The cultural significance of cigars in cinema
Cigars have played a significant role in many classic films over the years. A single puff of smoke from a fine stogie can add drama, elation, and sophistication to a scene. Timeless characters like James Bond and Winston Wolf have helped elevate cigars from humble tobacco products to symbols of power, rebellion, and wealth.
While cigars can be spotted in thousands of movies, some cigar scenes are must-watches. We’ve picked out 10 legendary moments, not ranked in any order, where cigars have appeared in films and lit up the big screen. Grab some popcorn, take a seat, and light up a premium cigar to get a little closer to the action as we unveil these classic smoking scenes.
Understanding the Symbolism of Cigars in Film
Cigars in films aren’t as common as they were in the golden age of gangster flicks (1930s and 40s), but they still symbolize a range of emotions and a sense of importance. Many examples of cigar smoking in movies feature male characters, denoting characteristics ranging from mysterious and hostile to successful and swaggering. However, female cigar smokers have also enjoyed their share of the spotlight. Who could forget Xenia Onatopp in the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye? Like any strong cigar-smoking character, when she lights up, she means business.
A glimpse of a cigar in a character’s hand can instantly shape our perception of them. In some cases, the cigar becomes part of the character and the scene, representing something much bigger than just a “prop.”
10 Famous Cigar Moments in Movies
The wait is over. Let’s draw back the curtains and see which movies have made our list of eminent cigar-smoking scenes in film history.
Predator In the opening scene of the sci-fi thriller Predator (1987), Major Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) lights up a stogie with carefree abandon as a helicopter lands. This scene highlights the relaxing nature of cigars while giving instant depth to Schwarzenegger’s character. While the exact cigars used on the Predator set are a mystery, Schwarzenegger is known for his fondness for Cohiba and Punch Cigars.
Scarface Scarface (1983) stars Al Pacino as Tony Montana in this brutal gangster drama. Montana becomes a formidable drug lord, with his newfound wealth apparent in this outlandish cigar-smoking scene. Sitting in a giant sunken circular bath in his bedroom, Montana bathes in opulence, holding a cigar in one hand and the TV remote in the other, with champagne on ice nearby. The scene highlights cigars as one of the trappings of wealth.
Hellboy In a heart-warming scene from Hellboy (2004), the title character struggles to light his cigar with a low-quality lighter. Manning, head of the agency, lights it for him with a wooden match, revealing it “preserves the flavour.” Actor Ron Perlman, who plays Hellboy, smokes Joya De Nicaragua Cigars, known for their bold flavours.
Last Action Hero In Last Action Hero (1993), Arnold Schwarzenegger lights a cigar using a flick lighter before delivering the line, “Hey Claudius! You killed my father…big mistake,” and throwing the enemy through a stained-glass window. This film confirms Schwarzenegger’s love for a fine cigar.
Cape Fear In Cape Fear, Robert De Niro plays a homicidal ex-con whose over-the-top laughing and cigar smoking in a cinema brings this tense scene to life. De Niro’s character, lacking cigar etiquette, bites the end off his cigar before lighting up. An iconic scene, where the cigar added a lot of weight to the unhinged character of De Niro.
Once Upon a Time in America In this complex gangster epic, Robert De Niro’s character “Noodles” returns to New York after 35 years in exile. Max (played by James Woods), seen smoking cigars on numerous occasions, greets Noodles following his release from prison. This scene, showing Max puffing on a fifty-cent cigar, is particularly poignant.
Independence Day Captain Steven Hiller (played by Will Smith) in Independence Day (1996) smokes a cigar after trash-talking and punching an alien in the face. Known as the “Close Encounter” scene, Hiller’s remark, “Now that’s what I call a close encounter,” while putting a Bering Imperial stogie in his mouth, is memorable. The Bering Imperial offers a mellow smoke with notes of coffee, sweet cream, wood, and hints of leather.
The Godfather In this quintessential Mafia movie, the meeting of the five organized crime families sees the Dons smoking cigars around the table. Don Vito (played by Marlon Brando) calls the meeting following the death of his eldest son, Sonny, and decides it’s time to call a truce. Despite his softly spoken demeanour, Don Vito pulls all the strings with his feigned weakness, nuanced body language, and strategic brilliance. Gordo-sized smokes, with their 6 to 7-inch length and a ring gauge of 60 or more, appear to be the cigars of choice.
Crimson Tide In this military drama, Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington’s characters share a cigar on the conning tower, enjoying their “last breath of polluted air for the next 60 days.” They appear to be smoking Montecristo No.2’s, known for their rich aroma and traditional coffee, earth, and leather flavours.
X-Men: The Last Stand In this chaotic ‘Danger Room’ training scene, Logan (played by Hugh Jackman) uses a burning truck to light his cigar, lamenting the loss of his “last cigar” shortly after. Logan’s penchant for a lit cigar is depicted throughout the X-Men series, with Cohiba smokes believed to be Jackman’s choice.
Seeing our favourite characters smoke cigars in movies adds another dimension to the character, scene, and film. Many great cigar moments have become fundamental to cigar culture and cinematic history.
