User reviews

There is a lot more to this movie than initially meets the eye. The obvious humor is good enough, but the social commentary that is wryly interjected makes this a funnier movie the second time around. There is a lot of satire about the media, the tobacco industry and organized religion.

I can't be completely objective about this movie. It was filmed in my home town when I was 9 years old. My parents, grandmother and step-grandfather and LOTS of people I know are in the crowd scenes. One of those little fuzz balls in the back ground is me, but alas, Hollywood never called <grin>.

Norman Lear, Dick Van Dyke and many of the other cast members returned to Greenfield, IA for the 30th anniversary celebration. Norman Lear mentioned that the idea for "All in the Family" was rejected by the networks. They never felt that the program would fly in middle America. His experience with the good people of Iowa during the filming reinforced his belief that "All in the Family" would be a hit.

Watching this movie gives a glimpse into what was to become the genius of Norman Lear. I don't think it is one of the world's all time great comedies, but it is certainly worth a look - or perhaps two.

I can't understand why a film with such big names, both in front of and behind the camera, is not available on DVD. Is there a conspiracy? Does "Big Tobacco" not want anyone to see this? I understand this is a "niche" film, but c'mon, surely there is a small distributor willing to pick up the rights and get this into the hands of the people? Dick Van Dykes name alone should be enough to warrant a release, along with Bob Newhart and Norman Lear. I guess that unless there are some big, firey explosions or gratuitous nudity (not that there's anything wrong with that)then something isn't worthy of a DVD release. This is a well-acted and scripted satire of the culture of smoking and gives great insight into how smoking was treated 35 years ago.

... and that is really no surprise since this film was written and directed by Norman Lear, architect of so many hit TV shows in the 1970s.

Bob Newhart plays Merwin Wren, a tobacco executive who pitches the idea of giving 25 million dollars to any town that gives up tobacco for one month. He figures this will redeem the image of the tobacco industry, and what town could get every smoker to give up smoking for a month?

Enter tiny town of four thousand, Eagle Rock, Iowa. It lost a major employer and people are leaving town. The military has said that Eagle Rock is at the top of the list to receive a new missile manufacturing plant, but they have to spruce up the town's infrastructure first. But how, with a diminishing tax base? So, encouraged by the town's preacher, Clayton Brooks, the town takes the pledge.

Wren's job is on the line if Eagle Rock succeeds, so he goes to the town to try and get just one smoker's foot to slip. Meanwhile, tobacco withdrawal hits the entire town hard with comic results. If you've ever watched a loved one go through such withdrawal, this will look familiar to you. The first half of the film is about the comic attempt to stop smoking. The second half is about how easy it is for greed to set in once the town becomes famous and is making just about as much money from tourism as it hopes to make from the tobacco company if it succeeds.

The film is classic Lear as he lampoons just about everything - men of the cloth, men of medicine - they were all men back then, marriage, big business, right ring groups that see Communism everywhere but really just want to be authoritarians themselves, and news anchors back when they were actually respectable and weren't just talking heads.

The billing of the cast is really odd in retrospect. As expected, Dick Van Dyke is top billed. But second billed is...Pippa Scott? She doesn't even have that big a role in the film! And Bob Newhart, who was really great at playing the slimy little weasel here is bottom billed!

I'd highly recommend it. It is certainly one of Dick Van Dyke's better film roles and you get to see Norman Lear at work just as he was becoming famous.

