The Automat (2021 Film)

steelyman

steelyman

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I know I’ve seen this discussed before but I was looking through things I’d recorded from TCM (through Sling) and came across a 2021 documentary film The Automat about the NYC/Philadelphia cafeterias. I lived in NJ during my grade school years and it was always a big thrill to go up to Manhattan and, if you were lucky, go to the Automat (aka Horn & Hardart).

This is a very good and nostalgic film.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4554690/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Automat
 
I saw that listed on TCM and thought it sounded interesting so I recorded it. I have not watched it yet.

I remember going to NYC in the Spring of 1970, it was the weekend that the Kent State shooting happened, and there were automats. It was the first time I saw them and don't ever remember seeing them anywhere after that but I never hung around in large cities. We ate at Flame Steak, do you recall that? It was crazy inexpensive and the food was pretty good with a fair amount, IIRC it was $1.99!.
 
Graybeard said:
I saw that listed on TCM and thought it sounded interesting so I recorded it. I have not watched it yet.

I remember going to NYC in the Spring of 1970, it was the weekend that the Kent State shooting happened, and there were automats. It was the first time I saw them and don't ever remember seeing them anywhere after that but I never hung around in large cities. We ate at Flame Steak, do you recall that? It was crazy inexpensive and the food was pretty good with a fair amount, IIRC it was $1.99!.
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I don’t recall Flame Steak but it was a Big Deal just to get to an Automat for me!

I don’t think the film is exclusive to TCM, but it’s out there.

I had no idea the role they played during the Depression but it makes sense. I think real New Yorkers (not me) would have a better idea.
 
I watched that documentary. it was fascinating and entertaining. I wish they were still around. of course the prices would be a little higher now. all the machines that dispensed the food or coffee only took nickels. the very good coffee was 1 nickel. the downfall of the automat began when they had to raise the price of a cup of coffee to a dime. they refused to use lesser quality coffee beans.
 
Wow, I had almost forgotten about them. Can't remember if it's here or on another forum. A recent thread about "Things from your childhood that don't exist anymore." Add automats
 
Gramps would take "the boys" from Pelham to NYC on the train to see his stock broker on the NYSE. For lunch it was always a hand full of nickels to spend on whatever I wanted at the Automat.

Last visit was in 1964 while in NYC for the World's Fair.

Don't ask me what I had for lunch yesterday.
 
Graybeard said:
I saw that listed on TCM and thought it sounded interesting so I recorded it. I have not watched it yet.

I remember going to NYC in the Spring of 1970, it was the weekend that the Kent State shooting happened, and there were automats. It was the first time I saw them and don't ever remember seeing them anywhere after that but I never hung around in large cities. We ate at Flame Steak, do you recall that? It was crazy inexpensive and the food was pretty good with a fair amount, IIRC it was $1.99!.
Click to expand...

I ate at Flame Steaks a few times. It was very good for the prices charged.
 
This is also available free through Kanopy, which is free streaming movies through libraries. You just need a library card to get a Kanopy account. It's easy to get a library card online to your own local library or many other libraries.

Nice!
 
Or when visiting NYC, if you couldn't make it to the automat, at least sit at the counter in Woolworths for lunch.
 

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razztazz said:
Wow, I had almost forgotten about them. Can't remember if it's here or on another forum. A recent thread about "Things from your childhood that don't exist anymore." Add automats
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Automats are alive and well in the Netherlands!
https://www.businessinsider.com/aut...aurant-amsterdam-netherlands-2022-7?r=MX&IR=T

This article goes into the history in the US
After Automats Died in New York, They Flourished in the Netherlands
The “waiterless” restaurants were once iconic symbols of the Big Apple https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/automat-history
 
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Didn't Audrey Hepburn eat at one of those in Breakfast at Tiffany's? I may be mixing up my movies...
 
Fermion said:
Didn't Audrey Hepburn eat at one of those in Breakfast at Tiffany's? I may be mixing up my movies...
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I don’t know (I bet many do) but if so it just goes to show they accepted customers of all classes, even the highest!
 
