MovieChat Forums > Black Widow (1954) Discussion > How could both apartments have the same ...

How could both apartments have the same floorplan?

posted 10 years ago by Cinemaskype
3 replies | jump to latest

Ridiculously oversized Manhattan apartments have been a movie staple for decades. This isn't about the "Douglas Sirks" quality of the sets but refers to when George Raft, visiting the penthouse, asks if the floorplan is the same as the protagonist's and is told "yes."

Ginger Rogers' penthouse had a terrace, Van Heflin's below didn't. A terrace is a setback and typically eats into the square footage of an apartment. The floorplan may be similar but not the same. I realize it doesn't really matter since cop George Raft was merely asking on a pretext to snoop but of all the things to try and figure out about "Black Widow" this one bothers me. Anyone else notice this?

[–] GoodSOVeryVeryGood 9 years ago

I just started to watch the movie and saw your post - at the beginning of the film there is an outside shot of the apartment building - you can the lights are on at the penthouse where the party is held as well as a few floors down - the facade of both are pretty much identical but offset where the PH has a balcony.

I lived in NYC in the 80s and was mightily disappointed that these museum size apartments were outside my price range … but as a Broadway star and producer I am sure they could very well afford the huge spaces.

[–] Ironman54 9 years ago

I found myself distracted by both the penthouse and Gingers breasts and so missed the end of the movie. Raft was enough to hypnotize me or at least pay attention to just about anything else but his wooden acting ... move an arm, something George !! I never noticed how well endowed Ms Rogers was until that last 'sweater girl' seen.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Because people who write and produce movies are not architects, so they don't have the first clue when it comes to stuff like this.