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Clue the movie props

I don't have all of my research handy, but I am putting this together as a gift as well.

This is the best picture I have on me at the moment.
clue-in-case.jpg

I will update when I can recall what the actual suitcase was, but it was from the 1950s and is around $1,300 so I just got a 1950s Samsonite in faux alligator for about $40

The knife:
Fairbairn and Sykes British Fighting Knife with the 3rd pattern ringed handle.
https://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/third-pattern.html
You can find lots of good replicas

The gun:
I just used a toy gun. but the real model was mentioned earlier in this thread.

The Pipe:
I had home depot cut me a piece of 1" diameter by 18" galvanized pipe because I couldn't find that exact size.

The Rope:
I used 20' of 5/8" tan cotton braided rope with a hangman's noose wrapped 12 times.

The Candlestick:
The Diamond Jubilee Candlesticks mentioned else where in this thread. I specifically used the Prince of Diamonds size.

Pipe:
The Billings 12" railroad wrench.

I am still working on the individually sized black 2 part boxes and purple ribbon. And I need to add a brace to hold the suitcase open like it was in the movie.

Good luck to anyone putting this set together its a fun found prop project.

~Tim
 
Thanks for that info; I'll definitely be on the look out for your briefcase update! This is indeed a fun prop project. Here's how I've chosen to display my collection thus far:
Clue Display.JPG

It's not ideal, but I'm still working on a better way to display all the weapons.
 
Nodarse said:
Thanks for that info; I'll definitely be on the look out for your briefcase update! This is indeed a fun prop project. Here's how I've chosen to display my collection thus far:
View attachment 837115

It's not ideal, but I'm still working on a better way to display all the weapons.
Click to expand...

I like it. Simple, yet conveys the message, and any fan of the movie will immediately know what it is.
 
Gary Ambrosia said:
Here is my collection. The only weapon I do not have is the H&R. That's a tough firearm to find. I managed to reproduce a few of the blackmail photos as well. The wrench is a british issued Billings/Coe wrench (UK Gas Grip, whatever that is) stamped with a triangle symbol centered with a 'B', the candlestick is one of the Diamond Jubilee collection, "The Diamond Princess" (pretty easy to find on ebay- got mine for $60 a set) and the dagger is an old Fairbarn Sykes WWII British Commando Knife (those are pricy, but I found a cheap replica in brass for $25 on ebay). The pistol (according to IMFDb) is an H&R model 732 with nickel finish and a 4" barrel. The rope is a standard hemp- I can't tell whether it's 5/8" or 3/4", and the lead pipe is a 1 1/2" x 18" standard galvanized iron pipe nipple (Home Depot).

View attachment 340235View attachment 340234View attachment 340233View attachment 340232View attachment 340236View attachment 340237View attachment 340238View attachment 340239View attachment 340240
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Would you mind sharing how you replicated the blackmail photos? I'd love to add those to my collection.

Also, do you by chance have any idea where to acquire the ornate letter opener that Wadsworth uses? I think it's mainly in two scenes; when Wadsworth first opens the packet with all the letters and photos and he also uses it during his ending explanation to stab the leg of ham.
 
I’ve been wanting to recreate the invitation letters and evidence packet along with the weapons and briefcase. Wadsworth reads his letter which, in part at least, says: “It will be to your advantage to be present on this date, because a Mr. Body will bring to an end a certain long-standing, confidential, and painful financial liability. Sincerely, a friend.”

We also know via dialogue from Ms. Scarlet and Mrs. White that the letters contained the address for the mansion and instructions to not use their real names and to refrain from discussing any personal information.

With that knowledge, I’ve surmised that the letters are formatted like this:


“Dear [Redacted],

On [insert date here], a dinner party will be held at the Hill House estate, right off Route 41 in Massachusetts. You are invited as a guest to this event. Your host asks that you use an alias [insert alias of choice here] for the evening and also kindly asks for you to refrain from discussing any personal information with the other guests.

It will be to your advantage to be present on this date, because a Mr. Body will bring to an end a certain long-standing, confidential, and painful financial liability.

Sincerely, a friend.”

Now comes the tricky part. What date does the party take place on? There are a few clues that point to a few possibilities. When Wadsworth walks into the house, the screen displays that the movie is set in 1954. In this same scene, Wadsworth goes to the kitchen to check up on the cook and she is sharpening her knives and watching the TV. The man speaking on the television is Senator Joseph McCarthy. If you listen closely you can hear him say “...professors and teachers who are getting their orders from Moscow...”. After a quick Google search, I found that McCarthy made this statement in a hearing on June 9th, 1954.

“Problem solved, then” you ask? Not exactly. While the TV is broadcasting real footage from that date, there are other bigger details that lead me to believe the party is actually set later in 1954. The film opens with the guests arriving right as a terrible rain and thunderstorm sets in. Also, there is fog when Plum picks up Scarlet. There is also leaves falling and leaves on the ground when Wadsworth arrives. All signs of it being early fall. The guests’ attire supports this theory, with almost all arriving clad in topcoats, hats, scarves, and gloves. I’ve never lived in New England during the summer, but I don’t think heavy coats and scarves are exactly a part of people’s summer wardrobes in the 1950s, even when the sun has gone down. Also, setting a murder mystery during the fall just seems appropriate to me.

