Archive Record
Images
Additional Images [5]
Metadata
Accession # |
A2014.1 |
Title |
Elora village photographs taken during filming of the movie Mrs. Soffel, 1984. |
Date |
March 1984 |
Description |
Elora village scenes during filming of the movie Mrs. Soffel, March 1984; photographs taken by Vi Wood of Elora; includes duplicates in most cases. Mrs. Soffel was a Metro Goldwyn Mayer film directed by Gillian Armstrong, based on the true story of Kate Soffel of Butler, Pennsylvania. In 1901, she was the wife of a prison warden, and helped to ease the prisoners' suffering by visiting and reading the Bible to them. The story was remarkable in that she fell for one of the Biddle brothers who were prisoners, helped them escape, and ran away with them. In the film, Mrs. Soffel was played by Diane Keaton, and her love interest by Mel Gibson. The film was shot in Elora, as well as in Kleinburg, Terra Cotta, and Alliston (Mulmer Township), Ontario, and in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The Kitchener-Waterloo Record of 21 March 1984 noted during filming that, "For the Elora scenes…carpenters spent days building false storefronts along Mill Street. A decaying Victoria Street footbridge was reinforced at a cost of $40,000 for a chase scene". They also stated that MGM had allowed residents and visitors to wander freely and take photographs. For more information about this film, see the file "Elora: Arts -- film" in Archives Reading Room. - ph 41804: Young boy [actor] in period costume on Mill Street West, on the set of Mrs. Soffel; Odd Felllows Hall at the corner of Mill and Metcalfe Streets visible in background, along with three other people. - ph 41805: People milling about Mill Street West at Victoria Street, with false shop signs on buildings for the movie Mrs. Soffel. - ph 41806: Person walking past shops on Mill Street West; Elora Books visible at left; other stores have had their signs altered to fit the film and include "Hotel Moran", "Barber", and "Butler Feed Co." - ph 41807: Horse-drawn sleighs crossing the Victoria Street bridge during filming of the movie Mrs. Soffel. - ph 41808 -- ph 41809: A dozen people on horse-back crossing the Victoria Street Bridge during filming of the movie, Mrs. Soffel; old Mundell Company buildings and Potter's Foundry building visible in background. - ph 41810: Woman [actress] in period attire, with hat and muff, posed indoors, in the upper hallway of the Elora Legion. - ph 41811: Woman [actress] in period attire, with hat and muff, posed indoors at the Elora Legion; people in large room visible at right. - ph 41812: Man [actor?] on the steps of the Elora Legion building. - ph 41813: Helen Kane in period attire, flanked by twins Ricky and Willie Kane, possibly at the Elora Legion. - ph 41814: Looking southwest down Church Street, to buildings on the southeast and southwest corners of Church Street at Irvine Street; boy on bicycle on street. |
Creator \ Maker |
Wood, Vi |
Item Name |
Prints |
Person \ Organization |
Armstrong, Gillian Biddle Elora Books Gibson, Mel Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I. O. O. F.) Kane, Helen Kane, Ricky Kane, Willie Keaton, Diane Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) Mundell Furniture Company Potter Foundry Royal Canadian Legion, Elora Branch, #229 Soffel, Kate (Mrs.) |
Place |
Alliston Church Street Elora Irvine Street Kleinburg Metcalfe Street Mill Street Mulmur Township Ontario Pennsylvania Terra Cotta Victoria Street Victoria Street Bridge Wisconsin |
Subject |
Architecture Arts Bridge Streetscape Theatre |
Photo, Map # |
ph 41804 ph 41805 ph 41806 ph 41807 ph 41808 ph 41809 ph 41810 ph 41811 ph 41812 ph 41813 ph 41814 |
Year Range from |
1984 |
Year Range to |
1984 |
Accession # |
A2014.1 |
Containers |
STACKS |