was like, "Hey, someone get her a pen!" and a best boy or someone grabbed what he had in his pocket.

[tedd]

"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:" Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery) blinds a Nazi using a fountain pen to squirt ink into the goon's eye. Actually not sure what pen it was (Look at the forum here for what it may be.)

 

In "Grosse Point Blank," Martin Blank, (John Cusack) dispatches Felix LaPubelle (Benny Urquidez) using a pen he gets from an old high school friend.

 

Those are two movies off the top of my head that I can recall mentioning or showcasing a pen in some way.

[Zut Alors]

There are many films/TV series where fountain pens are used as props, mentioned in other forums on FPN.

 

But never before have I heard the specifics of a pen model stated - especially the nib type.

[penrivers]

There's a scene in The Birds where Kim Novack, dressed to the nines and obviously very well off, whips out .... an .. Esterbrook "J". Not that there's anything wrong with the Esterbrook, but so out of character, and especially for Hitchcock and his eye for detail. I'm probably the only one in the audience who saw it, but for me, it was like, "Hey, someone get her a pen!" and a best boy or someone grabbed what he had in his pocket.

Well, I remember Tipi Heidren in the Birds and la Novak in Vertigo both directed by Hitchcock but, perhaps I'm wrong, so many years.

Edited November 10, 2013 by penrivers

[kkshadow]

Well, I remember Tipi Heidren in the Birds and la Novak in Vertigo both directed by Hitchcock but, perhaps I'm wrong, so many years.

Oh, you are so correct. Tipi it was.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

There's a scene in The Birds where Kim Novack, dressed to the nines and obviously very well off, whips out .... an .. Esterbrook "J". Not that there's anything wrong with the Esterbrook, but so out of character, and especially for Hitchcock and his eye for detail. I'm probably the only one in the audience who saw it, but for me, it was like, "Hey, someone get her a pen!" and a best boy or someone grabbed what he had in his pocket.

 

Well, the Tippi Hedrin correction has already been made, but by the time of the filming of The Birds the Best Boy would most probably have had a ballpoint, if he had any pen at all.

 

It is, however, an interesting question of why the socialite would have a cheap fountain pen with her. Maybe the props department simply screwed up. Maybe there's a deeper meaning from Hitchcock in that small fact.