Movies have the ability to transport us anywhere past, present or future. And with today’s CGI technology the past can be recreated with astonishing accuracy. So it boggles my mind that they can’t get things right. Let me state up front that I will go to see Genius, the film about story editor Max Perkins and his working relation with author Thomas Wolfe, when it gets released next month. The cast is great, Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Guy Pearce and Laura Linney (my favorite actress in movies today). I love films that take place in the 1930’s, but nothing takes me out of the moment faster when the details are wrong. And the trailer for Genius had enough inaccuracies to get me upset enough to write this post.
I don’t know where the scene above is suppose to take place, from the trailer I assume it is somewhere in the United States. And the steam engine makes it old timey, but why couldn’t the filmmakers use an American locomotive instead of a British one. I will update this post if by some chance this scene takes place during a trip to England.
Judging by the placement of the CGI’d Empire State Building in the shot above this is supposed to be lower 5th Avenue. What is wrong with this image, oh let me count the ways . . . first, contemporary London street lights in front of buildings that are nowhere near Manhattan. And speaking of street lights, only two are on the street. Don’t walk down this 5th avenue after dark, unless you bring a flashlight. Compare the above to a photo of the actual 5th Avenue, in 1948.
Ok, even if you are shooting the film in the UK, do some research to at least know that 5th Avenue was a two-way street in the 1930’s. It didn’t convert to one way until January 14, 1966. Just take the two minutes to Google “5th Avenue, 1930’s” it will provide answers.
Here is the shot that annoyed me the most –
Max Perkins and Thomas Wolfe gazing at the 1930’s Manhattan skyline?
There is not much in this shot and yet what is there is all wrong!!!!! For comparison here is a photo of the actual 1930’s mid-town Manhattan skyline –
Notice that none of the buildings are illuminated with flood lights.
Since Driving For Deco’s last blog post was celebrating the 85th anniversary of the Empire State Building let’ s take a look there first and work our way to the right.
Above is the fiction, below the real –
In the 1930’s only the spire of the Empire State Building was illuminated at night. The floodlighting of the building from the 72nd floor went into effect with the opening of the New York World’s Fair in April of 1964. NBC always had a television antenna atop the building right from its opening in 1931, but they were a lot shorter, no more than 20 – 30 feet.
Empire State antenna 1933-1938
Antenna 1938-1947.
The 200 foot tall antenna seen in Genius was not added to the top of the building until 1950-1951.
Because of the location of this, between the Empire State Building and the Metropolitan Life Tower, I have to assume that the above gray blob is supposed to be the New York Life Insurance Building. In reality it is a very elegant building designed by Cass Gilbert that opened in 1929. None of that style and elegance is evident in its CGI incarnation.
The actual New York Life Insurance Building.
Moving on, the Metropolitan Life Tower, located at 24th Street and Madison Avenue is seen in all its illuminated glory.
And the truth –
Notice, that the light at the very top of the building and the clock are the only exterior lighting on the Met Life Building. It wasn’t until 1970’s that the roof of the building was lit up.
And the best for last – The Chrysler Building. Now here is one of the jewels, if not the jewel of the Manhattan skyline and one of the most famous buildings in the world. Genius does not get it right, but it is not the only film to depict it wrong, off the top of my head it wasn’t correct in Benjamin Button or Revolutionary Road either.
I guess it seems inconceivable that a building as magnificent as this would be left in the dark. The setup for lighting plan for all the triangular windows was actually in place from the opening of the Chrysler Building in 1930 but was not implemented until 1981. Until then it was just a dark silhouette, as seen in the photos below, taken over a 30 year period.
New York night time skyline 1930’s or 1940’s
1950’s Skyline from the East River.
1960’s Skyline.
All this wrong in a two and half minute trailer. I can’t wait to see the film and see what else might be there that is anachronistic. There just might be a follow up post.
Anthony (the period picky half of the Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)
“It’s the nearest thing to Heaven we have in New York.” Irene Dunne says to Charles Boyer in the 1939 film Love Affair. And for many years that was true. The Empire State Building’s place in history is secure, even though it is now the 26th tallest building in the world. It did hold the record for world’s tallest, longer than any building, from 1930 – 1972. May 1st marks the 85th anniversary of its opening.
For a comprehensive history of the building, here are a couple of good links:
Empire State Building at night, circa 1934. NYPL Digital Gallery
Built on the site of the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (1893 & 1897-1929) at 5th Avenue and 34th Street. The Waldorf closed in May of 1929 and demolition began on October 3, 1929. By March, 1930 the hotel was completely gone and construction of the Empire State Building began.
