So, why _do_ they remove the rearview mirror?

Cafe Society
1

I don’t know if it’s still around, but sometime in the mid 90’s I stumbled upon a websites that collected movie clichés. I was novel and fun at the time and one thing stuck in my mind.

In tv and movies, when there’s a shot from the front of the car to the two persones sitting in the front seat, the rear view mirror is very often gone.Now I realize that many times, they’re using a green screen or if they’re actually on location, the car might be mounted on some dolly device behind a pickup, so there’s no need for the car to be funtional. For all I know, it might be missing the brake pedal and engine. However, those things aren’t seen anyway. The lack of the mirror is pretty obvious once it’s been pointed out and I don’t get why they remove it.

It’s not obstructing the shot, reflections from the back could maybe be an issue, but then, why not remove or cover the mirror part and let the mount stay.

Knowing Hollywood, there is probably no good answer to this, possibly not even a dumb answer. It’s just that noticing that takes me out of the fake reality.

2

It actually does partially block the shot, which AFAIK is why it’s removed.

I like it when the mirror appears and disappears between shots.

3

Mirrors reflect things. Like, say, the camera in the back (if it’s a rigged car) or just the movie set in general. Not to mention that the glass may have been removed in the front for a shot or two at some point.

Better to remove it and eliminate gaffe problems.

4

Why? Because it’s the 1st rule of Italian driving! That’s why!

5

I think for most scenes like this the car is on a trailer being pulled by another vehicle so the actors don’t even drive. The windshield is removed so there is no glare or reflections and most rear view mirrors are attached to the windshield.
If you could see the windshield but still hear the actors speaking there would be a disconnect there.
Also you’d have focus issues and it would be distracting to have an out of focus rear view mirror floating in the center of your shot.

6

Irrelevant. As previously noted, you don’t actually need the mirror – just the mirror mount.
I’m sure they do this just to get a clearer shot. There’s no need for it – they could reposition the qactual rear view mirror mount, or use a smaller one, and most people wouldn’t notice. The reason they do it without the mirror at all is that most people still don’t notice.

7

Because if there is a mirror right there the actor will stare into it.

8

Ha :smiley: Ha :smiley: Ha

9

Although I love Zebra’s answer, I agree with Hampshire–the lack of mirror is a side effect of the lack of windshield.

10

Seems like in this day and age, this would be a quick and easy CGI fix. Then again, for many productions, it might not be worth the money.

11

Wasn’t a problem for Smokey and the Bandit.

12

Sometimes, but the windshield isn’t always removed. There are some cases where you can actually see the square of adhesive residue from where the mirror used to be attached.