Some cocktails are famous because of their ingredients. Others have become famous because of the person holding the glass.
Film and television have played an enormous part in cocktail culture. A carefully chosen drink can tell us about a character, establish a period or help create the atmosphere of a scene.
From James Bond’s Martini to The Dude’s White Russian, some drinks have become almost inseparable from the characters who order them.
So, let’s take a look at some memorable appearances of cocktails on screen.
James Bond and the Martini
Few fictional characters are as closely associated with a drink as James Bond is with the Martini.
Ian Fleming established Bond’s particular drinking habits in the original novels. However, the films introduced them to a much larger audience.
The phrase “shaken, not stirred” subsequently became one of cinema’s most recognisable lines.
Bond is also associated with the Vesper, introduced in Casino Royale. It combines gin, vodka and the original Kina Lillet, although modern versions require substitutions because Kina Lillet is no longer produced.
For Bond, ordering a drink is rarely casual. His precise choices reinforce the character’s confidence, particular tastes and attention to detail.
As a result, the Martini became part of the Bond image both on the page and on screen.
The Big Lebowski and the White Russian
If Bond’s Martini represents precision, the White Russian in The Big Lebowski represents something very different.
Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski drinks White Russians throughout the 1998 film. His favourite combination of vodka, coffee liqueur and cream becomes an extension of his laid-back personality.
The drink appears so frequently that it is almost another character in the film.
Moreover, The Big Lebowski helped introduce the White Russian to a new generation. It’s a good example of how popular culture can revive interest in an established cocktail.
Casablanca and the Bar as a Film Set
Not every memorable film drink needs to be associated with a particular cocktail.
In Casablanca, Rick’s Café Américain provides the setting for some of cinema’s most famous scenes.
Drinks, music and conversation help create the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the bar provides a meeting place for characters whose lives have been brought together by war.
The setting demonstrates something pubs and bars have always understood. A drink is often only part of the experience.
The people, surroundings and conversations taking place around it can be just as important.
Cocktails and The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby has reached cinema audiences through several adaptations.
The 1974 film starred Robert Redford as Gatsby, while Leonardo DiCaprio took the role in the 2013 adaptation.
In both the original story and its screen adaptations, drinking accompanies a world of parties, wealth and excess.
Cocktails, Champagne and overflowing glasses contribute to the image of Jazz Age extravagance. However, beneath the celebrations lies a much less comfortable story.
Therefore, the drinks help establish both the period and the lifestyle of the characters.
Mad Men and the Drinking Culture of the 1960s
Moving from cinema to television, Mad Men made classic cocktails an important part of its portrayal of 1960s American business culture.
Don Draper and his colleagues regularly drink in offices, restaurants and bars. The Old Fashioned became particularly associated with Draper.
Here, cocktails do more than provide attractive props.
They help establish the period and illustrate very different attitudes towards drinking in the workplace. Furthermore, bars and restaurants become important settings for meetings and conversations.
The series helped bring several traditional cocktails back into popular culture decades after their original heyday.
When the Screen Influences the Bar
Film and television don’t simply reflect drinking trends. Sometimes, they help create them.
Customers may order a cocktail because they’ve seen a favourite character drinking one. Others might rediscover an older drink after it appears in a new film or television series.
That influence can continue for decades.
The Martini will probably always be associated with James Bond. Likewise, ordering a White Russian is likely to prompt references to The Dude for many years to come.
For pubs, clubs and bars, familiar cocktail names can provide useful inspiration when planning a drinks menu.
From the Silver Screen to Your Bar
Behind every memorable cocktail is a combination of ingredients that need to work together.
While some cocktails are largely spirit-led, others rely on soft drinks and mixers. Cola, lemonade, tonic, ginger and fruit flavours can also be used across numerous mixed drinks and simpler serves.
At CS Drinks, we supply post-mix soft drinks, mixers and dispensing equipment for pubs, clubs, bars, bistros, cafés and other hospitality venues.
Our own team handles installation, servicing and deliveries. So, whether customers are ordering something inspired by the silver screen or simply their usual spirit and mixer, we’ll help you keep the drinks flowing.
Speak to Steve, Dianne or Matthew on 01539 559033 to find out more.