Even if you’ve never set foot inside of an Automat, chances are seeing one in an old movie will fill you with a sense of nostalgia. There’s something magical about that place. They only existed in New York City and Philadelphia but their reputation spread far beyond those city limits. Horn & Hardart Automats were cafes where you essentially served yourself through an automated service. Little glass cubicles lined the walls. You put nickels in the slot, turn the brass handle and a delicious treat would be waiting for you on the other side. Before Doordash and online ordering, the Automat was the most technologically advanced way to get inexpensive and delicious food quickly. The cafe had an air of sophistication. Coffee was poured from their signature dolphin head spouts, elegant tables made up the main dining room and signage offering Pies, Hot Dishes and Salads lined the walls. The Automat offered a magical combination of quality food and atmosphere at a low cost. It’s not something that exists anymore—the last Automat closed in the 1990s—but it’s something we all so desperately wish could come back. In a time of hyperinflation, being able to access a bit of elegance and quality food for not a lot of money seems like a dream.

I was thrilled to write a piece for Turner Classic Movies to accompany their new programming line-up for November 22nd: The Automat. Ben Mankiewicz will be interviewing Lisa Hurwitz, the filmmaker behind the excellent new documentary on the history of the Automat. The line-up includes screenings of The Automat (2021), That Touch of Mink (1962), an encore of the documentary, Easy Living (1937), Thirty Day Princess (1934) and Sadie McKee (1934). What all of the feature films have in common is that they each feature a working woman in dire financial straits who seeks out an Automat for some solace and nourishment.

Here is a snippet from my TCM article about the new documentary:

“Directed by Lisa Hurwitz, The Automat (2021) explores the history behind Horn & Hardart as well as the Automat’s cultural influence. It playfully starts with comedian Mel Brooks pondering the significance of making this documentary and his own personal memories of Automats being “one of the greatest inventions and insane centers of paradise.” The film is bookmarked with Brooks’ performance of his original song, a sweet tribute to the Automat. In between we hear from well-known names including Elliott Gould, Carl Reiner, Colin Powell and Ruth Bader Ginsburg who all share their personal memories of what the Automat meant to them. Hurwitz interviews experts including Automat historian Alec Shuldiner and Lorraine B. Diel and Marianne Hardart, authors of “The Automat: The History, Recipes, and Allure of Horn & Hardart’s Masterpiece”. Then there are the interview subjects with intimate knowledge of the business side of Horn & Hardart. The most fascinating of these was John Romas, the former Vice President of Engineering who had many stories to tell, as well as a treasure trove of gadgets stashed away from when the final Automat closed. What The Automat documentary excels at is offering viewers a contextual history of how this business was born, how it thrived and how it became part of the social fabric of New York City and Philadelphia. It was a 20th century phenomenon that was truly of its era.”

The Automat (2021) is available on DVD from Kino Lorber as well as on digital from Kino Now. The DVD includes an extended video interview with Mel Brooks, commentary by director Lisa Hurwitz, archival footage Horn & Hardart, a theatrical trailer and English language subtitles.

I highly recommend watching all 53 minutes of the extended Mel Brooks interview because he has some great stories and goes off on some interesting tangents. I enjoyed hearing him talk about how his brother helped him with homework, how he secretly would eat ham and cheese sandwiches at the Automat and not tell his mom and hearing him give Hurwitz advice on how to make and promote the documentary (which she didn’t need but is charming nonetheless!).

Amazon — Barnes and Noble — Deep Discount — Kino Lorber — Official Website

Thank you to Kino Lorber for sending me a copy of The Automat (2021) for review.