REEFER MADNESS
*** out of  *****
Reviewed by TJ McDonald

Genres
Comedy
Crime
Drama

1936
Directed by
Louis J. Gasnier
Written by
Lawrence Meade (story)
Arthur Hoerl (screenplay)
Paul Franklin (additional dialogue)
Cast
Dorothy Short .... Mary Lane
Kenneth Craig .... Bill Harper
Lillian Miles .... Blanche
Dave O'Brien .... Ralph Wiley
Thelma White .... Mae Colman
Carleton Young .... Jack Perry
Warren McCollum .... Jimmy Lane
Pat Royale .... Agnes
Josef Forte .... Dr. Carroll
Harry Harvey Jr. .... Junior

Louis J. Gasnier’s Reefer Madness represents the launching of America’s first doomed war. Before Iraq and before Vietnam there was ‘The War on Drugs’. A sensational piece of governmental propaganda, the film’s original purpose of the film was to scare adults and children alike with the horror of Satan’s own demon weed – Marijuana. In the modern world, Reefer Madness serves a far greater purpose; it reminds us that those who are in power often believe it is the ends that justify the means and seldom feel the need for the truth to interfere with their message.

What makes the timeless classic a true masterpiece of misinformation is the fact that it does not take the facts and distort them; it simply gets every single thing wrong. This, for me, is the greatest irony of the piece. The film takes a couple of rosy cheeked American teenagers Mary (Dorothy Short) and Bill (Kenneth Craig) and introduces them – through the influence of an obviously sadistic ‘friend’ – to the drug-filled seedy underbelly of society. One toke and they are laughing like maniacs - and here’s their first mistake. Pot doesn’t make you laugh like the villain from a bond film, it makes you laugh like Ralph Wiggum! From there it’s a quick step to high speed dangerous driving (lets face it, most stoned people who rode on escalators would be yelling worriedly at the driver to slow down), and finally on to the pre-marital sex. That last one I know for a fact is wrong, or I would be smoking up all the time.

Beyond the obvious, what I find even more hilarious about this comedy (and that’s definitely what it is folks, whatever its original intention it has long since moved into the realm of farce – Just like George W.) are the now out-dated references to the counter culture of the time. From the clothes that mark rebellious youth, to the jazz music that corrupts their souls – even the implicit racism in the few African Americans glimpsed in the background of the dimly lit drug parlour all, to me, paint an interesting and somewhat embarrassing view of society in the 1930s. I cannot help but feel slightly ashamed for my grandparents.

As an educational film, it is contemptible. As an historical piece, it is insightful. As a comedy, Reefer Madness is in that wonderful class of hilarity that includes the kid in your class with the ‘kick me’ sign taped to his back. If you find yourself halfway through the film and you are smiling, perhaps even chuckling, but not laughing till your sides hurt then the solution is simple; watch it stoned.

TJ McDonald's reviews also appear on DVD Compare, where they include details of the DVD release. For this review click here.

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