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Depp really liked the Thompson!


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An excellent video on the making of Michael Mann's Public Enemies. Some preproduction scenes of gun training by the actors using a variety of weapons, including the Thompson.


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This is interesting to me because back when this movie was being made I was contacted

by the prop house doing the guns requesting M1928A1 80% receivers, but they had to have the

M1921 Colt engraving, which at the time I did not do. But they wanted 6-8 receivers so I

tediously studied, drew, and wrote programs to duplicate the correct M1921 Colt engraving.

The story was that the receivers were going to be finished into blank firing guns, but they wanted

the Colt engraving so that the actors and movie people would think they were the "real deal".

 

I am sure another reason was that making 6-8 blank firing guns using 80% receivers and

M1928A1 parts would be MUCH less expensive than having to acquire 6-8 Colts.

 

I did not know that they took the actors to a range to shoot guns to give them experience,

but obviously those were real "live" guns not the blank firing guns that they made for the movie.

 

Somewhere on one of my computers I have a still photo from the movie that is a close-up

of one of the actors holding a Thompson, and you can see that the engraving is M1928A1

engraving and not Colt engraving. I don't recall if the gun is being fired in the photo, or if it

is just being carried, in which case a dummy gun could have been used.

 

Bob/Phila Ord

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This is interesting to me because back when this movie was being made I was contacted

by the prop house doing the guns requesting M1928A1 80% receivers, but they had to have the

M1921 Colt engraving, which at the time I did not do. But they wanted 6-8 receivers so I

tediously studied, drew, and wrote programs to duplicate the correct M1921 Colt engraving.

The story was that the receivers were going to be finished into blank firing guns, but they wanted

the Colt engraving so that the actors and movie people would think they were the "real deal".

 

I am sure another reason was that making 6-8 blank firing guns using 80% receivers and

M1928A1 parts would be MUCH less expensive than having to acquire 6-8 Colts.

 

I did not know that they took the actors to a range to shoot guns to give them experience,

but obviously those were real "live" guns not the blank firing guns that they made for the movie.

 

Somewhere on one of my computers I have a still photo from the movie that is a close-up

of one of the actors holding a Thompson, and you can see that the engraving is M1928A1

engraving and not Colt engraving. I don't recall if the gun is being fired in the photo, or if it

is just being carried, in which case a dummy gun could have been used.

 

Bob/Phila Ord

The scene of a Savage made M1928A1 close up in the movie is around the 42 minute 50 second mark of the movie in the second bank robbery scene and was only used as a hand held prop. It was held by one of the other bank robbers since Johnny Depp is using two M1911/ M1911A1 pistols in that scene. You can easily make out the knurled actuator, riveted ejector, smooth paddle safety (in the safe position) and rocker pivot (in the full auto position), and the hole in the magazine catch. I will try to post a picture once I figure out how to upload photos to the forum on my phone. Edited by TennesseeTaylor95
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I have found that after working on many films where I have been required to at least hold a gat, that they are generally trying to be authentic as possible, at least if the film budget will allow. In this movie they certainly had plenty of money to be as authentic as possible. And only in very rare circumstances would the viewer be able to see the actual engravings on a weapon, very rare indeed. The authors of a movie are sometimes not truly aware of the people like the experts on this board that would be able to discern even the slightest faux pas that you can freeze frame in a still photo and point to a flaw.

 

I can cite as example, when I played "The Metal Man" in the Bonnie & Clyde film " The Highwaymen". While my scene did not require me to shoot the Thompson, the director still wanted me to wield a '21 Thompson clone that had the correct engravings, a solid steel receiver incapable of firing. I had a moment to look it over and it looked like a Richardson receiver. I had to hold this heavy bastard while reaching around the inside to hold it outside of the body armor, it was a task let me tell you. I asked the prop guy, "hey, don't you have a rubber dummy gun that you can let me use" , " no, they want you to use this one" was his reply.

 

My scene was a fairly long shot, there was no way in hell anyone would have noticed the difference between a lightweight rubber dummy gun and the real metal counterpart.

So I suffered greatly on this film just to be more "authentic".

The Highwaymen The Metal Man.jpg

Edited by Mike Hammer
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One Thompson Firing scene that always stood out to me was the Bank Robbery were the Hostages are on the Running Board, Dillinger is firing the Thompson right next to the Hostage and the Hostage doesnt flinch or make any reaction that a gun just went off right near his head.....my only thought is that the Gun shooting on Full Auto was CGI added in.

I have been around Blanks and depending on how the Barrel has been restricted for Gas Blow Back they are still Loud, and close up dangerous.

I sometimes for effect use very loud Grenade Launcher Blanks in 1903A4 Springfield during WW2 Reanactments

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One Thompson Firing scene that always stood out to me was the Bank Robbery were the Hostages are on the Running Board, Dillinger is firing the Thompson right next to the Hostage and the Hostage doesnt flinch or make any reaction that a gun just went off right near his head.....my only thought is that the Gun shooting on Full Auto was CGI added in.

I have been around Blanks and depending on how the Barrel has been restricted for Gas Blow Back they are still Loud, and close up dangerous.

I sometimes for effect use very loud Grenade Launcher Blanks in 1903A4 Springfield during WW2 Reanactments

I was thinking the same thing during the scene where the BAR is being fired while holding a hostage.

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Here we go. Very cool markings on the back end of the receiver as well.

That doesnt look like a stock on the back. Looks like some sort of brace.

Correct, I believe what we are seeing is a detachable latch system that attaches a leather, single point sling to the back of the thompson, allowing it to hang from a shoulder inconspicuously when being worn under an overcoat. I imagine it is the same system that we see on the thompson that Johnny Depp used in the first bank robbery scene. Here is a photo that has been adjusted a bit to better show the apparatus.

post-261921-0-16730700-1655412544_thumb.jpg

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The prop house was International Studio Services (ISS). I made 12 sets of wood for their tommy guns in two batches. The first for public enemy's, and the second batch a year later. So they have at least a few guns. I was told after the second set that the guns were also being used for the band of brothers pacific series.
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The prop house was International Studio Services (ISS). I made 12 sets of wood for their tommy guns in two batches. The first for public enemy's, and the second batch a year later. So they have at least a few guns. I was told after the second set that the guns were also being used for the band of brothers pacific series.

 

Independent Studio Services.

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Here we go. Very cool markings on the back end of the receiver as well.

That doesnt look like a stock on the back. Looks like some sort of brace.

Correct, I believe what we are seeing is a detachable latch system that attaches a leather, single point sling to the back of the thompson, allowing it to hang from a shoulder inconspicuously when being worn under an overcoat. I imagine it is the same system that we see on the thompson that Johnny Depp used in the first bank robbery scene. Here is a photo that has been adjusted a bit to better show the apparatus.

The safety appears to be on. Just sayin'.

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