Watch Narcotic
- NR
- 1933
- 58 min
-
4.0 (395)
Narcotic is a 1933 American exploitation film directed by Dwain Esper. The film was created as a propaganda tool aimed at educating the general public about the dangers of drug addiction. Set in the slums of an unnamed American city, the movie follows the story of a struggling young pharmacist named Mary (played by Patricia Farley), who becomes addicted to opium after trying to ease chronic pain.
The film begins by introducing Mary, a hardworking pharmacist who is fiercely independent and ambitious. Despite the harsh realities of life in the tenements, Mary is determined to remain strong and carve out a better future for herself. However, when a mysterious customer introduces her to the world of opium, Mary's life quickly takes a dark and tragic turn.
As Mary becomes increasingly addicted to the drug, she loses touch with reality and descends into a world of squalor and despair. Her relationship with her boyfriend, Jimmy (played by Harry Cording), deteriorates as he struggles to cope with her addiction. Meanwhile, Mary's drug use begins to attract the attention of the law, and she finds herself embroiled in a dangerous underworld of drug dealers and criminals.
Despite its sensationalist approach, Narcotic contains some powerful moments of social criticism, highlighting the social inequities that fuel drug addiction. The film portrays the bleak realities of poverty and the hopelessness that many people in the slums face. It also exposes the corrupt practices of the pharmaceutical industry, which profits from the sale of addictive drugs such as opium.
In terms of cinematography, Narcotic is a highly stylized film that employs a range of visual techniques to convey the disorienting effects of drug use. The film uses distorted and hallucinatory imagery, as well as rapid editing and dramatic camera angles, to create a sense of confusion and anxiety.
Overall, Narcotic is a highly entertaining yet sobering film that provides a valuable insight into the social and economic forces that drive drug addiction. Although some of the acting is over the top and the script at times heavy-handed, the film is a fascinating relic of its time and offers a unique glimpse into the dark side of American society in the early 1930s.
Narcotic is a 1933 drama with a runtime of 58 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.0.