War of the Worlds (1953)

SmokeScreeners Rating:  

Year of Release: 1953

MPAA Rating: G

Director: Byron Haskin

Distributor: Paramount

In this film 17 smoking incidents occured, 7 of which were inside and 10 of which were outside.

The film was reviewed by Dr. Barry Hummel on 3/2/2009

Dr. Hummel posted the following additional comments:  "The original War of the Worlds is an old-school, 1950s sci-fi film.  It is part melodrama and part disaster movie, and, to be honest with you, neither part works very well.

As with most films from the era, there is a ton of tobacco use.  There are 17 different smoking incidents by 16 different characters.  All but one of these occur in the first 24 minutes of the movie; after the Martians attack, nobody seems to have time to smoke anymore.

Here is the opening scene of the movie:
 

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In that brief 30 seconds, three characters were smoking... the sheriff playing cards at the station, and two adults in the crowd outside the theater.  Also note that the two adults smoking in the crowd are smoking aorund children!

After the ship lands, the sheriff locates a group of scientists that just happen to be camping in the area:

 

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Look at the focus on tobacco in this scene.  One of the scientists is smoking a pipe.  One of the other scientists grabs a cigarette from a pack in his pocket.  And the sheriff?  He simply takes one to smoke later.

And what about the other scientist?  Turns out he is not a smoker, as he explains in this scene in which he meets his love interest:

 
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Shortly after this, the Martians reveal themselves and begin their attack, giving the locals little opportunity to smoke as they run and dodge laser beams and crumbling buildings.

Steven Spielberg remade War of the Worlds in 2005, and he told the story much more effectively... and without the appearance of tobacco!"