All Entries in the "MERCEDES-BENZ" Category
North by Northwest & Mercedes-Benz
by Gunnar Heinrich ::: img MGM/Turner via IMCDB ::: North by Northwest Mercedes-Benz 220SE carbiolet
HITCHCOCK’S North by Northwest (1958) is another one of the master’s suspenseful classics that makes superb use of period automobiles as the “vehicles” of plot driven suspense.
The film’s dialogue between Cary Grant’s character (Roger Thornhill) and a slyly evil North Shore hostess also serves as a kind of linguistics key of the day: the characters pronouncing “Mercedes” as MEHR-SE-DES instead of today’s more commonplace, MUR-SAY-DEEZ.
Commercially, Hitchcock’s use of cars must’ve gone over well with MGM execs.
The Mercedes-Benz 220SE carbio was featured in the now-iconic drunk driving chase sequence along the Long Island coast and Benz found double mention in dialogue in a subsequent scene.
Roger Thornhill vainly attempts to confront the evil hostess (”Woman” per script) in her home before incredulous detectives and Thornhill’s own unmoved mother, Mrs. Thornhill.
Hitchcock and writer Ernest Lehman waste no time in developing the plot while weaving Mercedes into the story with expertise.
Mercedes mentioned twice too much? Nah. In the context of heated conversation, the double play works beautifully.
Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Edsel, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Lincoln, Jaguar, and even a Freightliner truck all find screentime and purpose in the film; though Cadillac and Mercedes feature most prominently in action scenes.
That said, the Daimler-Benz co. did enjoy a slick sleight of hand when during the finale of Thornhill’s drunken escape by Benz, a three car pileup ensues leaving the 220SE miraculously unscathed.
German solidity v. American tin? Nein. Bumper extension.
Keeping It “Low Key”: New S550 In Lieu of a Phantom?
By Gunnar Heinrich | IMG RR NA and MBUSA
APPEARANCES, it would appear, still matter.
And in such times when the public’s hatred toward banks takes on visceral tones, those loved ones at home who benefit from such banking largesse (read: bonuses) are keen on moderating their former flamboyance.
Take, for example this tasty tidbit from McClatchy that hit the web today:
With many formerly high-flying residents still out of work, there are signs that the financial crisis has chastened Greenwich, but they’re subtle.
“Modesty is in, for the first time in a while,” said Ron Arbusman, who runs Viggi, one of about a dozen jewelry shops along the avenue.
One of Arbusman’s clients buys his wife a Rolls-Royce every few years, and she was angling for a new one. “But he did not want to be flashy,” Arbusman said. The woman settled for a Mercedes S550 sedan, which starts at $91,600
“Settling” never sounded so good.