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Marihuana

Name: Marihuana
Director: Dwain Esper
Released: 1936
Duration: 57 min

Representation Score

0.3/10

Minimal

1936

Not Rated

Director

Dwain Esper

Runtime

57 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Marihuana (1936) operates as a cautionary tale reinforcing mid-20th century moral standards. Instead of developing complex characters, the narrative uses the story to support existing laws and social norms. The film leans heavily on the clichés of its time, especially concerning gender and race. It portrays a world where straying from traditional social structures results in disastrous personal outcomes, using the plot to promote social order. Overall, the film fails to explore diverse identities and moral complexities. It focuses on maintaining the status quo, using gender and racial vulnerabilities to symbolize social decay and moral failure.

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Category Breakdown

Does Marihuana have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any visible LGBTQ+ characters or identities outside of traditional heterosexual relationships. All interpersonal dynamics are strictly between opposite-sex couples.

How does Marihuana portray gender?

Limited

Female characters are portrayed as vulnerable and morally unstable. The protagonist's downfall follows the 'fallen woman' stereotype, where deviating from societal norms leads to ruin.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Marihuana?

Minimal

The cast is primarily white and employs racial stereotypes typical of 1930s exploitation cinema. Criminal behavior is associated with urban settings using outdated racial biases.

How does Marihuana represent religion and culture?

Minimal

The story adheres to conventional Western values, presenting drug use as a threat to family and national stability. It upholds a strict moral code.

Does Marihuana include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. Characters are defined by their social and moral standing rather than any form of disability.

Present on Screen

The film provides a valuable historical perspective on the 'social hygiene' movement of the 1930s.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks meaningful representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional sexual orientations.
Gender roles are rigid, relying on the 'fallen woman' stereotype rather than empowering female characters.
Racial diversity is absent, instead using harmful stereotypes to associate vice with specific environments.
The narrative does not explore physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
Cultural perspectives are limited to a narrow, pro-authority Western moral viewpoint.

Official Synopsis

A young girl named Burma attends a beach party with her boyfriend and after she smokes marijuana with a bunch of other girls, she gets pregnant and another girl drowns while skinny dipping in the ocean. Burma and her boyfriend go to work for the pusher in order to make money so they can get married. However, during a drug deal her boyfriend is killed leaving Burma to fend for herself. Burma then becomes a major narcotics pusher in her own right after giving up her baby for adoption.

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