With that said, I think the party takes place on an evening in late September or early October. But if you want an exact date, I think going with the date of the McCarthy hearing is perfectly acceptable as well.
 
<QUOTE>
In any case! Top hats came about in the 19th century and stayed until the 1920s. So hats had been an absolute feature of male life, as normal to you or me as wearing trousers, socks, shoes and a shirt.

I believe the end of the hat was brought about by the rebellion of the youths seen in the late 1950s and 1960s. There arose a segment of the population for which every aspect of life in the West that was seen as conservative became the enemy. De Gaulle, the BBC, organised religion, serving in one's armed forces, even hats for this example- all of it had to go.

Granted, a number of these ideas ended up fading away, like world peace movements and the fad religions, but for the most part the rebels won. And in the 1970s and beyond, hats were considered only suitable for the elderly and the out of touch.

In the U.K. hats took some time to dwindle away,
<END QUOTE>

This is an article from USA, and at the end says Hats were still common in the UK longer than USA.
Hats as common as shoes and socks ? If so, hats and coats could be just as likely at ANY time of year. If you recall in movies set in early times, there was a hat and coat "check lady" (person) at all the fancy establishments. It doesn't imply that this job is seasonal, coat check (including giving you a tag for your checked coat) was year around. It's just an old custom that has gone away.
 
I also bought a "lead" pipe from Home Depot. They had an 18" double threaded piece that was perfect. I used some leftover Brass Black on it with TERRIFIC results.

pipe.jpg
 
As for the theoretical date for the dinner party letters... I think the outside shots of the mansion showed a full moon. If we go by that then a quick Google search for "moon phases 1954" shows June 16th as the full moon. For the other months proposed, there were full moons on September 12 and October 11 that year. I vote for October since that's the month I do my annual viewing. Also the time of year some theaters do quote alongs and mystery dinner parties.
 
NateV66 said:
I also bought a "lead" pipe from Home Depot. They had an 18" double threaded piece that was perfect. I used some leftover Brass Black on it with TERRIFIC results.

View attachment 1309153
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I got my "lead" pipe from Home Depot, as well. 18" , 1 inch thick, double threaded. It was a stock item on the shelf. I now have 5 of the 6 weapons. I just need to do the revolver. I am 3D modeling the revolver to be printed.
 
Jintosh said:
I got my "lead" pipe from Home Depot, as well. 18" , 1 inch thick, double threaded. It was a stock item on the shelf. I now have 5 of the 6 weapons. I just need to do the revolver. I am 3D modeling the revolver to be printed.
Click to expand...
Look foward to seeing that one! The HR is one elusive firearm
 
Jintosh said:
I got my "lead" pipe from Home Depot, as well. 18" , 1 inch thick, double threaded. It was a stock item on the shelf. I now have 5 of the 6 weapons. I just need to do the revolver. I am 3D modeling the revolver to be printed.
Click to expand...

Ooh you have to share that model. The revolver is the only thing missing at this point. These have all been presents for my sister, delivered in black boxes with purple ribbons over the last few years. She doesn't want a real gun so a 3D print would be perfect.
 
NateV66 said:
Ooh you have to share that model. The revolver is the only thing missing at this point. These have all been presents for my sister, delivered in black boxes with purple ribbons over the last few years. She doesn't want a real gun so a 3D print would be perfect.
Click to expand...

I second that emotion for a model of the revolver. :)
 
I've been hard at work on my movie version of the Clue board game for a little over a year now. Since 3d prints have been tough to come across at good quality, I've been sourcing some dollhouse-scaled pieces. I think I may have found a close enough match for the revolver but the candlestick is proving quite difficult!!
 
IMG_9976.jpg
IMG_9977.jpgIMG_9976.jpg

Welp, seeing as how this is my second favorite movie of all time (I am not making this up) I got to work on my display. Some items may not be 100% accurate (but...some are).

1. vintage 1940's Samsonite alligator suitcase
2. Correct British Billings/Coe wrench, all metal (my man is HEAVY)
3. correct antique "Diamond Princess" candlestick
4. cheap @$$ British commando knife/dagger replica
5. Pipe from Home Depot (needs to be weathered, plus I took a shorter length than the movie because I wanted it in proportion to the other props)

Just need rope and revolver. You'd be surprised how hard it can be to find rope, though I DID find a 3d printed revolver on Etsy that will do until something better pops up.

My vision is to surround the props in the open suitcase with autographed photos - the signed script cover on the wall above is a replica, but Tim Curry's autograph is real. I have asks out to him, Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp and Martin Mull to sign the CLUE charcater cards printable from this very forum. :)

Michael McKean and Christopher Lloyd are tougher I think....but imma try. :)
IMG_9977.jpg
 
Last edited:
Update with blackmail photos, just for funsies. Still can't find a good rope solution. 3D printed temp revolver due in about a week. :)

IMG_9976.jpgIMG_0069.jpg
 
I got a good rope from my Ace hardware, they sell it by the foot. Buy WAY more than you need. It has a silky white finish.....you'll need to age it properly.
 

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