Review of Cold Turkey (1971) by Stuart K — 20 Apr 2010
From Norman Lear, who got his start from writing, producing and directing some of America's top sitcoms of the 1960's and 1970's, (some of them were based on our sitcoms), comes this amusing and wry satricial big screen sitcom about how giving up something can drive people mad.
It's alot more relevant today as it was back then, and maybe a remake could benefit this film. It begins with the Valiant Tobacco Company coming up with an idea to try and boost profits, it's the idea of advertising executive Merwin Wren (Bob Newhart) that if an entire town can give up smoking for 30 days, then Valiant Tobacco will award them $25,000,000.
In the town of Eagle Rock, Iowa (population 4,006), which is in an economic rut, Reverend Clayton Brooks (Dick Van Dyke), accepts the challenge and convinces the rest of the town to do so too. After some reluctance, they all accept, and it drives them to insanity, but can they keep it up for 30 days?? It's got some good moments, and the setting is wonderful, showing the side of America that ought to be on film.
Van Dyke is wonderful as always, and the score by Randy Newman is brilliant as well. For all the comedy, it is an indictment on the state of society, and how far they'd go for money.
This review of Cold Turkey (1971) was written by Stuart K on 20 Apr 2010.
Cold Turkey has generally received mixed reviews.
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