Showing The Dough On Film

[happyfilmluvguy]

In many period pieces, the prop department might be in need of some money. Not for spending on props, of course. This money is a prop all it's own. It's what we see the actor or actress take from their wallet or purse. It's what is sitting on the table at the local night club owned by a mob leader. If the dough is seen on film, do you think in some cases it might be a reproduction of old money, or real old money? Maybe it's new money and we don't take the time to notice it's detail, whether or not it's new or old money, a prop or just some pieces of paper. Perhaps it's out of focus, so we can't really see it at all.

What period pieces have actually shown money, and do you think it was a recreated prop of what money at that time looked like? Do you think it was new money? Or was it real old money in which they use strictly for film?

 

[Feraud]

I would think the money blown away at the end of The Killing is fake.
Ditto on the loot stolen by Nelson in O Brother, Where Art Thou?

 

[The Wolf]

I remember the money should in Golden Age movies didn't look like the bills that were actually used at the time. It seems they looked more Civil War money, although I could be wrong about that part.
Does anyone have a screencap from a scene that shows money in '30s or '40s movie?

Sincerely,
the Wolf

 

[Feraud]

There is an exchange of cash between Miss O'Shaughnessey, Spade, and Archer at the beginning of The Maltese Falcon.
Maybe someone can do a screen grab?

 

[CharlieH.]

I remember the money should in Golden Age movies didn't look like the bills that were actually used at the time. It seems they looked more Civil War money, although I could be wrong about that part.
Does anyone have a screencap from a scene that shows money in '30s or '40s movie?

Sincerely,
the Wolf

There's a very good money closeup in Gold Diggers of 1935, and it did look alot like 19th century cash to me. However, IMDB has this on the film's goofs section:

Miscellaneous: In the scene where many people pay 25 dollars each for tickets to the charity musical (59:10 into the film) the money being paid is very clearly in pesos. In fact, each of the top bills clearly states 'Vente Pesos' and are obviously not American bills. Yet, all the dialog keeps referring to 'dollars' and there is no indication that Lake Waxapahachie, where the resort is located, is anything but an American resort

I wonder what the peso-dollar exchange rate was back then....

 

[The Wolf]

Mr. Dr. happyfilmluvguy I think I found a picture of the type of money used in golden age movies! I remember it looking like this:http://www.scripophily.net/movmonfivdol1.html

I know it took a while, but I hope this helps.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[John in Covina]

From the time about the end of WWI until the most recent change to colors and larger portraits, US paper money maintained the designs for along time on the fronts. The backs changed abit more, but there was a time in which US Paper money was more of a Certificate, like how we used to refer to Silver Certificates or even Gold certificates.

I have notices also that screen money often looked more like civil war era money and wonder why that choice to represent $'s.

 

[patrick1987]

There are guidelines for depicting U.S. currency. One rule is it has to be smaller or larger e.g. no one is allowed to photocopy a dollar bill at actual size. Perhaps these rules apply to motion pictures or maybe they just didn't want real loot to blow away or otherwise disappear from the set.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Mr. Dr. happyfilmluvguy I think I found a picture of the type of money used in golden age movies! I remember it looking like this:http://www.scripophily.net/movmonfivdol1.html

I know it took a while, but I hope this helps.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

That's pretty interesting. Does anyone know how old this movie money is supposed to be?

I'd have to agree that real money wouldn't be used as a prop because it might disappear. Film crew ain't honest people. It's like the circus. haha

fftopic: I borrowed some real holsters and handcuff holders from my dad's store, which sells uniforms, for a student film I helped on. I also borrowed a real sheriff type badge. The day after one of the shoots, we came back and it was all gone.

Interestingly enough, three years later (it took that long to finish the movie), I went to a screening of the film at one of the directors homes. My dad went with me. My friend (the director), told us that he had seen a kid walking around the school with the badge on, and a teacher stopped them and took it away from him because they said, "it isn't legal to wear a real badge if you're not a sheriff" [huh]. I got the holster back though. That was just put into storage.

Back on topic, I think I'm going to rent Gold Diggers of 1935, and take a photo of the money shot.

 

[The Wolf]

how's that for synchronicity

I just noticed that the Michael Shayne mystery "Sleepers West" has a scene showing movie money pretty well. When Ben Carter drops a suitcase it has all sorts of money.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Elaina]

I remember being told as a kid on Disney's lot by a prop master (oh just don't ask) that they weren't allowed to show circulated currency in films, so it was either fake, another country's or in the case of banded bills, just a wad of paper. I do know that in the mid-90's that that was changed to being able to use bills, but they couldn't destroy it.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

That's both very interesting. The Wolf....as Scotrace would say in the Streamer Trunk...."The drill: pictures please!"

It would also make sense that money currently circulating couldn't be shown, for whatever reason.

 

[The Wolf]

We'll have to ask Atomic Glee if he has any screen caps of the suitcase of lettuce from "Sleepers West".
C'mon A.G., show us the money.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Twitch]

Elaina has it right. There was some actual unwritten law about using real bills hence the funny money we've seen till recent years.

 

[The Wingnut]

I'm reminded of Doc Brown pulling out a briefcase of money from various years just prior to embarking on a time jump in one of the Back to the Future movies. Anyone able to get a grab of that?

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I'm reminded of Doc Brown pulling out a briefcase of money from various years just prior to embarking on a time jump in one of the Back to the Future movies. Anyone able to get a grab of that?

yes! I always wondered about that money of his....He couldn't cross country boarders with it, though

I need to call my friend, he has the box set.