Jewelry Diamonds And Gems

Casablanca, that greatest of epic love stories, smoked - in the box office and literally! Anyone who has watched it enough number of times will remember that not only did everyone in the flick smoked, they smoked fast and frequently. The only person who did not do his fair share of puffing was Peter Lorre, but only be because he got killed five minutes into the film.

Cigars and Cinema

Just what is it about cigars and characterization? To some, a ciggie is not for smoking, it is a vehicle for drama, for making impressions or sweeping statements. At times, it is even used to make distinctions. In old Hollywood, Mafia bosses are never without their Cubans. Assassins smoked while hounding their targets. Female journalists like Lois Lane clutch their slims ever so daintily, managing to look chic but tough as nails at the same time.

Comics and Ciggies

In comic strips, the cigar is venerated as the timeless symbol of many a personality - the plutocrat, for example, or the politician, or the boss. It is also recognized as the comfort of the ordinary man, and when added to a drawing, it suggests worldly gruffness. For this reason and many more, cigars have been poking out of the jaws of comic-strip characters since time immemorial - from Der Captain and Mr. O’Malley to endearing old Popeye, who is never without his corncob pipe.

More recently, cigars are once again being linked to stereotypical villainy. For instance, J. Jonah Jameson, the obnoxious editor of The Daily Bugle and an avowed enemy of Spiderman, is always shown chomping on a cigar. In corporate culture, though, the cigar takes on a more glossed-up identity. Cigars and cigar smoking have become a status symbol, an indicator of distinction and purchasing power - much like personalized cufflinks and the Cross pencil. If you can afford to smoke Havanas or lop their ends off with the priciest of cigar cutters, then “you’ve made it”.

So, you still think cigar smoking is solely for the nicotine-addicted? Think again. In today’s consumption-oriented society, a cigar is no longer just an ordinary stick of smoke, it qualifies as a lifestyle statement.