Category Archives: perfumes in movies

La caduta degli dei (1969)

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guerlain_mitsouko_bornunicornThere’s a Guerlain perfume bottle on the dressing table of Olga (Florinda Bolkan), Martin Von Essenbeck’s mistress. It’s the flacon bouchon coeur with the classic heart-shaped stopper. Designed by Raymond Guerlain and Baccarat, it was launched in 1912 and originally contained extraits of Mitsouko, Fol Arome and L’Heure Bleue.

The film is set in Germany during the Third Reich (1933-1945), so a bottle of the three perfumes above would be historically accurate: Mitsouko was launched in 1919, Fol Arome and L’Heure Bleue in 1912. I can see Olga wearing Mitsouko, though, because it perfectly fits her vampy attitude and her dreams (fulfilled at last) to replace Martin’s mother in his life. The Guerlain perfume on her dressing table symbolizes the rich and powerful life she longs to live, refinement and luxury; it’s not a coincidence that Sophie Von Essenbeck exclusively uses Guerlain perfumes.

From Prada to Nada (2011)

frompradatonada_bornunicorn elizabetharden_reddoor_bornunicornlizclaiborne_borabora_bornunicornbathandbodyworks_cherryblossombodysplash_bornunicornThere are Elizabeth Arden Red Door and Liz Claiborne Bora Bora perfumes on the dressing table of Nora Dominguez (Camilla Belle). Cherry Blossom body splash by Bath & Body Works (old packaging) can be seen, too.

Thanks to my friend Jennifer for the Liz Claiborne and Bath & Body Works ids.

The Two Faces of January (2014)

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annickgoutal_bornunicornThere’s a bottle of Annick Goutal perfume in the MacFarlands’ hotel bathroom. The fluted bottle with the gold stopper and white paper label is the trademark of the French brand; too bad this choice is historically inaccurate. As a matter of fact, Goutal opened her first boutique in 1981, almost twenty years after the story told in the film (set in 1962).

A Single Man (2009)

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There’s a Guerlain flacon montre with glass stopper on Charlotte’s bed-side table. The central disk of the label is not visible, so it’s hard to tell what perfume it contained. It’s dark, though, so we can make some assumptions.

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It could be Ode, with the purple disk.

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Or Vol de Nuit, with the navy blue disk.

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It could also be Jicky, with the burgundy disk.

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Or Liu, with the black disk.

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Or even Mitsouko, with the emerald green disk.

Which Guerlain cologne do you think could suit the character? I would see her wearing Jicky, with its fresh spicy notes, or Liu, with its beautiful opening of aldehydes and bergamot.

 

Mr. Morgan’s Last Love (2013)

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elgydiumtoothpaste_bornunicornThere are several beauty products in Matthew Morgan’s bathroom, most of which were used by his wife Joan. On the glass shelf there’s a tube of Elgydium toothpaste.

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guerlainmeteoritesoriginal_bornunicornIn the cabinet there are a bottle of Sonia Rykiel Woman perfume and Guerlain Météorites face powder.

By the Sea (2015)

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There are two Jean Patou fragrances on Vanessa’s dressing table: one is Joy, the other one is Eau de JoyLaunched in 1929 as “the world’s most expensive perfume,” Joy was created by Henri Alméras with 10600 flowers of jasmine and 28 dozens of roses, plus notes of ylang-ylang, musk, tuberose and sandalwood. Eau de Joy was launched in the 1960s: it’s dominated by jasmine notes, along with civet, aldehydes, lily of the valley and rose.

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On the dressing table there are also a box of Summer Eye Cream by Germaine Monteil, still wrapped in plastic, and a bee-lid jar of Yardley face cream.

Thanks to vintageimagebox for the Yardley id.