Is this Peppy Miller's car in "The Artist"? (Imagine it in black & white)
[UPDATE: For more information, read my updated post about the cars of “The Artist.”]
HOLLYWOOD
Trying to figure out what was that car Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) drove in “The Artist”? And crashed? (“BANG!”)
Ouch! Hope Peppy had the CDW coverage!
It appears to be a bright red 1935 Cadillac Convertible Sedan, very much like the one shown above. This particular car, registered in California where the movie was shot, was offered for auction in 2008 at Meadowbrook. Estimated to bring around $140,000, the bids in fact only came up to $92,500, and the vehicle was withdrawn for sale.
Queries to RM Auctions, the auctioneer, for more information about the owner, etc., have so far gone unanswered. We’ll let you know what, if anything, we find out about the car.
Mr. & Mrs. Hazanavicius
Please compare the car shown above to the one that director Michel Hazanavicius and his wife, the movie’s star actress, Berenice Bejo drove to the premiere of the movie in Hollywood on November 21, 2011.
Yes, the wheels & hubcaps are different!
Jerry Garrett
December 18, 2011
Garrett On The Road 
[…] an earlier post here, I discussed the 1935 Cadillac Convertible Sedan that is driven by Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) in […]
By: The Cars of THE ARTIST: Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac & More « Garrett On The Road on December 19, 2011
at 1:22 am
Yes, very close match at least.
Unfortunately they chose to use a car that was clearly more modern than any of the others – and made after 1933 – the year the film concluded.
“Striking” car nevertheless!
By: Ramon on December 26, 2011
at 5:05 pm
IF YOU NOTICE CLOSELY WHEN WHEN SHE SOUNDED THE HORN IT HAD THE LASALLE LOGO
By: SAL MONELLA on March 31, 2016
at 10:01 pm
[…] in “The Lincoln Lawyer“; the 1935 Cadillac that Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) crashes into a tree in “The Artist“; the fabulous cars of 1959 in “The Rum Diary“; and, […]
By: The Most Memorable Movie Cars of 2011 « Garrett On The Road on January 2, 2012
at 12:16 am
Jerry – sorry, but you’re completely wrong about the cars in the movie. Both featured cars are Lincolns. Valentin’s is a ~’30 (note the characteristic bumper, which they kept thru ’31). Peppy’s is a 36 K-series V-12; the location of the badge on the grille is the tip on that one, plus in the scene near the end where she blows the horn to try to summon Clifford the chauffeur, you can read Lincoln on the horn button. Since the scene is supposed to be 1932, as you note, this is a major anachronism (still, the whole film’s nevertheless great). The cars at the premiere are another matter – that one is a Cadillac.
By: Hempenstein on February 5, 2012
at 4:28 pm
Thanks for your observations! Here is a link to a nice photo of a 1936 Lincoln Series K: http://www.rarecars.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/1936-Lincoln-Model-K.jpg
Check it out and see if you agree that is similar to Peppy’s car in the movie (not just the Hollywood premiere!).
By: Jerry Garrett on February 5, 2012
at 5:58 pm
Similar, but the one in your link is a phaeton (side curtains for rain protection). Here’s a convertible sedan (roll-up side windows) possibly the one in the film, altho I don’t believe that one had a trunk rack: http://www.chicagoclassiccars.com/inventory_show.asp?stknum=3229 I’d like to go thru the movie when it comes out on DVD and stop frame here and there.
By: Hempenstein on February 5, 2012
at 8:13 pm
When you see Peppy driving the car, you can read the letters ‘LA’ on the steering wheel boss. Therefore I conclude that the car was (or was meant to be) a La Salle.
By: Ric on March 9, 2012
at 10:24 am
The LaSalle logo has a capital “L” and an “S”, either side of a small “a”.
By: Jerry Garrett on March 11, 2012
at 8:04 am
You may be right.
By: Ric on March 11, 2012
at 12:27 pm
[…] of debate among readers of this blog, since I made a claim that it was, in columns posted here and here in December 2011. Finally, a year later, the owner of the movie car contacted me to confirm it was […]
By: The Ironic Secret Behind The ’35 Cadillac in THE ARTIST « Garrett On The Road on December 14, 2012
at 11:56 pm