Many of the best films ever made came out during the 1940s. Who could forget such classics like Citizen Kane and Casablanca? Famous scenes like the climax of The Big Sleep are still guaranteed to make your heart thump even in the 2020s, whether you’re seeing them for the first time or the hundredth. They don’t make movies like they used to – but thankfully, the best films of the era are lovingly preserved for us to enjoy forever.
Enjoying the movies of the past with your family or friends is an unbelievably fun experience, but watching some great old films can be even better if you make an event out of it. Want to try a themed movie party of your own? Here’s how to host a ‘40s-themed movie party that your guests will talk about for years.
Encourage Your Guests to Wear Period-Appropriate Clothing
One of the fun things about watching old movies is having an opportunity to admire – and occasionally laugh at – the clothing that was popular when those films were made. If you ask us, though, many of the clothing styles of the ‘40s are completely timeless. Your guests will really get into the mood if you encourage them to wear period-appropriate clothing like suits, ties and hats for the men and evening gowns for the ladies. You could even tell your friends to dress like private detectives and gangsters. It’ll be perfect for the activity we’ll describe in the next section.
If you’re afraid that suits and gowns won’t be suitably comfortable for a movie party, you can pass out vintage smoking jackets instead. It’ll be just as fun.
Host a Murder Mystery
Many of the most famous movies from the ‘40s are mysteries and detective thrillers. Although they’re always entertaining, you’ve also seen them a million times and already know how they end. If your guests are mystery film buffs, maybe they’d like to experience a whodunit firsthand without knowing the outcome in advance. Host-your-own murder mysteries are lots of fun, and you definitely don’t have to be a gamer to enjoy one. You can download a mystery and print it yourself, or you can buy a boxed game online. As long as your guests are happy to do a bit of acting, the event will be a success.
Here’s how a host-your-own murder mystery typically works.
- The mystery will include a list of characters along with information about their personalities and motivations. Reach out to your friends to see if they’d be willing to play those characters for the event.
- Once you’ve got the main characters lined up, send your invitations. If you’ve purchased a boxed mystery, the invitations will probably come with the game. Each invitation will include some background information about the character the guest will be playing and his or her role in the mystery.
- When the event begins, you might read an introduction that gets your guests acquainted with the setting and the mystery. The main characters may also have scripts to read. After those things take place, the guests will have time to mingle and discover further details for themselves. You may also need to reveal additional clues to the group as the event continues.
- After all of the clues have been revealed and the guests have had ample time to discuss them, it’s time for everyone to reveal their guesses and for the true culprit to reveal him or herself.
- To provide an appropriate denouement, you can follow the big reveal by giving awards to the guests who guessed the murder correctly. Alternatively, your guests can vote for the person who did the best job playing his or her character.
Provide Plenty of Cigarettes
We jest, of course. A ‘40s movie just wouldn’t be a ‘40s movie if the characters didn’t spend the entire time blowing smoke into each other’s faces, but there’s a reason why Humphrey Bogart died at the age of 57. You can still recreate some of that experience, though, by giving your friends some nicotine-free vapes and encouraging them to do their best Bogart impressions. Here’s looking at you, kid.
Serve Movie Snacks from the ‘40s
If you’re going to have a movie party featuring films from a certain era, serving popular movie snacks from that time is absolutely essential. One interesting thing about the ‘40s, though, is that the treats served in theaters during that decade aren’t so different from today’s theater fare. Popcorn had already become the most popular theater snack by the ‘40s. Also, some of the most popular movie candies – including Milk Duds, Mike and Ike, Junior Mints and Raisinets – were introduced during that decade.
Since the movie snacks of the ‘40s weren’t so different from today’s snacks, you can set your movie party apart by serving some period-appropriate sodas. Obviously, many of the major brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi were already around then, but plenty of well-known sodas were introduced during the ‘40s. Fitz’s Root Beer was one of them. It’s still available today and has a delightfully retro image. Other sodas launched during the ‘40s include Mountain Dew and Fanta.
You would also be somewhat true to the era if you served Moxie. Moxie was endorsed by Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams, who enjoyed some of his best seasons during the ‘40s before and after World War II. He didn’t actually ink his famous endorsement deal with Moxie, however, until the ‘60s.
Consider Providing a Period-Appropriate Meal
If you’re going to host a movie party, you might as well show more than one film – but if you’re going to do that, your guests are bound to get hungry at some point. That’s the perfect excuse to serve a period-appropriate meal that’ll keep your guests feeling that ‘40s vibe. We don’t suggest doing anything too elaborate, though, because the food is really secondary to everything else when you’re hosting a movie night.
Some popular 1940s foods that aren’t difficult to prepare – or that you might be able to have catered – include:
- Meatloaf
- Tomato soup
- Mashed potatoes
- Corned beef hash
- Corn dogs
If those dishes don’t seem like good fits for your group, you can just serve another food that’s just as popular today as it was during the ‘40s: burgers. Like a good fedora, some things never go out of style.
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