How Popcorn Took Over the Movies

When movies arrived in the early 20th century, ornate theaters wanted nothing to do with the noisy snack. Deluxe-theater owners had modeled their palaces after opera houses and temples, complete with velvet drapes, gilt ceilings and live orchestras. Popcorn, with its flying crumbs and sonic crunch, was too lowbrow—and too messy—for their polished halls. Many banned it outright.