If you had your choice of props from your favourite films, what would you choose ?
There’s always the Falcon or the Ruby Slippers on many fans’ lists, but what would you love to have.
That cheque signed by ‘Rick’… CASABLANCA.
Or the Letters of Transit?
I’d take the clock or the sheriff’s badge.HIGH NOON.
From THE LETTER, the letter of course. Held by the widow of the murdered man, the wonderful Gale Sondergaard. It incriminates Bette Davis and she attempts to buy it.
Gale Sondergaard holds the letter.
Herbert Marshall, Bette Davis.
Sterling Hayden.
From Johnny Guitar, I’d take Johnny’s guitar, or Vienna’s red kerchief .
Joan Crawford .JOHNNY GUITAR
Eve’s Sarah Siddons award. ALL ABOUT EVE.
And from NOTORIOUS , how about the key to the wine cellar.
Ingrid Bergman.NOTORIOUS.
Vienna's Classic Hollywood 
You’ve sold me on the Sarah Siddons Award! What a wonderful poster for “Notorious”!
Yes, that poster is pretty impressive.
Naturally, first thing to mind would be The Ruby Slippers; but after all there are four pair so that’s a bit common. Same problem with The Black Bird; there are so many Maltese Falcons… and anyhow they’re damaged goods thanks to Sidney Greenstreet’s deft use of a penknife.
I’ve narrowed it down to these:
* The hot cinch ring which proves to Gary Cooper that his best friend Richard Arlen is a rustler in The Virginian
* The key in Ingrid Bergman’s Notorious little hand
* The fan that Lauren Bacall uses to push chloroform at Dolores Moran in To Have and Have Not
* The tobacco jar that Ronald Colman uses to hide the necklace in Raffles
* Alan Hale’s staff which he uses to cudgel Errol Flynn into the brook in The Adventures of Robin Hood… or Errol’s sword… or his bow… or the arrow which nails the Sheriff’s notice to the tree…
I can’t decide though!
Good choices!
Apparently there were no such things as letters of transit. An invention of the screenwriters.
Still want them.
The Epstein brothers were not happy to share a screenplay credit with Howard Koch who worked on the film for four weeks while they were on Government business in Washington. They claim that none of his stuff was used. The row intensified when Koch brought out an autobiography called As Time Goes By!
Portraits: Gene Tierney from “Laura,” Jennifer Jones from “Portrait of Jennie,” Kim Novak from “Vertigo.” I’ll pass on Dorian Gray, though.
Yes, Dorian Gray might produce nightmares!
I seem to recall the Siddons Award was sold at auction? Interesting that as you pointed out here, it was later created as an actual Chicago theatre award.
Like many other famous movie props, I do not know how many copies were made of the Sarah Siddons award. Joseph Mankiewicz had one as did Bette Davis – Bette’s was gifted to Robert Osborne and sold in 2018 for $25,000.
Thanks. Don’t guess I’ll be in the market to buy one of those anytime soon!