Two of my favorite movies ever–and two of the best movies of their era–are Die Hard and The Hunt for Red October. Obviously, the two movies share some DNA, most notably that both are directed by John McTiernan and both are book-to-screen adaptations. There is another little tidbit, a fun Easter Egg, that I never clocked until recently watching a behind-the-scenes feature on the Hunt for Red October DVD released in the ‘90s. There is a giant stuffed teddy bear in each, and it’s actually the same prop in both.
Yep, It’s The Same Bear
We first meet the bear in 1988’s Die Hard when John McClane (Bruce Willis) lands at LAX and is met at the airport by his limo driver, Argyle (De'voreaux White). McClane, an NYPD detective, is on his way to see his kids, who live with their mom in LA. As a gift, he’s bringing a giant teddy bear, and I can speak as a kid who grew up in the 1980s: everyone wanted a giant teddy bear. I sadly never got one. The bear hangs out with Argyle in the back of the limo for the rest of the movie, and I like to think it played a role in stopping the thieves.
Another kid who did get one in the movies, though, is Jack Ryan’s daughter, Sally (Louise Borras) in McTiernan’s follow-up to Die Hard, 1990’s The Hunt for Red October. Ryan (Alec Baldwin) is seen with the bear on his flight home to England after the events of the Cold War thriller (which never officially took place, of course). The bear is seated next to Ryan on the plane in first class. You have to wonder if Ryan (or the CIA) had to pay for the seat, but I digress. Ultimately, and interestingly, we never see any of the kids actually receive their gift, and I wonder if the bear is still out there somewhere, looking for a home.
It’s Also A Christmas Gift In Both Movies!
Ok, ok, I’m not going to get into the debate as to whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not. You can check it out with your Prime subscription if you want to think on it. That debate is, frankly, tired and boring to me. However, there is no question that the bear in each movie is a Christmas gift for the protagonists’ kids. McClane is traveling to LA for the holiday, bringing the bear as a gift. In The Hunt for Red October, Jack makes a couple of mentions of Christmas shopping while he’s in Washington, DC.
It seems the giant bear Jack is taking home is a Christmas gift, and a brother for Stanley, Sally’s teddy bear at home. Ryan promised to get Stanley a brother while on his trip at the beginning of the movie when we briefly meet Sally. It’s worth noting that the movie is set in November, 1984, so the timeline all makes sense.
So there you have it. The big teddy bear with a red bow is a Christmas gift that ties the two movies together and, honestly, makes them a perfect double feature in the holiday season.
