MovieChat Forums > Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) Discussion > Automatic Jeep?

Automatic Jeep?

posted 20 years ago by andy.marshall
14 replies | jump to latest

OK, this film is entertaining but there are three glaring things wrong with it:
1.) When I first saw this film I missed the opening credits and then kept asking myself: "Is that Anne Francis"? I couldn't be sure because she was only ever shot (no pun) in left profile and so you never saw her trademark beauty spot. I guess she (or director Sturges) were sensitive about that in 1955;
2.) If the all the action takes place within a period of about 12 hours, how come Robert Ryan is seen in 3 different (very stylish) outfits? and
3.) How could Spence change gears on the jeep if he was using his one good arm to steer?

[–] tireless_crank 20 years ago

Like any GI who drove the old style Jeep while eating a sandwich, hold the wheel steady with pressure using your right knee, push in the clutch with left foot and shift with right hand.

[–] krasnegar 19 years ago

Or any truck driver of the period who had to split-shift an 18-wheeler shifting two sticks simultaneously would do the same -- brace wheel with knee, shift.

Anybody who could shift a crashbox transmission like that jeep would have had at all would be able to work out the mechanics of the one-handed shift.

[–] jonirod 20 years ago

When at UCLA in the 70's I drove a Datsun pickup with a four speed manual from Reseda to Westwood every day with a coffee and cinamon roll and no cup holder.
Where there's a will there's a way!

[–] BlondeVixen 17 years ago

<When at UCLA in the 70's I drove a Datsun pickup with a four speed manual from Reseda to Westwood every day with a coffee and cinamon roll and no cup holder.
Where there's a will there's a way!>

Hah! 'Course, that's a skill they don't teach in driving school.

[–] LAH-2 18 years ago

We do see her beauty mark, but not until her last scene.

[–] tdf5g 17 years ago

Mcreedy's a war veteran, so he would be very familiar with the jeep also.

[–] jimbogags 17 years ago

The movie had a good start--but then started getting faulty with its writing and scene set-ups. Why did Ann drive Spencer back to Adobe Flats? Why did Ann get shot? For the fact that the movie sorta dragged for the first hour-it seemed odd that suddenly all these things were happening in a jumbled fashion.

[–] kwandrsn 17 years ago

How did a civilian obtain a surplus jeep before the end of the war? The gas ration card in the window indicates ownership before 8-15-45 when gas rationing ended. And would a civilian jeep be issued a "T" (truck) ration card?

[–] ribarproductions 16 years ago

Lest we not forget that he's also wearing a knotted necktie with his suit,...try creating one of those with one hand!

Richard Barnes

[–] greenerskies47 16 years ago

I drive stick shift (I refuse to drive automatic-so boring!) and I drive one handed all the time. I've even been known to answer my cell while driving so it's not impossible, it's just a lot harder than driving automatic.

"Irresponsibility isn't a sickness - it's an art." - Remington Steele

[–] rstory-3 16 years ago

You can shift gears without using the clutch. You just have to know the right rpms of that particular vehicle to do it. Since Spencer Tracy's character was in the service he probably drove a lot of Army vehicles, especialy a jeep.

Waffles Anyone
rstory-3
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731

[–] Dukat-4 16 years ago

Except that McCreedy had only one arm... He would have had no trouble clutching with two good feet...

[–] rstory-3 16 years ago

Your right. But this leaves your leg free to press against the steering wheel to hold it in place.

Waffles Anyone
rstory-3
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731

[–] 16 years ago

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