Cold Turkey is my all time favorite comedy and a very underrated film that many people have not seen. Still relevant today it is a classic satire of smoking and American life. Filmed in Iowa in 1969 and released to the theater in 1971 the comedy is timeless. I have the laser disc, it is not available on DVD as of yet but is available on VHS video tape. Barnard Hughes gives the performance of his career as Dr. Proctor, the town surgeon and doctor who is a chain smoker. The best scene in the film is when Dr. Proctor is in the operating room with a cigarette and Dick Van Dyke and friends are trying to convince him not to light up because the town will not get the $25 million dollars for everyone not smoking for thirty days if he does. Then Walter Chronic appears in the operating room under a round light which is made to look like a halo. Pippa Scott is Dick Van Dyke's long suffering wife. Graham Jarvis is President of the Christopher Mott Society, a takeoff on the John Birch Society. Tom Poston has a small but important role as the town drunk Mr. Stopworth. Dick Van Dyke is the preacher at the Eagle Rock Community Church who almost single handedly whips the town into action. Edward Everett Horton in his final screen appearance as Hiram Grayson, head of the Valiant Tobacco Company. Bob Newhart in a somewhat unusual role as the villain from the tobacco company who is trying to win the bet with the town. An early vehicle for Norman Lear, this movie foretold his eventual success later. The old lady who is so cantankerous is priceless. Comedians Bob and Ray play numerous news anchors of the time. Vincent Gardenia plays the towns Mayor. I have seen this film many times. I recommend watching it if it comes on TV or buying the video tape if you come across one.

Merwin Wren (Bob Newhart) comes up with a plan to remake the image of Hiram Grayson tobacco magnate in the same way as the Nobel Prize has rehabilitated the image of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. They offer $25 million to any American town that quits smoking for 30 days. Eagle Rock, Iowa is a small crumbling town with many churches but not enough work after the military base closed. Rev. Clayton Brooks (Dick Van Dyke) is one of the town leaders. They hope to attract a new defense facility but they need to clean up the town. Brooks rallies the town to give up smoking. However it gets even tougher as the tobacco company does everything to push the people to smoke.

This is Norman Lear's movie. He created some of the most iconic popular TV shows of the 70s and early 80s. There are a lot of TV stars and future stars. The movie feels very quaint for it. It definitely has the lower class everyday people humor with his sense of social commentary. It also features a pretty lovely Randy Newman song. I just wish it was funnier. I also didn't care for the comedic montages. The movie seems more interested in the social commentary although the doctor in the operating room is very funny.

Fantastic movie comedy -- easily one of the best satires of American life ever put on film. Norman Lear wrote and directed this gem just before moving on to "All In The Family". "Cold Turkey" and "All In The Family" are his two greatest creations. It begins with the script. It's funny from beginning to end. The script has clever dialogue, inventive ideas, an eye for detail. I can't do it justice. Just see the movie. The cast includes many of my all-time favorites, including Dick Van Dyke, Bob Newhart, Tom Poston, Barnard Hughes, and Jean Stapleton. You'll see a lot of people you recognize from other movies and sitcoms of the 1970s, including many who turned up on "All In The Family" and other Lear shows. "Cold Turkey" is also the best movie showcase for possibly the greatest comedy team of all time. Bob & Ray are brilliant satirizing newscasters of the time, like Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, Paul Harvey, and Hugh Downs. If you're not a Bob & Ray fan, hopefully this movie will make you one. Randy Newman's soundtrack is terrific. If it ever came out on a CD, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. And it helps that the movie, which is set in a small Iowa town, was actually filmed in a small Iowa town, rather than some Hollywood backlot. It gives the movie a feeling of authenticity. This movie should have been on the AFI 100 Best Comedies list. See it.

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.

A great vintage comedy based on an original idea with non stop comic action and hilarious gags that will keep you laughing all the way.The actors are superb demonstrating the human weakness in a splendid manner.They do their best to stay of smoking for a month to win the big money prize.It sounds easy but is almost impossible because the city is full of fanatic smokers including the town's doctor who is the heaviest of them all.Will they make it?You'll never know until the end because....I can't reveal anything else Find it and watch it now..I love this film and i can't understand why it has not been reissued on dvd yet.Surely it deserves it and i for one would buy it instantly.Deserves to be in any self respecting comedy collection.....8 out of 10

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. In this film the women are not natural at all. On the other hand, the women held it together with excellent acting. There are some films with great potential that somehow go horribly wrong. This is one of them. This cast interacts with absolute precision, whether walking around a room or interrupting each others' wisecracks. The script and direction meld into a strong movie. What's best is that not one character ever withdraws tongue from cheek.

