The Big W

What I thought was cool was the fact that practically every cast member runs past it in the film, while we the audience clearly see it in the background. You even see it as soon as they arrive in the park. When Rooney & Hackett chase after Adams & Caesar, and they all stop to "talk this over," the Big W is already visible waaaaaay in the background, screen left. When they ask about Spencer Tracy ("who's he?"), it's in the background again, and of course, the great close-up shots with the angelic choir. Wish it was still around in Rancho Palos Verdes.

I just finished watching this on DVD. When Dorothy Provine's character discovers the "big W", the background music actually has disguised lyrics. When the camera turns to the palms, the music subtly sings, "the big double you." I have watched this at least a dozen times and this was the first time I ever caught it.

The reason no one saw the big "W" is that they were looking for something that began with a w such a windmill or waterfall ECT. They didn't know that Grogen(Jimmie Durante)meant that literarily.

You may think that but I couldn't possibly comment--Francis Urquhart

Jay

The funny thing is there is actually a chain of retail stores in Australia called 'Big W'. But when I watched this movie several years ago, I didn't realize at the time that Big W was only in Australia. So I was expecting to see dozens of people joking about there being a Big W store and of course there were none. Still any other Australian's who have watched this movie in recent years would get a laugh about the 'Big W'.