No Orchids for Miss Blandish

No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1948)

'No Orchids for Miss Blandish' is a 1948 British crime drama based on James Hadley Chase's popular 1939 novel of the same name. This adaptation was written, produced, and directed by St. John Legh Cloews with the setting moved from Depression-era Missouri to contemporary New York City. The film was poorly received at the time of its release, and was renamed Black Dice for its United States re-release. The source material was more faithfully adapted in 1971 as Robert Aldrich's The Grissom Gang, with the surname Grisson changed to Grissom.

The following weapons were used in the film No Orchids for Miss Blandish:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Colt Police Positive

Riley (Richard Nielson) carries a Colt Police Positive during Miss Blandish's kidnapping. Johnny (Bill O'Connor) picks it up after Riley drops it.

Colt Police Positive - .38 Special.

Riley draws his Police Positive when he demands Miss Blandish's necklace.

Johnny spies Riley's Police Positive on the ground.

FN Model 1900

Most of the gangsters in the film carry FN Model 1900 pistols in their coat pockets, notably "Slim" Grisson (Jack La Rue), Eddie Schultz (Walter Crisham), and Ted Bailey (Leslie Bailey). "Doc" (MacDonald Parke) takes Bailey's FN M1900 from him at Barney's place. Dave Fenner (Hugh McDermott) also carries an M1900 with pearl grips. Fenner was a private detective in the original novel, explaining why he would own a pistol, but this adaptation clearly re-imagines him as a "newspaperman" even though the gun-carrying, police-accompanying Fenner still acts far more like a noir P.I.

Bailey holds his FN M1900 on Miss Blandish. His relatively neutral grip on the pistol makes sense given his refusal to kill her.

Slim fires his own FN M1900 inside Barney's house.

Fenner chooses an unconventional greeting method.

Now it's Fenner's turn to draw his M1900 inside Barney's house.

Slim prepares to meet the cops.

Thompson M1921 (Mockup)

"Slim" Grisson (Jack La Rue) and Flyn (Danny Green) each carry a mocked-up prop gun designed to resemble a Thompson M1921A submachine gun. A New York State Trooper is seen firing the same mockup at the Grisson gang toward the end.

Slim fires the mocked-up Thompson.

A New York State Trooper with the same "Thompson" prop gun.

Colt Pocket Positive

Eddie Schultz (Walter Crisham) and "Doc" (MacDonald Parke) each use a Colt Pocket Positive for a killing.

Eddie aims at the gas station attendant.

Eddie checks his revoler before driving away.

Webley British Bulldog

"Ma" Grisson (Lilli Molnar) draws a small revolver resembling a Webley Bulldog.

Ma draws her revolver.

Iver Johnson Revolver

"Slim" Grisson (Jack La Rue) carries a blued Iver Johnson snub-nosed break-top revolver as a backup weapon, briefly handing it off to Miss Blandish (Linden Travers) when he expects trouble. It is with this revolver that the film defies the Hays Code that was in place in the United States (as this was a British production) by clearly showing Slim fire the revolver and hitting its victim all in the same shot.

Iver Johnson Snub Nose - .32 S&W

Slim holds his Iver Johnson after shooting an enemy.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 (M&P)

New York State Police Captain Brennan (Jack Lester) and his officers carry Smith & Wesson Model 10 - then known as the "Military & Police Model" - revolvers in their holsters. A publicity photo also shows Jack La Rue aiming one as "Slim" Grisson, likely the same revolver used by Jack Lester in the same scene.

Smith & Wesson Model M&P Revolver - .38 Special

Captain Brennan draws his revolver.

File:NOFMB-sw10a.jpg

A promotional photo shows Jack La Rue holding Brennan's revolver, which never happened in the actual film.

Mk 2 hand grenade

Flyn (Danny Green) uses a Mk 2 hand grenade - referred to as a "pineapple" in both the 1939 novel and 1971 remake - during the attack on Barney's house.

Mk 2 training grenade (the blue training color has been painted to look like live Mk II) and also note the slight difference between the training dummy's body shape and the real thing. This is the most common version seen in films since no movie uses live ordnance and many productions don't bother trying to get mockups that look exactly like the live Mk II.

Flyn stands ready with his grenade as Slim fires his "Thompson" inside Barney's place.