I can understand why Norman Lear went into TV -- in "Cold Turkey", he takes an amusing light premise, then stretches the life out of it to try to turn it into a feature-length film. Unfortunately, despite some droll social commentary here and there, he fails. The film just takes too long to tell the story, which would have been better down in a one-hour TV show.

To make it worse, Dick Van Dyke is completely miscast as a priest -- you just can't take him seriously. Other familiar faces show up here and there, but basically this is one film that really has nothing to recommend about it.

UPDATE: I just read DVD's autobiography, and he mentioned often thinking of joining the clergy. Since he didn't, maybe he knew he would be miscast too!

Never was the human limitations tested as they were in this film, when the town of Eagle Rock, Iowa, must quit smoking for 30 days to win a foolish challenge proposed by a big tobacco company. As Parent Trap became a strange testimony on how divorce affects children, so has Cold Turkey become a statement on addiction and withdrawal, with humorous results.

Dick Van Dyke is the town minister who finds himself caught up leading the fray; first he must develop an addiction, then join his neighbors in quitting. Barnard Hughes is the town doctor, who cannot quit smoking at all. The fight with his wife over the ashtrays in the car brings a smile to my face everytime. Bob Newhart is the tobacco company representative who must now get someone to start smoking so they will lose the bet. Pippa Scott is Van Dyke's wife, Natalie, who endures some of the most verbal spousal abuse, laced with concern and mock sincerity ("There's a demon in you, Natalie. Why are you working against me, Natalie?"), that I have ever heard. Scott only has one scene with dialogue. Jean Stapleton, Vincent Gardenia, Paul Benedict, Barbara Cason, Tom Poston and Graham Jarvis also appear in various roles. And yes, Bob and Ray spoof many of the newscasters who were popular at that time with hilarious results. They do it so well and are both so unassuming, you will not realize it is the same two guys over and over again. But the town's withdrawal is hysterical as well. I will always love when the crossing guard screams at the little girl. And the auto smash-up that happens just before the dog-kicking incident will hold your undivided attention. Finally, the town council is told if they can wait another day or so, the president of the United States himself, then Richard Nixon, will present Eagle Rock with the prize money. The council's reaction is absolutely brilliant. Add to all of this a typical Randy Newman song, 'He Gives Us All His Love', played at the beginning, the end and when Dick Van Dyke realizes the town is caught up in its own celebrity as he watches over a dozen children run by wearing masks of his own face. They just don't make films like this one anymore.

Before he changed prime time television forever as the creator of shows like ALL IN THE FAMILY,MAUDE,THE JEFFERSON,GOOD TIMES,and ONE DAY AT A TIME, Norman Lear hit a bullseye as the director and co-writer of COLD TURKEY, a savage black comedy which takes a wicked swipe at the tobacco industry, thanks to a razor sharp screenplay and a first rate comic cast. This dark satire follows what happens when a tobacco company, so secure about the popularity of their product, decides to announce a nationwide contest where they agree to award $25,000,000 to any town where the entire population of the town can quit smoking for 30 days. A small mid western hamlet called Eagle Rock,Iowa decides to take up the challenge, led by the town's energetic minister, Rev. Clayton Brooks (superbly played by Dick Van Dyke). Some citizens are quick to balk at Brooks' challenge because he doesn't smoke and therefore it is no sacrifice to him. Brooks, a former smoker, silences these nay-sayers by agreeing to start smoking again until the contest starts, getting re-addicted and therefore making the same sacrifice he's asking the citizens of Eagle Rock to make. This lays the foundation for some outrageously funny scenes,including Brooks' efforts to get one citizen (Tom Poston) to participate who refuses not to mention how Brooks deals with finding a substitute for smoking after the contest starts. The first rate supporting cast includes Pippa Scott as Mrs. Brooks, Vincent Gardenia as the Mayor, Edward Everett Horton as the head of the Tobacco company, Jean Stapleton as the mayor's wife, and memorable comic bits also contributed by Bob and Ray, Barnard Hughes, Barbara Cason, Graham Jarvis, Judith Lowry, and Paul Benedict. A smart and nearly forgotten comedy classic that still holds up, thanks to the genius that is Norman Lear.

