Blog Assignment #7: The Stuff Films are Made of
Smoking has an interesting history in the United States, so it is only fitting that it has had an even more interesting history in American film. In the 1960's tobacco reform was in its infancy. There was some, but not very widely available knowledge as to the carcinogens in cigarettes. The surgeon general did not give out a formal warning to the American public until 1964.
Changing the smoking culture was difficult. A habit as addictive as smoking could not be wiped away overnight, in fact it still has not been eradicated, only severely reduced. It is easy to picture smoking still being allowed in public places, but with its toxic chemicals, being edgy and daring.
My generation looks at cigarettes with disgust. There are only a handful of my peers who actually tolerate being around cigarette smoke, much less actually partake, but when I watched the blonde girl smoke during George's monologue to the class, I was captivated. Tom Ford contextually brought back the sex appeal of tobacco in this scene. There is a slight phallicism in the scene, but even more interesting is the pleasure derived from watching her. She is very photogenic.
Although it made me uncomfortable, I would imagine the scene with Carlos is supposed to have the same effect on the homosexual audience. I could still see a phallic element, but since George is enjoying a cigarette with Carlos, the scene ends up being much more inviting. The sexual undertones are subdued in favor of camaraderie between the two characters.
In these two scenes, Ford has shown us that the cigarette has made lasting impacts on American culture. Few films are able to incorporate what is now considered a "gross" habit with the elegance it had in the first half of the 20th Century. It takes a lot of work to erase the numerous anti-smoking PSAs I have seen growing up, but Tom Ford seemed to do just that in his film.
