Lugers On Film
 

Its been awhile since this subject came up (well except for war movies of course)--I think it was on the old discussion board. Lots of new folks since then, and its due for a reminder.

I'm prompted to post this because American Movie Classics has been running the movie "Charade" in heavy rotation lately. In the climactic scene Walter Matthau chases Carey Grant and Audrey Hepburn, Luger in hand. The Luger plays prominently, two extended scenes and a gratuitous closeup.

--Dwight

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/charadecomp.jpg

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload/charadeluger.jpg

Dwight, first, congrats on those excellent pictures, wow, those are just great! It has been talked about some (see list of movies in one of the posts, not all are War Movies) Thanks for sharing about CHARADE!!
Luger Movies #1 posting
Luger Movies #2 posting (TWO PAGES)

Do I see a screw slot in the hole of the left Toggle in the last photo posted by Dwight?

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/screwslottoggle.jpg

It appears that this may be some kind of movie prop instead of an actual Luger pistol!

The luger looks secured too. Safety lever up.

I know you have seen this, from the Tales of the Gun series on the Luger, Gary Cooper using a Luger because the 1911 would not use blanks during shooting of the movie.

http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/Gary.jpg

Very interesting!!
Do you know if a LP08 was ever used in a movie?

Ciao

The film "ANZAC, The War Down Under" has extensive scenes where the Australians use captured LP08's and C96, both with stock, while on a trench raid.

There was an old (Black & White) Charlie Chan mystery movie that featured the use of an LP-08... I used to have a publicity photo showing the Luger, and the holster was on a table in the same scene, but I have been unable to find it... Anyone know the name of the movie? or have a copy of that photo?

john.
if you search for it at www.imdb.com youll find it.

sverre

Mauro, one more. "Ball of Fire" 1941 comedy with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. End of the film features comic gangsters armed with LP08 and C96 which are fired full-auto. Lots of good shots of the pistols.

I see that the safety is up, but the sear block isn't up. Would that mean it is a newer (neuer) model???

Gentlemen, Everybody "Duck" <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" />
Judging by the exposed rear portion of the sear,
THIS IS A P-08, AND ITS READY TO FIRE. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />
The forward sloping sear cutout is the clue, here the Safety Sear Blocker is retracted to FIRE POSITION. <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />
ViggoG

...however, it does not look like it is "GELADEN"...

--Dwight

Dwight, :D
Ist das ein Entsafter den ich daÃ?? das Stecken von auf sehe? <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />
ViggoG <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

J.S. "Charlie Chan At The Olympics" (1937) was on tonight. Lots of lugers. I talked throughout the movie as she read the Enquire.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">I talked throughout the movie as she read the Enquire. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Keep them involved that is the ticket, let her read and say, yes honey every now and then!! :D

Viggo,

Nein, Ich sehe ein Standardteil dumm Sicherung. Sehe auf diese Winkel hinter dem Abzugsstange. :D

--Dwight

Dwight,
This is what I see.
http://boards.rennlist.com/lfupload/AP-08.jpg
A- Safety "Sear Block", "DOWN", Ready to Fire.
This is an "Old Model P-08 Sear" so #xx shows.
B- Safety Lever- - - - - - "UP" , Ready to Fire.
C- Extractor - - "UP" , Geladen , Ready to Fire.
ViggoG <img border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" title="" src="graemlins/drink.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

Viggo & Ed, I don't know what would have been been more dangerous. Interrupting the Enquirer or looking at the wrong end of that luger.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by ViggoG:
<strong>Dwight,
This is what I see.

A- Safety "Sear Block", "DOWN", Ready to Fire.
This is an "Old Model P-08 Sear" so #xx shows.
B- Safety Lever- - - - - - "UP" , Ready to Fire.
C- Extractor - - "UP" , Geladen , Ready to Fire.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Viggo,

You made me make the empirical test.

Regarding "C", when a round is chambered the extractor rises 2mm above the top surface of the breechblock, and extends 1mm above the top of the receiver. It would be clearly prominent in the picture if it was loaded. In addition, at "D", the back of the extractor would be depressed into the breechblock, compressing its interior spring--this would be visible as well. (I've enhanced--brightened--the extractor area to make this a bit easier to see.)

At "A" you are right about the sear block being down, and being an "old model", un-relieved sear bar. That this is -not- a grip safety model (if I translated your original comment correctly) is demonstrated by the sear cut being angled forward, to match the forward-rake angle of the sear block. A grip-safety sear would be angled the opposite direction.

--Dwight

http://forum.lugerforum.com/lfupload...ugerdetail.jpg

Dear friends,
I am very happy that the LP08 is visible in some movies. Unfortunately, right now, I have never seen an LP08 in a movie. Is it possible to extract few minutes of movies where the LP08 is visible and share them on the Forum.
I believe should be very interesting.
Thank you.
Ciao

I don't know if it made into the movie they made from bits of the series, but in the mini-series "ANZACS" there is great scene of a LP08.

Paul Hogan's character is shown herding a group of German prisoners back after a successful "ratting" operation.

LP08 in one hand and a wine bottle in the other!

Dwight,
You are quite correct, the Luger ??? Is not "Geladen"! :rolleyes:
But as Questioned by John S., There is no reasonable answer as to why there appears to be a screw head in the hole in the Toggle Knob, except as John S. has most appropriatly said, "Disabled Movie Prop". And a failure to make the Prop appear to be loaded. (The screw is probably to lock the toggle in down position) <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />
It has been so long since I have been to the range that I had honestly forgotten what the top of a "Geladen" Luger actually looked Like. <img border="0" alt="[sleep]" title="" src="graemlins/sleep.gif" />
My Sincere Apology to Any Who May Have Been Misled By My Error !!
<img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />
ViggoG <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

I was zapping last night when I ended up watching a british movie, in German, set in the Netherlands...

