THE FAMOUS BALCONY
The Hemingway House and Museum in Key West is a must-see if you come to town. The Hemingway House is a very popular place to get married. Ironic really as Hemingway was married 4 times himself.
Licence to Kill Balcony
The Famous Hemingway Cats
The Cats are very territorial. They chase non-Hemingway cats off the property. There are over 50 cats, each have the 6-toe gene, though not all have 6 toes. These are called ‘polydactyl’ cats. These cats are very spoiled. They have their own vet that visits once a week and an endless buffet of food. And yes, as you may have guessed with the photos, they have complete run of the place. They also have their own Instagram account.
Just chillin’
About Hemingway
Hemingway liked living by the lighthouse. Apparently it guided him home when drunk. The rickety wall you’ll see that surrounds the house was built in the 60’s when Key West started to become a haven for hawkers and tourists. It’s not straight. It does not have the plaque that you see in the film Licence to Kill.
Hemingway wrote 50% of his canon here. He would write from 6am to 12pm and spend the rest of the day fishing or drinking. Much like Ian Fleming.
A Quick Hemingway Story
His swimming pool was installed by his wife (sorry forget the name) and Hemingway was reportedly furious as this used to be his boxing ring. He thought his wife used his money, so he threw a penny from his pocket on the wet cement shouting, ‘here take my last penny’.
That penny is still there in the cement In fact the wife paid for the pool. Her uncle Gus paid for the house, $8,000 I was told. The houses foundations is built from calcium Limestone and has survived every storm.
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What Happened To Hemingway?
Hemingway himself was bi-poplar and in those days, the best remedy was considered shock therapy. This eventually took its toll on Hemingway, who had survived 9 concussions, numerous car wrecks, 2 plane crashes and a war wound to the knee. He eventually took his own life. But not in this house. The cats are buried in this house also.
No plaque
What did Bond wear to Hemingway House?
Well this is normally Matt Spaiser’s domain but I’ll give it a crack for sh*ts and giggles. Bond is wearing a slightly long Navy jacket. You can tell in the photo above that it comes down slightly longer than the thumb knuckle which is the norm. His chinos looks to be off-white with a mid-rise, flat front.
Timothy Dalton in Licence to Kill. Photo Credit: Thunderballs.Org
A Farewell to Arms
The thin brown leather belt separates his white shirt that has two button-down breast flap pockets. (Noticeable in the earlier scene where the DEA agent played by Grand L Bush takes him in. ‘This is where it ends commander’).
Nothing is fitted, but the colour blocking is good here I think. The wardrobe for Bond was provided by costume designer Jodie Tillen who is now retired from the movie business and is an interior decorator. You can find a more comprehensive break down on this look on Bond Suits.
Credits and Further Reading
- Licence to Kill – A lot of things you (probably) didn’t Know
- Inside The Barrelhead Bar in Key West | Licence to Kill
- Catch a full interview with Jodie Tillen, costume designer for Licence to Kill in the From Tailors With Love book. Available on Amazon.
