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Reefer Madness

You do not need any explanation to understand that in 30's in the States they smoked a very good stuff.
This is none other than the intro of "Reefer Madness" also known as "Tell Your Children" American film of 1936 that describes marijuana as "public enemy number 1".
In fact, those years in the States starts a powerful anti-marijuana campaign with the usual invented news that overrun in racism because this drug was used mainly by jazz musicians of New Orleans.

A massive propaganda that could certainly not use the cinema, with a documentary movie that warned people about the devastating effects of this new drug.
There are many films that deal with this topic and "Tell Your Children" or "Reefer Madness" if you prefer, is the progenitor of this genre that also includes another masterpiece "Assassin Of Youth".
But "Reefer Madness" has a very special story that comes out in part from the objective that the the original manufacturers had.

In 1936 an ecclesiastical group finance an educational anti-marijuana movie, engaging as a director a French filmmaker Louis J.Garnier famous for having directed numerous works in the early years of cinema. Incidentally, this film does not bring luck to the director who closes his career here.

"Tell Your Children" is the official title, but some time after Dwain Esper, a gipsy director who wandering the country in search of scandalous films to buys the rights, and then re-edited, leaving the strongest scenes, bought this movie and changing the title to "Reefer Madness". 

Of course he uses it  in his performance of which we speak in the monograph.
After the period of Esper the film ends in oblivion, until in the seventies, when Keith Stroup, founder of NORML, an organization founded with money from the Playboy Foundation, who works in the campaigns for the decriminalization of marijuana, found a copy in the library of the United States Congress. The largest library in the world!.

Stroup buy a copy of the work and begins to divulge mainly on American campuses. "Reefer Madness" became a cult for all smokers of marijuana, strong of its power entirely unintentional comedy.
Added to this is that Karl Rove, famous American politician, shown non political movies in Republicans college, with the aim of raising funds, and among them was "Reefer Madness".

And here's how a legend was born. Such is the myth that in 1998 he became a musical presented in Los Angeles and in 2001 landed in New York.
So myth that the "20th Century Fox" in collaboration with the "Film Legend" in 2004 bought the rights and created a color version increasing, in color choice, the comic aspect. The DVD also included a trailer of the movie that isn't original, two audio commentaries, and another short film on the subject.

This story is full of smoky facts and "dramatic" moments. Bill Harper is a good student, an excellent tennis player, good boy, good manner, but he knows Mae and Jack, two drug dealers and with them and also with Blanche, a student and a number of schoolboys: Ralph, Jimmy and Mary, Bill's girlfriend, combines a big mess .
Bill ends up in a party at the home of Mae and Jack, and there, a little 'forced he smoke for the first time. So he ruins his life, begins to do poorly in school and clearly he can't get out of this ride full of scoundrels.
Things are even worse when he smokes again during another party while his girlfriend, who smoke for the first time, is annoyed by Ralph who also tries to rape her. Just then Bill walks into the room and in the visible state of hallucination he sees his girlfriend in other's arms. They beat, then Jack tries to split the two, but accidentally shot and hits the girl to death.
It's a mess. And only for smoking a joint. Bill is framed by others and becomes convinced that he shot on purpose. Ralph goes crazy for the use of drugs and would say all to the police. Mae and Jack, the evil drug dealers,  think Ralph should be eliminated, and so they invite him home and try to kill him. There start a fight, Ralph kills Jack, the police arrive and arrest everyone.
The poor Blanche instead that had sex with Bill and entertained  Ralph playing the piano ends up at the police station where she repents and confesses everything, but in overdose prey to remorse she committed suicide by jumping from the window of the police station.
Ralph was interned for a lifetime. While Bill is completely cleared, although there will always be an indelible stain on his life.
Some unforgettable scenes like the car that hits a pedestrian or as one where Mary died. It 's clear, they smoke really good stuff.


Technical

Original Title: Tell Your Children
Alternative Title: Dope Addict, Doped Youth, Love Madness, The Burning Question
Year: 1936
Duration: 66 '
Country: USA
Director: Louis J.Gasnier - Dwain Esper
Cast: Dorothy Short, Kenneth Craig, Lillian Miles, Dave O 'Brian, Thelma White
Production Company: George A. Hirliman Productions