Operation: Movie Smoke

[happyfilmluvguy]

With Disney banning smoking in their movies, I thought it would be interesting to engage in a discussion on whether smoking in movies had an effect on the public during the Golden Era and if they do now. I'm also open to discuss on whether depicting smoking in other areas, such as advertising and television, had an effect on the public. If the bartenders would allow a discussion on both subjects here or in "The Golden Era", I'm happy.

From the silent 20's to the melodrama of the 50s, pretty much every motion picture that was ever made depicted someone smoking a cigarette or cigar. In (I believe) "Angel's With Dirty Faces", James Cagney mentions the use of marijuana to Leo Gorcey and the other Dead End Kids. Apparently they had been smoking it. James Cagney gives a line on how tobacco cigarettes are the way to go, not marijuana.

You'll always see an actor or actress slide a stick of tobacco out of the box, either to offer to another or one's self. But did the image of James Cageny or Veronica Lake taking in smoke encourage the young and old to smoke. Every generation has it's youth. The youth are out for adventure and seeing their idol on the silver screen puffing a Lucky Strike intrigues them. They want to be just like a movie star, tough, swave and smoking a cig.

What do you think?

(I do ask that participants please reframe from discussion of the political aspect of smoking)

 

[Flivver]

I think that people, and youths in particular, look to their favorite movie stars for style direction in general. Over the years, the movies have had a huge inpact on the evolution of styles and fads.

And in the Golden Era, smoking was thought to be good for you. It was believed that smoking soothed the throat, aided digestion and allowed one to stay thin.

In the early 1930s, Chesterfield launched an ad campaign in which famous society ladies extolled the virtues of smoking Chesterfields. I remember one ad in particular where the society lady, after explaining all the benefits of smoking, suggested that when her daughter turned 16, and was old enough to smoke, she was going to encourage her daughter to smoke Chesterfields!

With all the supposed benefits to smoking, plus the irresistable desire to want to be like your favorite screen star, it's no wonder that so many people who grew up in the Golden Era smoked.

 

[Feng_Li]

I defend smoking in movies on artistic grounds. It's one of the best dramatic props ever devised.

While film may often influence the beginning of a trend, the trend takes a life of its own in greater society. I don't think movies make smoking cool anymore, I think people smoke in movies because greater society thinks it's cool. How else to explain the fact that people smoke more often in movies than they do in real life? (referring to modern movies set in modern times)

People would still think football were cool even if there were never another football movie. And I seriously doubt that adolescents who smoke other regulated substances are doing so to emulate their favorite screen stars.