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Fifth Avenue from West 34th Street to West 33rd Street, New York, New York, late 1910s or early 1920s. (Photo by William J. Roege/The New York Historical Society/Getty Images)
Demolition of the Waldorf-Astoria in October & November, 1929. NYPL Digital Gallery
Designed by William F. Lamb of the firm of Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, the original plan was for a 1000 foot, 80 story building. Soon those plans were changed to 85 stories at 1050 feet. Conceived during the skyscraper race of the 1920’s the architects, the financial backers and former Governor of New York, Al Smith (President of the Empire State Building Company) were aware of the competition between the Chrysler and the Manhattan Company Buildings to construct the tallest tower in the world. When the Chrysler Building added its spire and topped out at 1,046 feet, the four feet difference between the Chrysler and Empire State didn’t seem so great. John J. Raskob, the main financial backer of the Empire State, held up a pencil and said the building “needed at hat”. The architects dreamed up the idea of constructing a mooring mast for zeppelins. This added 200 feet to the building and unlike the Chrysler Building’s spire was “useable” space. Docking a zeppelin at a mast 100 feet high is challenging, at 1,250 feet it is impossible. The management of the Empire State Building knew this before the building was completed and the necessary winches and counter weights for mooring were never installed. But it did give the building the extra height and a lot of publicity.
A postcard of the Empire State’s mooring mast and how it would work.
Once construction started, the Empire State Building shot up into the skyline incredibly fast.
March 31, 1930 – Excavation complete the first beams are in place for the Empire State Building. NYPL Digital Gallery
April 24, 1930 – The building starts its rapid rise. NYPL Digital Gallery
In the spring of 1930 the Empire State Building started rising above its neighbors.
At about 17 stories high. 5th Ave. & 34th Street. NYPL Digital Gallery
The Empire State Building at 23 stories high. NYPL Digital Gallery.
23 stories high. NYPL Digital Gallery.
From summer to the end of 1930 it rose to become the tallest building in the world.
Less than six months after construction began the Empire State Building is 3/4 complete. NYPL Digital Gallery.
By autumn of 1930 the building is complete almost up to the 86th floor. US Navy dirigible Los Angeles flies above, followed by two blimps.
On November 21, 1930 the Empire State Building topped out with the completion of the steel frame work of the mooring mast.
Ready for occupancy!
Al Smith opens the Empire State Building, May 1, 1931. This photo shows the original door design of the 5th Avenue entrance.
The newly completed spire of the Empire State Building, the illuminated mooring mast. NYPL Digital Gallery.
The main entrance on 5th Avenue. NYPL Digital Gallery.
The lobby from the 5th Avenue entrance, showing the original ceiling design. NYPL Digital Gallery.
The Building entered into the public consciousness so fast that within a year of its completion it was appearing in movies. This article will highlight some of the 1930’s films in which the Empire State Building appeared.
Let’s start with the most famous film to feature the Empire State Building.
King Kong (RKO Radio Pictures) directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack and starring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot opened in March, 1933. An enormous hit, the film helped to save the bankrupt RKO. Of course the Empire State Building does not appear until the last 10 minutes of the film, but it makes for a terrific climax. No footage was taken in New York, so all the shots of the building are sets created at the RKO Pathe studio in Culver City, California. The first appearance of the building is this long shot of Kong climbing its western facade. It is a clever composite, part miniature, part painted on glass, combined with rear projection.
The part miniature, part glass painting of the Empire State Building.
Kong ready to fight the planes from a miniature of the mooring mast, with a painted Manhattan behind him.
Robert Armstrong and Bruce Cabot in front of the 5th Avenue entrance.
The above shot is a set of the 5th Street entrance to the Empire State Building. It shows the original door design of aluminum framed by black granite. Probably when the lobby was modernized in 1963 the metal work of the doors were covered over by black granite to match the frame around them. Which is too bad as the original was more interesting than the 1960’s “improvement”.
Fay Wray being rescued by Bruce Cabot while Robert Armstrong watches from the 103 floor terrace.
Great Art Deco font used for the titles of Counsellor at Law.
Counsellor At Law (Universal, 1933) starring John Barrymore and directed by William Wyler was adapted for the screen by Elmer Rice from his 1931 play of the same name. Barrymore gives a great performance as the Jewish lawyer who works his way up from the slums and becomes so successful he can have offices in the Empire State Building.
Opening shot of the film. This is the start of a tilt up the side of the building.
After the opening establishing shot, no actual footage of the building was used. None of the sets for the film represent the actual look of the interior of the Empire State. But the set design is very nice and very moderne.
Aside from the high ceiling this set of Simon’s partner, Tedesco could fit into the Empire State Building.
The hallway leading to the law offices of Simon and Tedesco.
The main waiting room for Simon and Tedesco.
The private office of George Simon (John Barrymore) is spectacular, with great furniture, a modernistic chandelier, and which would fit nowhere in the actual Empire State Building. Even the buildings seen through his window are not located anywhere near 5th Avenue and 34th Street. But this is Hollywood and one should forgive liberties taken with reality if the effect is as good as this.
Bebe Daniels enters the private office of George Simon. Note the Manhattan Company Building, (the tall building at the right) seen through his window. In real life that building is more than 5 miles to the south at 40 Wall Street.
After Tomorrow (1932) – Main Title Card
Opening establishing shot of the Empire State Building.
In case the opening shot was not obvious, the second shot confirmed that this indeed is the Empire State Building.
