At least, that's what the New York Times says about his latest, Cassandra's Dream — and, more to the point, the MPAA isn't doing anything about it.
Although Brooks Barnes claims that the characters in Cassandra's Dream smoke so heavily that "some patrons have exited theaters feeling like they just paid $12 to sit in the ashtray of an 18-wheeler", the film netted a Kool Ultra-Mild of a rating at PG-13 — this despite the Motion Picture Association of America's claim less than a year ago that they'd be cracking down hard on portrayals of heavy smoking on film, with "pervasive" use of the coffin nail a virtual guarantee of a more restrictive rating.
So far, we haven't heard of a single film sporting a "rated M for Marlboro" rating. If smoking is less prevalent in movies than it used to be, it's probably due to general healthier lifestyles and the growing social taboo on smoking indoors being reflected on film. But even if it weren't Woody at the helm, it's difficult to believe the MPAA was doing more than. . . well, blowing smoke last May when they announced the anti-tobacco crackdown in film. It's served its purpose in placating public pressure groups, and it's not hard to imagine that enforcement of the standard will be much of a priority, particularly since its target isn't illegal and doesn't carry much weight with the religious right the way that sex, bad language and drug use do.
Still, Weinstein Company boss Harvey Weinstein says that when the film hits DVD, it will carry the same anti-smoking PSAs that other recent Weinstein releases have featured. An ex-smoker, he believes he has a moral responsibility to educate the young about the dangers of smoking. Then again, Harv also believes that he could end movie piracy overnight if he could just get Shia LaBeouf to convince kids that it's not cool, so take his advice with a grain of salt.