Thanks for bringing this documentary to our attention, steelyman. I watched it last night and learned so much! Greatly enjoyed it, it was worth the rental on Amazon. I am from NJ and my mom remembers hearing about these restaurants in NYC. This was the first time I heard of them though I probably walked right by them in the 70s and 80s. Fun to see the many movies with Automat scenes, some of which I've seen.

audreyh1 said:
Automats are alive and well in the Netherlands!
https://www.businessinsider.com/aut...aurant-amsterdam-netherlands-2022-7?r=MX&IR=T

Audrey - Automats in the Netherlands were mentioned in the documentary but it wasn't clear to me if they were still in operation there or if it was a thing of the past. Thanks for this info. Have you been to any?
Click to expand...
 
One of my fond memories from the Automat was their rice pudding. You could also purchase a tub of this to take home. Here is a recipe for making it:

Rice Pudding
1 cup of rice cooked according to package directions
4 cups of milk
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 teas. Vanilla
1 cup of evaporated milk
1 cup of water
3.4 cup raisins
Cinnamom
Combine and cook first 5 ingredients on top of stove for 1/2 hour
Add evaporated milk, water, and raisins and cook another half hour until
thickened. Sprinkle with cinnamon on top.
 
In case you missed it, tonight TMC is airing it again at 4:30 am ET. IIRC it airs from 0430 to 0600.
 
gattara said:
audreyh1 said:
Automats are alive and well in the Netherlands!
https://www.businessinsider.com/aut...aurant-amsterdam-netherlands-2022-7?r=MX&IR=T

Audrey - Automats in the Netherlands were mentioned in the documentary but it wasn't clear to me if they were still in operation there or if it was a thing of the past. Thanks for this info. Have you been to any?
Click to expand...
No, not my kind of food. But they are in operation AFAIK and I’ve seen recent videos of them and maybe even walked by without paying attention. That’s a 2022 article.

I think this video was posted 3 years ago.
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Fermion said:
Didn't Audrey Hepburn eat at one of those in Breakfast at Tiffany's? I may be mixing up my movies...
Click to expand...


I finally got to see Breakfast At Tiffany’s for the first time this weekend. I kept my eyes peeled open for any sign of an Automat but didn’t find it. I can see why Audrey Hepburn’s character might find herself in one, though.

I thought it was an enjoyable little movie appropriate for that period. I think one of the draws was the song “Moon River”, a classic. I always thought Henry Mancini was the sole composer but learned the co-writer was the great Johnny Mercer. Always something new to learn!
 
Ms G wouldn't watch Breakfast At Tiffany’s or Out of Africa for the umpteen time.

The documentary Audrey, said that the producer wanted Moon River out of the film.

Audrey told him something to the effect of no Moon River no me.

Thanks for the earworm.
 
grasshopper said:
Ms G wouldn't watch Breakfast At Tiffany’s or Out of Africa for the umpteen time.

The documentary Audrey, said that the producer wanted Moon River out of the film.

Audrey told him something to the effect of no Moon River no me.

Thanks for the earworm.
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The TCM intro that I saw said that Truman Capote (book author) was annoyed that the role of Holly Golightly went to Hepburn rather than his choice, Marilyn Monroe. I think Hepburn did a fantastic job but I also think Capote was kind of a weird guy anyway.

Thumbs up for Hepburn and “Moon River”! (and absent Automats, but Tiffany’s does sound better)
 
Now I really have nothing to say about Automats but I suppose it’s OK to do that if it’s a thread you started.

Flipping through the channels just now, I came across another movie with music by Mancini and Mercer: Charade, starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. A fantastic movie that seems like classic Hitchcock but isn’t. Great scenes of Paris (still no L’Automat, though).
 
I have to ration my viewing of Audrey Hepburn films these days, because seeing her tends to make my heart stop.
 
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