Pacific Electric 868 in “Music is Magic” (1935)
Check out Pacific Electric no. 868 starring in this scene from the 1935 musical comedy “Music is Magic” starring Alice Faye. The PE scene (which starts at about 2:45) was filmed on the Ben Mar Hills extension of the Burbank Line (reflected on 868’s destination sign). Thanks to Craig Rasmussen who forwarded us the link!
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One would guess that the Ben Mar Hills extension was built “in advance of development”. It reminds me of the San Diego line to Santee; when it opened, there were “wide open spaces” around the terminal. Some of the views in the movie are “process shots” with the passing scene displayed on a rear projection screen. This is quite obvious when the brake handle is in “apply” and there’s no handle in the controller. The Ben Mar extension was opened in 1924 and abandoned in 1940, so apparently it wasn’t the “engine of growth” that had been envisioned when it was built.
Following up on the movie–it doesn’t appear to be available on DVD or VHS through the usual channels. One PE-related movie that is available is “Comrade X” starring Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr. The glamorous Ms. Lamarr plays a Moscow tramcar driver and PE 332 plays a Russian streetcar.
– thanks for the video lead, Bob – there’s a clip now on this page! http://www.pacificelectric.org/pacific-electric/pacific-electric-video/pacific-electric-332-in-comrade-x-1940/