Cadillacs in the Movies

The Cadillac has been an iconic symbol of US vehicle production since the very first car rolled off the production line all those years ago. As an American icon, various models have appeared in some of the most famous movies of all time and on occasion, they have even taken the spotlight away from the actors themselves.

With Cadillac prices becoming more affordable, if you’re looking to buy your next car online why not make it a Cadillac so you can follow in the footsteps of some of Hollywood’s greats?

One of the earliest movies in which the car was something of a star came out in 1949 when Mickey Rooney starred in The Big Wheel. The whole film centers on racing and Rooney’s character is determined to seek a career in motor sport despite the fact that his father was killed in the Indy 500. The film is a roller coaster of great racing action from start to finish and at the center of it is Rooney’s 1941 Cadillac series 62 convertible coupe.

Away from the world of racing and on a more sedate scale, 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy featured a 1956 Fleetwood Sixty Special. However, the brand is largely associated with fast paced action and that’s where Cadillacs at the movies largely come into their own.

When you look at any list of films where Cadillacs have featured heavily, certain actors seem to crop up on a regular basis and the name of Clint Eastwood can be found on many occasions. In Every Which Way But Loose, Eastwood’s character, Phil Beddoe, is seen roaming the American West in a 1959 convertible with his trusted Orangutan, Clyde by his side. Meanwhile, in Pink Cadillac, the eponymous hero in the film is a shocking pink series 62 convertible.

The Cadillac can sometimes crop up unexpectedly and in Ghostbusters, the crew relied on their 1959 Caddy Ambulance to get them around. Comedy films also feature quite heavily in this list and in the National Lampoon series of films, you’ll find a range of cars appearing quite regularly. In Animal House, both a 62 and a 61 convertible appear in the film and in National Lampoon’s Loaded Gun, a rather rust ridden and beaten up 63 convertible can be seen.

One of the great qualities of the Cadillac range as a whole is its durability that has seen it become a national icon for so many decades. The long lasting love for the car has also seen it span a great number of years at the movies and from that early appearance in The Big Wheel, the make has been featured in films from every decade since.

While the all action nature of the Cadillac dominates the movies, some of these appearances have been a little more comedic and the spoof secret agent, Austin Powers has largely been responsible for this. The most notable appearance sees the main character go back through time in a very distinctive Eldorado. Other classic movies featuring Cadillacs include the original 1974 version of Gone in 60 Seconds, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot and the 1989 version of Batman.