Smoking in the movies; a new low (1 Viewer)

[Ted Todorov]

But last night, as I watched the French film, My Wife is an Actress, tobacco use in movies hit a new low.

Mario,
I take it that you haven't been to France recently -- or any other European country for that matter. People there smoke at a incomparably higher rate than the US, and smoking is treated utterly differently.
You also don't seem to understand that this film is a playoff on reality: Charlotte Gainsbourgh is playing herself, and Yvan Attal is playing a fictionalized version of himself with his real life sister playing his movie sister.
All these people smoke in real life. Serge Gainsbourg, Charlotte's father, a pop star (also a director and actor) was a chain smoker, NEVER seen performing, on TV or otherwise, without a cigarette in his mouth. Notoriously he was smoking two cigarettes at once at the Cesar Awards (the French Oscars) when he was on stage, presenting an award for which his daughter was one of the nominees.
Any film depicting that family as non-smokers would be the most ridiculous white-wash in film history.
I can believe we have gotten to the point where any on screen depiction of REALITY is deemed offensive.
Ted (a life long non-smoker)
P.S. As a NYC resident (who admittedly goes to parties slightly down-market from the Sex and the City ideal) I can assure you, that most people at NYC parties (or bars) smoke. When I come home after a party my hair and all my clothing reeks of cigarette smoke.

 

[Russ Lucas]

I thought of this thread last night while watching Decalogue: 2. I won't spoil much, but the story involves, in part, a woman pondering what to do about her pregnancy. Most of the pondering is done while smoking.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

It's also a shame that people kill one another, steal, cheat on their spouses and significant others, drink and drive, abuse children, get addicted to (non-smoking) drugs, get into fistfights, talk about people behind their backs, break the speed limit, are insensitive to the feelings of others, skip school, lie, play music loudly such that it bothers neighbors, don't hold doors open for others, and generally act badly

thanks for your rant, but i was saying its a shame that cigarettes are used in real life. if you knew what i meant and still spent the 5 minutes to type all that up, then my reply is, out of all those things you listed, i cant think of one that has made many of my friends and loved ones develop cancer and die slowly for us all to see, all because a few huge companies want to make billions. we're watching a dear friend go through it now actually. thanks for your sensitivity. happy holidays.

CJ

 

[Damin J Toell]

we're watching a dear friend go through it now actually. thanks for your sensitivity.

How was I insensitive, exactly? Because I like artistic freedom?

DJ

 

[Jack Briggs]

Well, I've been uneasy about this thread from the get-go because it's turning into what I thought it would: a discussion about the morals/ethics/consequences of smoking. I'll say it one more time: Smoking is a reality, and filmmakers who are more into reality-based work (as opposed to escapist fantasy) are almost duty bound to portray even those realities some of us wish not to see. Solution: Stop watching films that portray smoking. Of course, you'll have to eliminate Citizen Kane, Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, A Hard Day's Night, West Side Story, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Dr. Strangelove, and a two or three other great films from your playlist/collection.

Smoking has achieved neither "highs" nor "lows" in cinema. It just is.

And if we must continue with this thread, let's limit to discussing how smoking is portrayed in movies. But since it was started by someone who is opposed to smoking per se and its depiction in film, I don't see why the thread really should continue.