Deconstruction - Smoking

Smoking Deconstruction

As can be seen in the following video, there are many reasons why characters in film noir may smoke, ranging from leisure to stress. 

The way the cigarettes are handled can show the audience the reasons behind it, for example when smoking for leisure breaths may be long and drawn out with elegant, flowing hand movements (often the femme fatale when trying to seduce the protagonist), or when smoking to cope with stress movements may be more desperate and stiff with a more contorted facial expression.

The type of character can also have an impact on what is actually being smoked. A cigarette is usually associated with younger characters as it's seen as a traditional symbol of 'coolness'. It is also more likely to be smoked by women such as the femme fatale as they are lighter and more dainty which can make the woman appear more elegant. 

Cigars are likely to be smoked by more hardboiled detectives and older men as they are heavier and stronger, which implies they are coping with more stress. Bosses also commonly smoke cigars as they can make someone seem more intimidating than a cigarette can. They are also more expensive, explaining why the characters of higher status may be more likely to smoke them. 

Pipes are also commonly seen, usually by older, wiser characters as pipes make them seem more refined than a cigarette or cigar. If a character isn't smoking, it's often because they are being portrayed as young, innocent and uncorrupted in comparison to the rest of the characters. 

Finally, blowing smoke into someone's face can convey several different messages. It can be used as an intimidation tactic when one detective blows smoke into the face of another, often making the other character flinch or cough to show that he has the upper hand. Alternatively, if a woman blows smoke into a man's face it's seen as a seduction technique and is much more intimate seeming, the detective often leaning into it rather than being repulsed.