I saw 'Cold Turkey' on TV back in 1978 or 1979 when I was eleven. Twenty-five years later I can still remember Bob Newhart's portrayal of the evil, wily tobacco executive and his motto "I believe in Wren." Even better was the little old lady in the pro-tobacco group who compared the organizers of the tobacco boycott to the troops who invaded Czechoslovskis in 1968. Dick Van Dyke was brilliant as the befuddled minister who had to put up with the everyone from larger-than-life TV anchormen and pot smoking hippies to evil tobacco executives. Norman Lear was way ahead of his time by using Randy Newman to write the soundtrack and I hope there are still copies of the movie on VHS or DVD.

This is the strongest - and most vicious - satire on the American "way of life" ever filmed. Although the Vietnam War was still going on - and still the focus of national attention - director Lear wisely avoids any mention of it, and thus any use of it for political purposes; he chooses instead to concentrate on how Americans of that period saw themselves - in other words, what most Americans thought was good about America, not any of the "social issues" that were dividing the country at the time.

Well, but what is this "good about America" that the film lampoons so unrelentingly? Most Americans think they have a religion - even though their ministers prefer showing up on the cover of Time magazine to living a good life. Most Americans believe TV newscasters keep them informed, even though they know that those people are just entertainers, really, reading script written out for them, that may or may not actually have something to do with current events. Americans want to believe that they are politically committed to some important cause or other - but they can get hysterical over matters as trivial as someone lighting up a cigarette.

The fact is, American morality is just a big balloon - it looks impressive but it's all hot air.

I should point out that satire can frequently be put to use to help with the improvement of social life, by pointing out attitudes that need changing - and, balancing this film off against Lear's television shows, there's little doubt that such is the case here. If the film still seems vicious - and it does - it's because Americans haven't yet stopped to think through the consequences of their attitudes - such as the thousands dead in Iraq, or the continuing misery of the poor.

I certainly hope the day will come when I can look back at Cold Turkey as a relic of the past, with nothing more to say. Sadly, that is not yet the case. America still looks and sounds pretty much like this today, and so the satire remains as potent as when this film first came out.

Oh, yes, and it is also VERY funny.

This film could have been so much better. I love so many of the people in it. Yes, it has a cast that is fun to watch in their prime, but Cold Turkey is a loud, frantic mess where actors think that screaming and yelling can pass for intense emotional involvement. This can work for a number of scenes but, Norman Lear, where are some moments of quiet subtlety? You'll see better acting in the sketches on the Carol Burnett show.

The editing, sound design (the dubbed dialogue is clumsy and obvious) and musical score (until Randy Newman sings) are amateurish. I've wanted to see this film for fifty years and after this evening's TCM showing, I have my first headache in decades. If you love Newhart, Stapleton, Van Dyke, Poston, etc. and want to see this film, turn your set on and your sound off or very low.

I think this is the funniest film I've ever seen. I might vote it as the most under rated film of all time. Only seen it once - about 20 years ago - so I can't be sure. Extremely funny, satirical but also building to a very tense climax. Dick Van Dyke is a great light comedy performer. Script is superb. Satirises an important issue and the central premise is simple and powerful.

I was anxious to see this, mainly because of the 60s TV icons in it - especially Dick Van Dyke whom I loved as a child in The Dick Van Dyke Show and still do to this day watching reruns of it. Also because I was practically a chain smoker for 40+ years so the theme was of interest to me.

