As you know, we often see wine or spirits in films… Even if in France, the Evin law strictly regulates the appearance of bottles or cans on the screen, across the Atlantic, it is not the same story! Everyone in Bordeaux talks about the masterstroke of Château Angélus for example which is none other than the wine of James Bond or Château Phélan Ségur which is that of Hannibal Lecter! As you have seen, product placements are always very important and can strongly influence the brand image of a property.
But what about sake? Does he also have his place in the spotlight? Who wins the Oscar for best sake? Clearly, James Bond is an adventure film but also a tribute to alcohol… If Daniel Craig drinks around 11 glasses per film and is without a doubt the one who prefers wine the most of all the Jameses, Sean Connery on the contrary is the most adventurous in his drink choices! Indeed, in “You Only Live Twice” from 1967, James Bond decides to have a glass of sake “at the right temperature of 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit” instead of a martini! And he will do it again a little later by complying with a traditional marriage ceremony and practicing “san san kudo” which consists of drinking sake three times from three cups of different sizes. What a man this James Bond is!
Another famous film that shows us an American actor drinking sake: The Last Samurai. Tom Cruise likes drinking (in the film of course) and before starting withdrawal he is served sake in particular. So, it’s not necessarily the best presentation of our nihonshu, but we still mention it in the film.
Certainly actors love sake but so do actresses! In the film Kill Bill, Lucy Liu and Emma Thurman delight in nihonshu. Lucy Liu during a highly symbolic meeting tastes sake and beer. But it is above all Emma Thurman who creates a scene between Hattori Hanzo and her sidekick by asking, in the middle of the day, for hot sake with her sushi!
Scarlett Johansson also likes sake. While she was starring in Lost in Translation, she met Bill Murray who was filming an incredible commercial around whiskey. But it is with a little sake that the two acolytes become closer.
There are surely other films with sake… But then tell me: which sake do you think deserves the Oscar for best supporting role?
#France Bleu Gironde broadcast from June 27, 2023: click on the link to listen to the replay more easily and read the great article by Isabelle Wagner!
