With the sad passing of the Sean Connery recently, it sparked thoughts about how much we enjoyed our favorite stars and the vehicles they drove. From the Aston Martins that dominated the Bond franchise to Austin Power’s “Shaguar”, our love affair with movie cars remains. The Jaguar brand has been around for much of the history of moviemaking, so it’s no surprise that we’ve seen so many in our favorite films. The E-Type in particular has been both a leading lady and a supporting player, always adding class to an otherwise lackluster film. Here are some Jags that made statements in their parts (I’ve decided to give them nick-names):
· The Dad E-Type – driven by Ray Milland in 1970’s Love Story. His was a yellow Series II that he drives “very fast” in the snow. Watch for Dad Oliver as he speeds off from Ryan O’Neill who just lost a big hockey game.
· The Hearse E-Type – this must be one of the more interesting “mods” to an E-Type. In the 1971 cult movie, Harold and Maude, Harold decides his E-Type would be more fitting as a hearse. Nuff said.
· The Skinny Model E-Type – Twiggy makes a cameo appearance as a chic lady in the 1974 movie, The Blues Brothers, starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
· The Italian E-Type - Michael Caine put together one of his best performances in 1969’s The Italian Job. In this film, the Jaguar E-Type sporty and slick showed off its curves.
· The Roadworthy E-Type – In Convoy, Ali McGraw pushes the envelope with her E-type in this CB-inspired movie from 1978.
Other than the iconic E-Type, here are some Jaguars that snuck into some great movies. In Bullitt, while the Mustang typically gets all the attention, watch for the Mark X (Willow Green) parked outside the Mark Hopkins Hotel in the early part of the movie. Plus check out the cab driver, Robert Duvall in an early part. In Play Misty for Me, a young Clint Eastwood drives a fabulous XK 150. Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo featured a 1957 Mark VIII. Ushering in the “modern era” of Jaguar, the sleek, low-topped 1994 XJ220 hardtop in Gone in 60 Seconds, featuring Nicholas Cage, was prominent. With Pierce Brosnan playing James Bond, a green Jaguar 2002 XKR convertible made an unforgettable appearance in Die Another Day (2002). In 2002, Austin Powers revved onto the scene behind the wheel of a rendition of the 2001 Jaguar XK8 convertible in Goldmember (2002). This was the second time Mike Myers’ comic persona drove a Jaguar on the big screen. In 1997’s Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, he drove around in 1961 E-TYPE. And on it goes….forget the Fast and Furious franchise….our Jaguars make movie history!
Speaking of James Bond, the South Florida Jaguar Club had a handsome guy get-together recently to celebrate Chris’ new acquisition, a fabulously restored 1936 SS-1. A rare vehicle, the SS-1 was first presented to the public in 1931 at the London Motor Show. In a slightly modified form it was manufactured between 1932 and 1936 and a scant 148 were made. This is a special vehicle. Nice to see people “live” for a change. Don’t know about you, but I’m zoomed out. Stay safe and happy motoring everyone!