After Tomorrow (Fox Film Corp., 1932), starring Charles Farrell and Marian Nixon, directed by Frank Borzage was in production from December, 1931 – January, 1932 and opened in March of 1932. This might have been the first feature film to use the Empire State Building as a set piece. Of course, like most Hollywood films of this period, no footage was taken inside the building, but in this case the interiors of the Empire State Building were re-created at the Fox Movietone studio in Beverly Hills, California. Marian Nixon’s character is an employee of the tea room that used to be on the 86th floor, just inside of the observation terrace. The tea room was planned to be the customs office for passengers arriving on transatlantic airships, but was converted into a restaurant for visitors when the zeppelin idea was deemed as not practical. For the first two and half years no liquor was served in the tea room due to prohibition, that changed after repeal.
Entrance to the 86th Floor tea room.
Tea room soda fountain.
Lounge area just off of the tea room.
Marian Nixon’s character takes a break with her fiancé played by Charles Farrell, they enjoy a sandwich in the 102nd floor observatory.
Elevator from the 86th to 102nd floor.
Charles Farrell and Marian Nixon looking down on “Manhattan”.
Enjoying a sandwich on the 102nd floor.
Heading down. I don’t know if the sun ray pattern paint job is accurate to the real Empire State Building or a Hollywood invention.
Skyscraper Souls (1932) – Main Title Card
Skyscraper Souls (Cosmopolitan-M.G.M.) does not take place in the Empire State Building. The film uses it as a benchmark comparison for the fictitious Dwight Building. The only time the Empire State is seen is in a few of really fake looking establishing shots.
The Dwight and Empire State Buildings by day.
The Dwight and Empire State Buildings by night.
Love Affair (1939) Main Title Card
Leo McCarey’s first version of this story, Love Affair (RKO Radio Pictures, 1939) as you have read above stars Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne. The couple meet on board ship and fall in love even though they are both engaged to others. They decided to break off their engagements and if they still feel the same way about each other, meet six months later at the top of the Empire State Building.
Irene Dunne, on her apartment terrace with the reflection of an incredibly fake Empire State Building in her door.
Later on in the film Charles Boyer looks up an a better representation of the building.
As was the case with King Kong, the actors in Love Affair were over three thousand miles away from New York. The shot below is a set at RKO with actors running in front of rear projection footage of the intersection of 34th Street and 5th Avenue. In the rear projection footage is the sign for the Longchamps restaurant that opened on the ground floor and basement of the Empire State Building in 1938.
Extras at the RKO studio in front of a rear projection screen.
The only interior set of the building was the 102nd floor observatory, where Charles Boyer is waiting for Irene Dunne.
Charles Boyer in the 102nd floor set.
Waiting with a photographic background of Manhattan and Queens behind him.
Still waiting, now in a thunderstorm.
Main Title Card
By far the most obscure film in the post has to be Manhattan Tower (Remington Pictures, 1932) directed by Frank R. Strayer, it stars Mary Brian, Irene Rich and James Hall. I have not see all of the movie, but it is not bad, considering that it only had a budget of $50,000 ($869,100 in 2016). The most interesting fact of the film is that Remington Pictures was created by New York real estate tycoon A. E. Lefcourt. Lefcourt had started as a newsboy and boot black and eventually work his way up in the business world, that by the end of the 1920’s he owned a number buildings in midtown Manhattan and a couple in other cities. After losing most of his fortune with the stock market crash and the ensuing depression, he formed Remington Pictures Corporation. Remington was an independent company that was planning to make 12 feature films in its first year of business, to be released on the states rights circuit. The stress of his financial troubles caught up with Lefcourt. After the completion of Manhattan Tower, but before being released, A. E. Lefcourt died suddenly of a heart attack on November 13, 1932. Remington Pictures also died with Lefcourt and Manhattan Tower was the only film made by the company.
The first establishing shot in the film, with a 5th Avenue street light in the foreground.
The second establishing shot.
The third establishing shot.
Looking up toward the 102nd floor from the 86th floor observation deck.
A blimp flying over the mooring mast, but not docking there.
Manhattan Tower is a low-budget Grand Hotel (M.G.M., 1932), that takes place in a fictitious skyscraper that looks just like the Empire State Building. The movie uses a lot of stock footage shots and the lobby set is not so loosely based on the Empire State’s lobby, even down to a replica of the metal bas-relief of the building on the end wall.
The lobby set, with the replica bas relief in the background.
The main lobby set. Not a bad reproduction, but the elevators are not just inside the main entrance in the real Empire State Building.
Later on in the film establishing stock footage shots of the real 86th floor observation terrace cut to a Hollywood set the outdoor observation.
The real 86th floor terrace. In 1947 a “suicide” fence was added to the top of the concrete wall.
Hollywood’s version of the 86th floor. From left to right: Jed Prouty, James Hall and Mary Brian.
Below is the closing shots of Manhattan Tower. It is footage taken of the Empire State Building from twilight to night and I think it is a fitting end to this post.
Anthony & Chris (The Freakin’, Tiquen’ Guys)
If you enjoyed this post here are some previous posts about Art Deco buildings –