It was a 1970 movie called 'Puppet on a Chain' aka 'Ratten von Amsterdam' (the German version).

The grand finale of the movie shows some nice luger scenes (and shots, literally) with a nice continuity error: At first you see a girl holding a luger, then the luger changes into a P38 in the next scene :) After that, the luger reappears...

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0066258

And contrary to popular belief we don't dress up like the dutch people in the movie. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Watched this one the other night! Another Charles Bronson/Luger film. Caboblanco with Jason Robards shooting off a magazine full of shots from a Luger pistol into a corpse that he thought was alive. There were no pistols like the one shown in the poster! lol
http://members.rennlist.com/lugerman/Caboblanco.jpg

Mauro, an LP-08 was used in the original "Guns of Navarrion" (sp?) and BTW, got your book and love every page of it...thanks

How about the Luger squirt gun at the start of Charade???

I watched a Hercule Perot(sp) mystery "Death in Mesopotamia" that had a Luger in several scenes. None of them showing it being shot.

Steve

Episode 6 of 12 of the mini-series, Band of Brothers, now running on the History Channel...

A young GI shoots a German officer riding a horse and takes the luger as his trophy (nice looking Mauser piece...). He starts showing it off and chambers a round at some time.

A bit later, a shot is heard and folks find that young GI in his fox hole has shot himself in the leg and bleeds out. Before he passes, he says the gun was just in his pocket and he did not touch the trigger...

Probably hit the exposed sear, unintentionally...

Really a sad moment in the story...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

YES Mr. Ebbink,
I totally remember that scene!!! During the first part of Band of Brothers, I believe at Normandy, he is looking for a Luger for..I can't remember who, brother or someone, as a trophy bring back. He finally finds one (like you said) by shooting the German Calvary soldier. He then shoots himself accidently. Really a weird scene because not many would know about the "exposed sear" on a Luger. It makes one wonder if that really happened. If one starts playing with a Luger and it is loaded it can be a more dangerous pistol than others due to this. (Really a neat part of the movie series).

minigun,
I for one qestion the possibility of discharging a properly assembled Luger by way of striking the "exposed portion of the Sear Bar", because this portion of the sear must be moved outward to release the firing pin.
Striking it from the outside drives it inward to maintain engagement and could not fire the weapon !
To reinforce my conclusion, I did the unthinkable !
After cocking my Luger and checking that the extractor was down and the chamber EMPTY, I attempted every way that I could to retract the rear of the sear bar with my fingers, fingermails, coins or anything that would be likely to be in ones pocket.
I failed to discharge the Luger in every case.
The only tool that would be likely to be in ones pocket that seems to be able to retract the exposed sear bar would be a pocket knife, and the blade would have to be open to do that.
Not a very likely way for a knife to be carried in the pocket, would you agree ?
My Observations .
ViggoG

The only way I can see making it discharge accidently, assuming all the parts were not worn in the sear/firing pin engagement area, is to take off the sideplate. That covers the section of the sear bar that can be pushed inwards to make it fire. I he had anything else in his pocket at the time and the safety was off, I could see how something might push against the trigger and cause it to make the gun fire while in his pocket. Or maybe he was used to handling a loaded 45 that has a grip safety that the Luger probably didnt have.

About 8 years ago. I bought a mint Black Widow at a local gun show. The first time I fired it. It doubled. And about once in every mag full it would double. About twice in every mag.,after the first round was fired. If you just looked at the trigger it would fire. I worked on it. I took it to a very good local gunsmith,who worked on it twice. We could never correct the problem. I tried replacing the sear bar and the lever. Could not correct the problem. I finally sold it, with a firm warning to the buyer. So an AD is not out of the realm of possibility.

Ron

Some 15+ years ago I served for a period as the regimental armorer. Part of our stock were eight P-08 pistols that had been handed in from reserve officers reaching retirement. I sent my XO the 2nd lieutenant down to our range in the basement to function fire them all - after a while I hear an 8-round "BUUUURP" coming from downstairs. The third Luger had emptied the whole magazine, in the process puncturing a water-pipe in the ceiling. Needless to say, my XO never trusted any Luger after that incident.

Regards,

Balder

A more recent-day movie...titled "The Phantom" staring Billy Zane and others. Catherine Zita Jones holds a luger on Zane in a scene when Zane drops in, literally, to save the damsel in distress. Luger looked like a M1906 with pencil barrel...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

STALINGRAD had several Luger and P.38 firing scences at the end. A depressing movie! The tank battle at the end was kind of interesting.
<a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305037280.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" target="_fullview"><img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305037280.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" width="400" alt="Click for fullsize image" /></a>

Here's another one.....At the end of The Blues Brothers, near the end of the big car chase seen, Henry Gibson fires at Jake and Elwood with Luger, but it jams.

Bill,

Check out this link .

--Dwight

Another notable movie with lots of Navy Lugers. "The Land That Time Forgot". Based on an Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, about a WWI U-Boat that takes on survivors from a ship which they torpedoed. The survivors, lead by Doug McClure, take over the U-Boat and come across an prehistoric island. There are several good scenes with 98 Mausers and Navy Lugers. I have watched it several times, just to see the Lugers. Have searched for scenes from the movie. Without any luck.
Ron

Not the Luger's fault... It jams because Jake & Elwood are on a mission from God.

"I hate Illinois Nazis." - Jake Blues