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Midcentury at the movies

Midcentury at the movies

Films and TV to inspire your home

April 18, 2024

Hi friends 👋

Welcome to this week’s installment of The Midmod Corner.

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🗞️ The Story

As much as we like to think we're savvy, Hollywood has always had a knack for shaping design trends, be it in fashion or home décor. This was absolutely true back in the '50s and '60s.

While modern architecture might not have warmed the hearts of the public, its portrayal in movies certainly captured their imagination, embodying their deepest fears, hopes, and aspirations.

#1. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Set in 90s LA, the film's set moves between a bowling alley and suburban settings, showcasing various mid-century modern elements like Saarinen Tulip Chairs and Le Corbusier armchairs. However, the true mid-century modern masterpiece in the film is undoubtedly the Sheats-Goldstein Residence.

Designed in 1963 by Wright's protege, John Lautner, the architecture showcases the asymmetrical and geometrical elegance of mid-century indoor/outdoor living in the Hollywood Hills. Moreover, if you're a fan of The Big Lebowski and admire Sheats-Goldstein, don't miss Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003). You can see this mid-century modern masterpiece once again in this movie.

#2. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

At first glance, you wouldn’t think this film has any MCM elements central to its plot. But, to quote Bueller himself, “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

A standout scene features a modernist structure in Chicago, designed by A. James Speyer, a Mies van der Rohe student, in 1953. In the film, The house is the home of Ferris Bueller's best friend, Cameron Frye, and hosts Cameron's father's treasured 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder.

#3. A Single Man (2009)

Set in the 1960s, the film focuses on a man's loneliness following the loss of his partner. The director, Tom Ford, chose the Schaffer Residence (1949) as the setting, maximizing the use of its concrete, glass, redwood, and steel structure.

Ford ingeniously wove the house's seamless indoor-outdoor flow into the main character's development. He described the character as "a man whose inner world and outer world are connected. George believes if he can maintain his outer world, his inner world won't collapse."

#4. North by Northwest (1959)

In Alfred Hitchcock's highly acclaimed thriller, the main character Roger Thornhill visits the Vandamm house, a residence that bears a striking resemblance to Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic Fallingwater residence.

Despite being a set constructed by MGM, the Vandamm house was designed to mirror the luxurious ambiance depicted throughout the film. Featuring organic-inspired elements and a horizontal layout, Hitchcock aimed for a modern house that would resonate with a broad audience.

#5. Mad Men (2007-2015)

Few shows encapsulate the essence of the mid-century era as Mad Men does. Every detail was meticulously curated to reflect the director's vision of the 1960s, a time when being educated, cultured, intellectual, and having taste were highly valued.

Don and Megan's Manhattan penthouse showcases a quintessential Mid-Century Modern sunken living room characterized by clean lines and sharp edges. The addition of bold pillows with playful pops of color plays a crucial role in completing the look.