MovieChat Forums > Meet John Doe (1941) Discussion > Cold air in the last scene?

Cold air in the last scene?

posted 15 years ago by Blondfashionisto
8 replies | jump to latest

I thought it looked quite realistic when you could see the actor's breath in the cold at the top of the tower.

Does anyone know if that scene was indeed filmed outside in the cold?

I think the other actors (D.B. and his crew) scene where they react to John's speech is not outside as you can't see their breath. So, perhaps John was indeed outside and they edited it together (as you could see the actor's breath when they first entered the tower roof).

And, same type of question for the rally - Was it really raining?

Thoughts...?

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[–] WhoDo-YouDo 13 years ago

Just speculating, but seems that the scenes were filmed on Warner Bros. sound stages, in which the weather was added to fit the bill.

But yes, the frozen winter air does appear genuine with Cooper and Stanwyck's exhaling. D.B. and his crew, across from James Gleason, the Hansons and their crew sort of stand in the shadows, where their breath isn't spotlighted as much as the stars, so they're probably not standing behind glass or anything, in order to interact with the stars.

[–] muito-merda 12 years ago

Could have been filmed in a cold storage warehouse as Lost Horizon was.

[–] FeloniousMunk 11 years ago

Robert Osborn said as much on TCM...and added that the scenes were filmed in temps of around 20 below zero. Twenty below!

I grew up where there was a LOT of snow--and also temperatures that low...and lower. The kind of cold that can freeze your brake lines while you're driving, and cause a loss of steering as well. I've always hated snow...and still do...but that kind of cold is MUCH worse. And when you add wind...it can easily kill ya.

Wonder how many takes it took to get those scenes just right? I'm guessing not too many! Not only would the cast and crew be affected by the extreme cold, so would all that equipment.

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[–] marckymarc71 10 years ago

Osborne must have been stretching the truth a bit. Firstly, there's no reason for the temps to have been made that cold. Secondly, the cameras and other equipment would not have worked properly at -20F.

[–] grizzledgeezer 10 years ago

I wondered, too. But we see Cooper smoking later in the scene. I suspect that's what it is.

"Real" rain -- even heavy rain -- doesn't show up well when photographed. Rain in films is almost always artificial.

[–] jellyree 9 years ago

The "breath" was far from consistent and seemed to have been accomplished with cigarettes, some visible, some hidden.

[–] rjoh106648 9 years ago

I just listened to the commentary on the Special Edition DVD, and Ken Barnes said that the last scene was filmed on a refrigerated set, and the actors really were frozen with the cold.

[–] belalugosihouse 8 years ago

Yes, had to be refrigerated air, no other explanation...definitely not smoke if you watch closely. The Hateful Eight filmed the same way, and others including the Dead Pool (scene with Jim Carrey), and many others I've seen. A pretty common thing, and probably quite expensive to a budget.