Why is it that during the airport check-in sequence at the beginning of the film, why do the passengers all state their age and location of birth to the check-in staff?
mmm, doughnut...
-Homer J. Simpson
I started a post about that. I believe it was just a not so subtle way of getting to know these characters.
shareSo it has no connection to actual 1950s check-in procedures?
mmm, doughnut...
-Homer J. Simpson
I wouldn't think so. They said all sorts of things that had nothing to do with boarding a plane
shareIt was actually a simplified procedure for an over-water flight back then. The departure manifest (kept at the desk) had this information entered on it because it made notification faster if the plane went missing. What wouldn't be put up with today was the passengers also had to weigh-in--OMG!! how politically incorrect!!!!!
The flight engineer and first officer had to calculate the T/O weight pretty close with regard to the amount of fuel stuffed into the tanks for that trip. At that time a few too many fat people, some heavy bags and a head wind could add up to a very wet landing. There was a very close eye kept on airspeed, fuel mixture, prop pitch and amount of fuel left on board.
What does all that have to do with somebody telling the person at the desk that they were born the son of a share cropper and where they grew up and where they were raised and all that?
shareThey were showing a simplification of the process of finding out next of kin for notification purposes. This info was kept at the departure desk until the flight reached it's destination.
shareWhat wouldn't be put up with today was the passengers also had to weigh-inAre you kidding? The way passengers are being nickle-and-dimed for everything from blankets to using the rest room, I expect the carriers to start weighing them and charging by the pound any day now.
Two reasons: Airplane flight was much riskier back then and there was no radar. Especially on a trans-ocean flight they'd need to have a list of where they lived and specifics on who they were (there were no computers then either). The AMOUNT of specifics the characters in the film share is all Hollywood hocum to shorthand info and get the audience to know the characters QUICK (because disaster is pending!).
shareI assumed all that questioning was because back then Hawaii wasn't yet a state. So this trip was almost like flying international. Don't know.
shareSounds like a reasonable explanation. The guy with the gun who comes late is asked to check in with immigrations as well.
I had a laugh when the guy who looked like he was at least 50 claimed that he was 38 years old.
p.s.: I just checked, and the actor indeed was 50 when the movie was made. That's a bit stupid. Or did the character lie on purpose?
--------------------------------------------------------
~No matter where you go, there you are~