alcoholism is great FUN
Who knew??
shareFill a shaker with context, mix it with some historical knowledge, add a dash(iell) of 1930s cultural history, stir briskly with some common sense, and you'll realize what a great movie this is.
Consilio et prudentia
I do! I love this movie!
shareIt should be noted that this movie was released in 1934, right after Prohibition was repealed by the 21st amendment. Repeal came on December 5th, 1933.
This was, undoubtedly, the first movie to depict the sophisticated drinking class on screen. Obviously, Nick and Nora took to drinking with great enthusiasm, even gusto.
It's also interesting to note Nick Charles giving cocktail shaking lessons to the bartenders early on. I'm sure that this wasn't just him showing off, because Prohibition drove professional bartenders to Mexico, Canada, and Europe to ply their craft, so when Repeal came along, there weren't a great deal of knowledgeable working bartenders in the United States.
Hey, thanks for the tidbit about bartenders. While I still think Nick's instruction was primarily humorous, I can see it starting as instructional and quickly devolving into Nick playing to an audience dispensing cocktails.
shareThis was, undoubtedly, the first movie to depict the sophisticated drinking class on screen.Didn't "sophisticated" people drink during the early Marx Brothers' films?
"Why do you find it so hard to believe?"
"Why do you find it so easy?"
"It's never BEEN easy!" share