What do Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz & Albert Finney Have in Common?

Back in the year  2003 I received a phone call from Hollywood, California.  A young lady who introduced herself as an AD or assistant director, made an unusual request.
English: The Hollywood Sign as it appears from...
English: The Hollywood Sign as it appears from a trail in the Hollywood Hills in Hollywood, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It seemed a large  production company , Columbia Pictures, and a young director named Tim Burton were making a movie, to be filmed in my home town of Wetumpka, Alabama.    But why would they call me,   I was in the bathtub business.    After a brief conversation, it all began to make sense.

One of the scenes for the movie required Albert Finney and Jessica Lange  to be together in a clawfoot bathtub.  They wanted a BIG tub and one that could accommodate two.    That we had.  The dual ended tub, with  a slight slope on each end with a center drain and faucet was ideal.  It comes in 68 inch and even a 75 inch version.    There is plenty of room for two people, each reclining on opposite ends of the tub.  There is also a Double Slipper version.  It is 72 inches long with a more dramatic slope on each end.



By the way, the movie went on to win an academy award for Best Score.

Again, in 2004 another call rang in.  Another studio in L.A. was making a movie that required , not one cast iron clawfoot tub, but  twelve.   The movie would star Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz and Shia LaBeouf, with Reeves playing an irreverent, supernatural detective.   They asked that the tubs be as long as possible (I suppose to make it more obvious in the shot.)  The traditional roll top design was their first choice.  In the movie, the tub was to be destroyed in a violent scene, and so many extra ones  were needed. 

Then again, in 2005 a call came from Hollywood.  Sony pictures was making a movie
Cameron Diaz receiving her star on the Hollywo...
Cameron Diaz receiving her star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black.  It was a romantic comedy bouncing between New York and the rather snowy English countryside.  They were in need of the smallest  cast iron tub we had.   Cameron Diaz would be taking a bath in it.  Well that made no sense because Cameron Diaz is a tall 5 foot 9 inches.  That was the whole point.  It was a comedy, and they wanted her to look uncomfortable in the tub.   The smaller tubs we had were 48- and 54-inch roll tops.  It  did make for a great laugh  to see her leggy frame in such a small tub.

Since the beginning of film making, free standing, cast iron and porcelain, claw footed tubs have been a constant prop for movie making.  They are glamorous, sexy and perfect for staging almost any scene.  Because of their attraction, many everyday people, young or old, still love them today, and you can find them in everything from log cabins to the most expensive estates.

One of the greatest draws to these tubs is the fact that they have become so affordable.  The prices begin as low as $795.00.  They come with beautiful chrome, brushed nickel or oil rubbed bronze legs.  The faucet and accessories also come in many gorgeous designs and finishes, and these too are very affordable.   The English Telephone faucet has always been a favorite.

So, today you can live like a movie star, bathing in elegance and enjoying the good life, as you lean back in your tub dreaming of your own  Hollywood story.

In this article, I have talked about how several movie company’s have contacted Tub King to use our clawfoot tubs in their movies. Because clawfoot tubs are so elegant, they are often featured in movies, including dramas, science fiction and comedies. Today anyone can afford these beautiful tubs. Come to think of it, that’s why they are selling so well.  I hope you found this article useful. If so, pass it along to your friends and co-workers. If you have a comment, enter it below. I am glad I had the chance to share this information with you.
  
Until next time, stay stress free.

Alan & Kerry Knight are the owners of Tub King, Inc and Senior Bathtub.com in Jacksonville Florida. Together they have many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. Their companies not only provide superior products they are also award winners, winning the best of Jacksonville Chamber Award three years running. If you would like to contact them call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231 or email them at alan@tubking.com.

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