It was so horribly bad that it was almost impossible to get through - just a silly juvenile toilet humor farce that I wish I had skipped. Nothing real or good or well done about it. So many times I almost quit it before it was over, like when Jean Stapleton (who I loved in All in the Family) was sneezing continuously all over Van Dyke and her husband in their kitchen...what was that about? A 5-year-old child might have found it funny but I just muted the sound until the scene finally changed.

The chain smoking hardcore nicotine addict doctor, finally reduced to sucking on a pacifier at the end.......the pastor's wife making the bed late in the afternoon (why would she wait til so late to make it?) and seeing her husband coming home knowing he would be wanting sex so she quickly unmade it again - like everything else in this movie, too obviously painfully contrived and not funny in the least. Just a never-ending eye-rolling torturous hour and forty six minutes, which is why it was so astounding that the comic genius Norman Lear was responsible for it, and that such comedy icons as Van Dyke and Bob Newhart were in it. Most of the main characters got on my last nerve with their ridiculous farcical antics and I hated and dreaded the unnecessary WAY too close close-ups.

Huge crashing disappointment, to say the least. I had to stop reading all the positive reviews here praising it to death since my opinion was the exact opposite. Couldn't wait to delete it off the DVR. I'll never understand what others here loved so much about it. Ugh!

1 out of 10 / Grade F

Knowing full well that it could never happen, a major tobacco company offers a multi-million dollar prize to any town in the USA that will quit smoking for an entire month.

What the company doesn't expect is the little town of Eagle Rock, Iowa, and the Reverand Clayton Brooks leading the distressed town to prosperity with the much needed money as incentive.

The film, the work of TV sit-com legend Norman Lear, is a savage satire of the American tobacco industry, as well as the TV news community (Comic Ray Goulding appears in one scene as "Walter Chronic" in a parody of TV news anchor Walter Cronkite, with a florescent lamp behind his head, forming an angelic halo).

Many people in the film later went on to become notable television actors, and it's a delight to see how people become so easily unhinged when they're deprived of their nicotine fix (this from a happy non-smoker)!

Bob Newhart plays an odd villain in this film. A strange role for a man so associated with playing meek roles is cast as a rather icy consultant for the tobacco giants.

An underrated film that is worth another viewing, if only to have a snicker at the tobacco industry or see the town of Greenfield, Iowa used as a backdrop.

Sheer genius! Timelessly funny script and the greatest character actors ever. Satire of 1970 American culture that still resonates today. One of my all time favorites.

This is by far one of the funniest movies ever made, although the tv version was so cut apart by the censors that people who haven't seen the original uncut version might be disappointed. Just missing the little old woman with the gun saying "It's a bull****" would be enough to curb its original punch. I highly recommend that anyone who has never seen this movie give it a shot.

The first, last and only time I have ever seen this before was 52 years ago. I have some memory of seeing it twice because I thought it was hilarious and it probably was during those more innocent times, but much of this is just pretty silly by today's standards. It's about a town in which everybody has to quit smoking in order to get a $25 million check from a tobacco company who only offer it as a gimmick assuming that no one town can possibly pull this off. Logic says there's no way on Earth they can possibly know if no one ever does for the one month that is required, but this is not a film about logic. Some of it is still humorous and some of it is still little laugh out funny particularly parts involving Jean Stapleton and Judith Lowry. The odd thing here is the lead actor Dick Van Dyck, who plays this as the most serious person in the film. This was at a time that he was trying to prove himself as a film actor, and while he's not bad, being the straight man is not his forte. This was brought to mind to watch recently due to the passing of the great Norman Lear and I'm glad I watched it again, but it's more a trip down memory lane than an actual really funny movie at this point in time. Add in that we are so removed from smoking that a lot of the antics involving quitting are a little passe by now.