MTFCA Forum

I just watched the 1991 movie “Rocketeer” set in 1938. A very good family movie that all ages will like. If you haven’ seen it, get it and watch it with your family with the kids. They will love it.

At the very end of the movie a Model T drives into the scene and the driver jumps out and walks toward the hero just before the fade out. The driver is Bruce McCalley and the T is his. I did not know this until he posted on the forum in a thread about Model T’s in the movies, telling us that that was him and his Model T in the “Rocketeer”. I always like to see Bruce, alive and well, in his acting debut with his T in that movie. He passed away several years ago, but, in a way, is immortal. He is better known to us as the author of the “Model T encyclopedia, 1909-1927...”. Jim Patrick.

Is this the shot James?

Thanks for the info James.

I found this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ptKQOudhJYg

I wonder how many people think that it was a error that the driver came out from the passengers side by of the car!

Matt

Here's a picture of Howard E. Rollins, Jr. driving a 1915 touring in RAGTIME that's been "backdated" to about 1909-10, even though logically story wise, (if you know the history of what's going on in the movie), it doesn't make sense.

This particular shot isn't in the movie. This scene was filmed in Haverstraw, NY

Here’s a picture of me in my centerdoor with my Pierce Brosnan mask on. Ten made for TV (AMC) series of ‘The Son’

Will_Vanderburg wrote: ↑

Sat May 16, 2020 2:01 pm

Here's a picture of Howard E. Rollins, Jr. driving a 1915 touring in RAGTIME that's been "backdated" to about 1909-10, even though logically story wise, (if you know the history of what's going on in the movie), it doesn't make sense.

This particular shot isn't in the movie. This scene was filmed in Haverstraw, NY

The owner of Cherokee Cycles in Andrews NC has a 1915 T that he claims is the one that was in Ragtime. He says he has the documentation. He probably still has it as his asking price is very high considering the current condition of the car.

I think there is more than 1 1915 used on Ragtime. Half the film was shot on a big backlot set in Shepperton Studios just outside London, England, so I think we had a duplicate car in the UK. First film I ever worked on, it was b####dy freezing on that lot, we all wore 3 layers under our costumes. My 09 features somewhere. Actually got to work within feet of James Cagney, one of my big movie heroes. Making movies is variously tedious, boring, fun, exciting.

Well, there was more than one. Unless the movie production company had it shipped to England. The JP Morgan library sets at the end of the movie when the car is driven were filmed at Shepperton Studios in the UK. I believe the reason for that is because they needed several blocks of city streets and the area where the library is was not conducive to filming in the city of NY

And unless the guy at Cherokee swapped them out, the car Rollins drives has demountable rims on it.

There WERE two 1915 Model T's in RAGTIME. Here's the other one. This is when "Younger Brother" played by Brad Dourif drives the car away from the hideout, because the police are looking for a Model T full of "colored folk" as Cagney described them.

The car here has "ford" across the radiator grill, natural wood spokes and non-demountable rims. It's a different car from the one Rollins drove in NY. The police commissioner demands his police force find a Model T to replace the one that was damaged by the racist fire chief. Rollins' character took over the JP Morgan Library until the car was returned, after killing multiple firemen in firehouse bombings.

This is my favorite movie, and I have studied it thoroughly since it came out. Especially because it's historically inaccurate.

Yes Rich. That’s Bruce and his T. Thanks for looking it up. Jim Patrick

Some more movie triva.
Bruce and Marilyn Monroe attended Van Nuys High School about the same time.

It’s pre-T, but a beautiful 1908 Model S Roadster appears in the opening scene of “Meet Me In St. Louis,” staring Judy Garland in the early 40’s. Never mind the movie was set in 1903 and 1904 leading up to the 1904 Worlds Fair:

https://youtu.be/70T47mC-jxY

It's a long-standing tradition for history to get a brutal beating in the movies. But in this famous scene the Model T is still a contemporary vehicle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcrth90C3D4

Good film that. History takes a beating all right, the pedals the driver slams in his emergency stop don't belong to a T.

How about a movie that starred a Model T?

How about The Night of the Hunter? That has a few Model Ts.

There are a number of John Wayne movies. I can’t find the one with Gabby Hayes. I really like that one But I did find: https://youtu.be/m0DXctDJbCQ

I like model Ts, but I prefer horse drawn stage coaches.

Matt

Jem wrote: ↑

Sun May 17, 2020 2:32 am

Good film that. History takes a beating all right, the pedals the driver slams in his emergency stop don't belong to a T.

To me it looks like '26-'27 petals with a foot feed in the few clear frames.

I agree. It's got a wide brake pedal and a foot feed. It's very clear if you pause the movie at that frame.

I stand corrected. I just saw a foot throttle and 2 pedals going down to the left, missed the reverse.