Cold Turkey (1971)

Hoping for positive publicity, a tobacco company offers $25 million to any American town that quits smoking for 30 days. Amidst a media frenzy, Eagle Rock, Iowa accepts the challenge while the company's PR man tries to sabotage the effort.

Director:

Norman Lear

Writers:

Norman Lear (screen story by), William Price Fox (screen story by) (as William Price Fox Jr.)

Stars:

Dick Van Dyke, Pippa Scott, Tom Poston

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dick Van Dyke	...	Rev. Clayton Brooks
Pippa Scott	...	Natalie Brooks
Tom Poston	...	Mr. Stopworth
Edward Everett Horton	...	Hiram C. Grayson
Bob & Ray	...	Hugh Upson / David Chetley / Sandy Van Andy / Walter Chronic / Paul Hardly / Arthur Lordly (as Bob and Ray)
Vincent Gardenia	...	Mayor Quincey L. Wappler
Barnard Hughes	...	Dr. Proctor
Graham Jarvis	...	Amos Bush
Jean Stapleton	...	Mrs. Wappler
Barbara Cason	...	Letitia Hornsby
Judith Lowry	...	Odie Turman
Sudie Bond	...	Cissy
Helen Page Camp	...	Mrs. Watson
Paul Benedict	...	Zen Buddhist
Simon Scott	...	Mr. Kandiss

Storyline

Reverend Brooks leads the town in a contest to stop smoking for a month, But some tobacco executives don't want them to win, and try everything they can to make them smoke. If townspeople don't go nuts from wanting a cigarette, or kill each other from irritation and frustration, they will win a huge prize.

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Plot Keywords:

iowa | contest | publicity | breaking the fourth wall | slapstick comedy | 

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Taglines:

See the hilarious BATTLE OF THE BUTT!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for smoking content throughout and brief strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the opening scene where Merwin Wren is talking to Hiram C. Grayson, a banjo can be heard playing Elmer Bernstein's theme music from The Magnificent Seven (1960). The tune was known for its use in television commercials for Marlboro cigarettes in the 1960s.

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Goofs

Bishop Manley calls Dearborn, Michigan "General Motors country." Actually, Dearborn is the home of Ford Motor Company, its world headquarters and its flagship River Rouge plant. No GM facilities have been located in Dearborn.

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Quotes

Odie Turman: It's all a big bull...

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Connections

Featured in Casting By (2012)

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Soundtracks

Listen to the Mockingbird
(uncredited)
Music by Richard Milburn and lyrics by Septimus Winner (1855)
Played during band medley

User Reviews

using humor to poke fun at greed always works

Much like "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", "Cold Turkey" shows how crazy people can get when they're greedy. The plot centers on a town whose people are offered a lot of money if they can stop smoking for an entire month. They agree after getting convinced by the local clergyman (Dick Van Dyke), but things start going crazy when they don't get to have their cigarettes.

The movie also pokes fun at the media, with characters like "Hugh Upson" and "Walter Chronic". But overall, the movie makes fun of the "wholesome Middle America" image, showing how even seemingly idealistic small town folk can get corrupted when money is in the picture.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 February 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cold Turkey

Filming Locations:

Macksburg, Iowa, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$11,990,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tandem Productions, DFI

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1