Obsessed with the ‘idea’ of smoking?

So we’re not in the 40’s or 50’s anymore, why are people still obsessed with the ‘idea’ of smoking?

Above French actress Brigette Bardot epitomises this fascination by smoking a slim cigar while filming in Spain. This interesting correlation was brought to my attention when viewing an exhibition in London.

The photography exhibition featured iconic Hollywood stars and boy was there a repetition.

Smoking. Smoking. Smoking.

There was a period of Hollywood fame which literally revolved around
Tobacco.

From Humphrey Bogart, to Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, James Dean, Cary Grant, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracey, Lauren Bacall, nearly every screen featured a cigar or cigarette. In fact, tobacco firms paid actors huge amounts to endorse smoking on and off screen. And it is only in more recent years that the extent of this Hollywood relationship between tobacco and movie studios has really been revealed. Some researchers believe such ‘classic’ films of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s still help promote smoking today.

Film is the single biggest recruiter of young new smokers. The 390,000 new teen smokers recruited by US movies are worth $4.1 billion in lifetime sales revenue to the tobacco industry.

The famous scenes of Casablanca come to mind and maybe they wouldn’t be the same without smoking. Is it alluring? Something interesting to think about.

China White

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