Category Archives: perfumes in movies

perfumes in movies

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

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In 1968 Noodles (Robert De Niro) pays a visit to Deborah (Elizabeth McGovern): she’s in her dressing room in the Broadway theatre where she’s performing as Cleopatra in a play.

Her vanity is packed with beauty products and perfumes but one specific bottle has caught my attention.

It’s the fluted bottle with black stopper of Lanvin Eau de Lanvin Arpège, one of the many versions of the historical floral/aldehyde fragrance created by Paul Vacher and Andre Fraysse and launched in 1927.

Thanks to Carolina for submitting this post.

perfumes in movies

Basket Case 2 (1990)

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The beautifully poetic advert for Guy Laroche Fidji can be seen on a stack of magazines. This is the 1984 version of one of the most evocative perfume adverts from that decade. “The woman is an island [1], Fidji is her perfume,” says the caption, which transfers the exotic location of the advert (supposedly the Fiji islands) to the woman who will wear the perfume (she becomes “an island”).

This warm spicy fragrance was created by Josephine Catapano and launched in 1966.

[1] Probably the copywriter who wrote the caption didn’t know about John Donne’s sonnet according to which “no man is an island, entire of itself” 😉 Or maybe they knew the poem and wanted to give it a twist.

Thanks to Szymon for submitting this post.

cosmetics in movies, perfumes in movies

Kung Fu Master! (1988)

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There are several Guerlain products in Mary-Jane’s wood-lined bathroom.

The first is a box of Les Météorites pressed-powder pearls sitting on the marble sink counter.

On the wooden shelf by the bath tub there are a flacon chauve souris of Shalimar and a flacon abeilles of Eau Impériale.

bodycare in movies, cosmetics in movies, perfumes in movies

Kung-fu Master! (1988)

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There are some interesting items on a marble counter on Mary-Jane’s bathroom.

The miniature bottle on the left is Chanel 8° 5 Lotion Fraiche.

The tall cardboard box on the right contains Manetti & Roberts Borotalco, probably the most iconic talcum powder made in Italy.

In front of it, another cardboard box contains Coty Airspun loose face powder.

perfumes in movies

Experiment in Terror (1962)

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There are two interesting bottles on a dresser in the bedroom that Kelly (Lee Remick) shares with her younger sister Toby (Stefanie Powers).

The white bottle is the eau de cologne version of Rochas Femme, a chypre fruity fragrance created by Edmond Roudnitska and launched in 1944.

The other bottle is an eau de cologne by Lucien Lelong. Unfortunately it’s impossible to tell the exact fragrance because the label is unreadable and because the same balloon bottle was used to house several different scents.

perfumes in movies, skincare in movies

Christmas Evil (1980)

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There are some interesting bottles on Jackie’s vanity.

One is the eau de toilette version of Robert Piguet Fracas, created by Germaine Cellier and originally launched in 1948.

The second is Jean Desprez Bal à Versailles, an amber powdery fragrance launched in 1962.

The third is the refillable atomiser of Guerlain Shalimar, a fragrance by Jacques Guerlain launched in 1925.

The fourth sits in front of the Guerlain atomiser: it’s the refillable atomiser of Chanel No. 19, created by Henri Robert and launched in 1970.

There’s also an Erno Laszlo jar, possibly containing face powder or moisturizing cream.

Thanks to Alessandra for submitting this post, to Alindri for the Desprez id and to Leylalight for the Chanel id.

perfumes in movies

Priscilla (2023)

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The bottle sitting on Elvis Presley’s dresser in his bedroom in Bad Nauheim is Fabergé Brut, an aromatic fougère fragrance created by Karl Mann and launched in 1964.

This choice is not historically accurate because Elvis’ military service in Germany took place from October 1958 to March 1960, well before the release of Brut. Sofia Coppola’s fans know these “mistakes” are frequent in her films, though, and usually add a fascinating touch. Anyone remembers the purple Converse All Star hi-tops in Marie Antoinette (2006)?

nail polish in movies, perfumes in movies, skincare in movies

Priscilla (2023)

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The first two products Priscilla takes from her beauty case are a jar of Noxzema skin cream and a bottle of Cutex nail polish in an orange/coral shade.

Next, there’s a bottle of Chanel No. 5, the legendary floral aldehyde eau de parfum created by Ernest Beaux and launched in 1921.

She also takes a compact containing pressed face powder and a marbled jar containing a cold cream (this is what is written on its lid). I can’t identify the compact but I am sure the cold-cream jar is just a prop.

The last items are two lipsticks – one in a dark green case, the other in a gold case.