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.
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.