Woodworking Hollywood Cameo

Yesterday I was a bit under the weather. After a busy day at The Woodworking Show on Saturday followed by a long shop session I was beat and woke up just feeling “blah”. Regardless, with Ravens football on TV and a comfy couch I was well positioned for a quick recovery. This was one of those days where you can so easily get sucked into anything on TV and perhaps it was a good hint that I needed to relax for a bit. Well, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was on and I didn’t need too much urging to drop the remote and settle in for a classic film. This is the good version, not the remake. It is a wonderful film based on an even more wonderful book and my wife and I enjoyed it a lot as neither one of us had seen it in many years.

We got into a conversation about the beauty of Charlie’s little town and where it could possibly be filmed. I was firm that the film must be set in Europe somewhere, probably Germany based upon the architecture and layout of the town. My wife insisted it was somewhere in the British countryside. I kept pointing out tiny little things that strengthened my conviction and then once Charlie finds his golden ticket and begins his musical montage run home my suspicions were confirmed.

At one point, Charlie runs past a Joiner’s shop and out in front is a Joiner hard at work with a German style scrub plane on a very German looking workbench. The woodworker’s appearance is less than 2 seconds but that was all the sharp eyed woodworker would need. The horned scrub plane, the continental workbench design, and leaning against the wall in behind the joiner is a frame saw. What more proof do you really need? My wife said I was being ridiculous so out came the iPhone to google and solve this riddle once and for all. Hurrah, I am victorious as the film was shot in Bavaria, specifically Munich.

I wish I could have captured an image to post, but next time you happen across the film, keep a sharp eye out and you will see what only a woodworker would notice.

PS: this will be the only time that I will ever be allowed to be “right” in my marriage, but it was a sweet moment.