James Dean Jacket

[HoosierDaddy]

 

[Peacoat]

Here is a screen grab of the "chicken scene" where Jimmy bails out at the last second. A little blurred but the lining appears to be the same cream color as in post #343 above—the McGregor jacket. You can contrast the white T-shirt and the red jacket with the cream color lining at the bottom of the open jacket.

 

[Danman]

Anyone seen any images of Dean wearing the jacket with the normal slit pockets? I tried looking but couldn’t find any. I’m sure it’s possible he wore the jacket somewhere, but I can only find images where the jacket he’s wearing as the mcgregor style pockets.

 

[Peacoat]

View attachment 109340

"McGregor Anti Freeze jacket with some customizations by costume designer Moss Mabry. The original McGregor Anti Freeze was designed in 1949, and the McGregor site even acknowledges that this was the windbreaker seen in the film, saying “a certain Mr. James Dean was wearing this coat in a ‘rebellious’ movie that would make history."

This photo is what I think of as slit pockets.

 

[Danman]

What I mean is that the pockets on the B.B. aren’t the same style as the Mcgregor and the pockets on the screen jacket. The pocket openings have a reverse side flap. DOnt know what you call it.

 

[Danman]

 

[Danman]

 

[Danman]

 

[Danman]

 

[Danman]

That’s the pockets of my BB jacket. Same exact jacket that did not meet its reserve at this weekend’s auction.

 

[Danman]

Here’s another bit of info. So some guy says he received the jacket after filming, but the jacket was still in the possession of the studio because the pic I posted above, which is from that promotional series Dean did, are from after the production of ended. Dean was already shooting Giant. As you can see, Dean had the receding hairline he shaved for the Role of Jet Rink. It hadn’t grown back in when he died as you can see in the last photos of Dean. Point being, they still had the jacket for promo pics after the production had ended, or at least after Jim had rapped on the film.

 

[Peacoat]

OK, James Dean jacket aficionados, I have received from another board member what I consider definitive proof that the jacket worn during the late night scene at the Observatory was a McGregor. While they are fuzzy, I think they show us what we need to see. The first pic is after Jimmy has given his jacket to Sal Mineo. The second is a close up of that shot, and the last two are blow ups of the McGregor label. I'm not saying no other jackets were used, because I don't know that, but the McGregor jacket was used in the Observatory scene and likely throughout the movie.

Remember this story took place within a 24 hour time period. The jacket Jimmy left the house wearing that night would be the jacket he wore at the end of the movie, or one that looked just like it. There are members of the crew whose only job is to ensure continuity of clothing and hair styles during the shooting of a movie over a period of weeks or months. Don't remember now what they are called, but their job has a specific title.

 

[Danman]

This almost exactly like what happened with the fight club film jacket. The jacket auctioned off by fox studios was never worn in the entire movie. They supposedly made several, but the one auctioned off wasn’t worn.

 

[Big J]

So, Dean hands the jacket to Plato, and thanks to the wonders of DVD we see the McGregor label. But...
I haven't watched this movie for about 20 years, so someone refreshme on the chain of events please. In the story, Dean is wearing the jacket, he takes it off, he passes it to Plato (we see the label), Plato puts it on. But is that all in one take with no cuts? If so, it at least proves that Dean wore that jacket.

Or...
Do we see Dean take off the jacket and hand it over (cut) Plato put it on? (Still proves Dean wore the jacket).

Or...
Do we see Dean take off the jacket (cut) pass it to Plato, Platoputs it on? (Does NOT prove that Dean actually wore this jacket, the McGregor, which could have been just a substitute for the real 'hero jacket').

Or...
Do we see Dean take off the jacket (cut) pass it to Plato (cut) and Plato put it on? (Doesn't prove that Dean wore this jacket, nor that it was a substitute for the 'hero jacket').

I don't have this on DVD here in Japan, you guys will have to check, or not.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Here’s another bit of info. So some guy says he received the jacket after filming, but the jacket was still in the possession of the studio because the pic I posted above, which is from that promotional series Dean did, are from after the production of ended. Dean was already shooting Giant. As you can see, Dean had the receding hairline he shaved for the Role of Jet Rink. It hadn’t grown back in when he died as you can see in the last photos of Dean. Point being, they still had the jacket for promo pics after the production had ended, or at least after Jim had rapped on the film.

But the point is like most films there may have been 3 or 4 jackets, the hero being a McGregor. It could be argued that one of the others used, a Berma was given to Dean. Films are never so cut and dry. After following the Raiders jacket story, I will never be surprised by contradictory visual evidence.

Nice screen shots of the McGregor label, Peacoat.

 

[2jakes]

James Dean REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE Red Jacket, 1955 - Price ...

 

[l0fielectronic]

Can't argue with those, ahem, screen shots - Funny that a readable image can be got from photographing a TV screen and yet this thread has been going on about this point for 12 years!

Maybe as sudgested above this ebay/auction jacket was one used for promo photos after filming.

 

[2jakes]

I remember McGregor jackets in various colors and styles retailing at Sears Roebuck Co.
along with the "Shrink-to-fit" 501s
Although Dean in Rebel appears to be wearing a pair of Lee 101.

"The unreal blue of his jeans was achieved by over-dying. All the denim used in the film was dipped to make the dye appear more vibrantly blue, as using Technicolor would have made it appear muddy green on screen."

 

[Danman]

Can't argue with those, ahem, screen shots - Funny that a readable image can be got from photographing a TV screen and yet this thread has been going on about this point for 12 years!

Maybe as sudgested above this ebay/auction jacket was one used for promo photos after filming.

I purchased that B.B. that was on sale on ebay recently. It’s not the jacket that was auctioned as the Rebel jacket in West Palm beach. Whatever evidence there is in writing, unless someone can come up with a picture of JD wearing a jacket that appears to be the B.B. jacket, it can only be confirmed that the jacket was probably purchased by the production, but There will still be no proof that the jacket was worn on screen or in promo pics by JD. it would just be a jacket the costume department purchased but never wore.

I find it hilarious that people would try and auction off a jacket for half a million dollars, but fail to do the most simplest form of authentication which is compare images of the jacket on sale with the jacket in the film.

 

[Danman]

Every jacket dean wears in promo pics has the mcgregor pockets.