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Help me identify this film from the John Lewis advert?

698 replies

BOFster · 07/11/2014 19:29

It's driving me crazy Grin

Here's a link to the John Lewis advert- take a look at the old movie showing on the television at 1 minute in, please.

Everybody thinks it's from It's A Wonderful Life, the embrace you can see at 3:21 in this clip:

But it really really isn't.

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BOFster · 10/11/2014 17:50

Ah, sorry Blush

This whole business has really taken it out of me Grin

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BorderBinLiner · 10/11/2014 17:50

Hurrah!

hackmum · 10/11/2014 17:49

This thread has been a pure delight from beginning to end. And particularly the bathetic conclusion: Born to speed. I mean, who on earth came up with that as a name for a film?

BOFster · 10/11/2014 17:49

SirNoel Shock

That merits some kind of award, really.

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ArsenicSoup · 10/11/2014 17:44
Grin
SirNoel · 10/11/2014 17:42

I've actually seen Born To Speed!!!!

I'm kidding, no one's ever seen Born To Speed Grin

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 10/11/2014 17:42

BOF just think of all the different clips they would have had to choose from if only they had hired the crack team of MN film buffs to do the job!

enriquetheringbearinglizard · 10/11/2014 17:32

Oh good gracious. A result Grin We'd never have found it on our own despite all the work.

Lovely thread though Thanks

Coumarin · 10/11/2014 17:20

Grin I want a personal copy sent to me by them. Next day delivery preferably.

ArsenicSoup · 10/11/2014 17:19

Just not cricket coumarin. Email them.

Coumarin · 10/11/2014 17:15

The story of Vernon and Irene Castle is still there don't worry.

Top Hat had the 'last chance' banner on it when I started watching. Came back after pausing and it said 'no longer available' Confused It's now gone.

BOFster · 10/11/2014 17:11

"Now get cracking" Grin

I think we could all make a good stab at that job after this thread Grin

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Coumarin · 10/11/2014 17:11

I have many Rhino moments Bof

I don't even have kids.

ArsenicSoup · 10/11/2014 17:10

(Have they taken them all down? Inclusing Vernon and Irene thingamy Bob? I hadn't got to that yet - was being well behaved and watching in order with NO SKIPPING DD has never seen tha one)

I didn't know they could take them down mid-watch. That makes it all rather exciting and russian roulette

Coumarin · 10/11/2014 17:09

Aww

Help me identify this film from the John Lewis advert?
HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 10/11/2014 17:09

Now as for why THAT scene from THAT film (Born to Speed, I mean come on, really), can I just repeat my theory I posted ^ up there on Friday?

I just imagine some poor intern at the ad agency JL use:

"We need that kissing scene from IAWL. But not that scene itself. One with a better close up. And lose the kid. But the actress has to look like Donna Reed. But less famous. We only have 3.89 to pay for the rights. Now get cracking".

Visions of some poor film student poring over thousands of hours of B list movies, late into the night, getting a cricked neck and blurred vision as she views 3,000 hours of old grainy films...

Grin

Although I do love Petula's theory, it's much nicer.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 10/11/2014 17:08

Thank god for that. I was getting a bit worried this might be the one question MN wouldn't be able to answer.

Not sure I'll be watching the whole film though.

BOFster · 10/11/2014 17:07

I think we can all identify with Mama Rogers on occasion. You know, the rhinoceros Grin.

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Coumarin · 10/11/2014 17:05

Although it does make for good stills.

I'd watch again more carefully to reassess but the bbc took the bloody film down.

Whilst I was watching it?!

Help me identify this film from the John Lewis advert?
HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 10/11/2014 17:04

BOF I think I love you.

Coumarin · 10/11/2014 17:03

It was too...feathery, Arsenic

ArsenicSoup · 10/11/2014 17:00

The dress was awful!?

I have had a thing about that dress for 30+ years. I'm taking this personally.

Coumarin · 10/11/2014 16:56

Spoilers Bof ! Shock

Grin

I like the dress story. Have to say I thought the dress was awful so I'm with Fred on that one. You couldn't see her move for feathers wafting everywhere.

BOFster · 10/11/2014 16:48

It's ok Coumarin, the vicar was a fake, so it wasn't a legal marriage, hurrah!

Here's some trivia from Wikipedia about the famous Cheek To Cheek dance:

Although Bernard Newman was nominally in charge of dressing the stars, Rogers was keenly interested in dress design and make-up. For the "Cheek to Cheek" routine, she was determined to use her own creation: "I was determined to wear this dress, come hell or high water. And why not? It moved beautifully. Obviously, no one in the cast or crew was willing to take sides, particularly not my side. This was all right with me. I'd had to stand alone before. At least my mother was there to support me in the confrontation with the entire front office, plus Fred Astaire and Mark Sandrich."

Due to the enormous labour involved in sewing each ostrich feather to the dress, Astaire — who normally approved his partner's gowns and suggested modifications if necessary during rehearsals — saw the dress for the first time on the day of the shoot, and was horrified at the way it shed clouds of feathers at every twist and turn, recalling later: "It was like a chicken attacked by a coyote, I never saw so many feathers in my life." According to choreographer Hermes Pan, Astaire lost his temper and yelled at Rogers, who promptly burst into tears, whereupon her mother, Lela, "came charging at him like a mother rhinoceros protecting her young." An additional night's work by seamstresses resolved much of the problem, however, careful examination of the dance on film reveals feathers floating around Astaire and Rogers and lying on the dance floor. Later, Astaire and Pan presented Rogers with a gold feather for her charm bracelet, and serenaded her with a ditty parodying Berlin's tune:

Feathers — I hate feathers
And I hate them so that I can hardly speak
And I never find the happiness I seek
With those chicken feathers dancing
Cheek to Cheek

Thereafter, Astaire nicknamed Rogers "Feathers" — also a title of one of the chapters in his autobiography — and parodied his experience in a song and dance routine with Judy Garland in Easter Parade (1948).

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Coumarin · 10/11/2014 16:36

I'm too annoyed to be thrilled yet though. I was watching Top Hat on iplayer, paused it to get a snack, came back and it's no longer available!

They took it down whilst I was still watching it. How dare they? Shock

Now I'll never know if Dale divorced Beddini and married Jerry Travers --until they repeat it at Christmas probably