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Examples Of Criminal Representation In Mafia/Gangster Films

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Criminals Representation in Mafia/Gangster Films
In the eyes of the American people, the Mafia has long existed as an infamous figure. Organized crime in America has its roots in the nineteenth century, during the Prohibition era. The unforeseen consequences of the eighteenth amendment brought about the age of gangsters and organized crime. The definition of organized crime is a group of people, usually powerful gangs or families, who intend to commit crimes on a large scale. The crimes range from one extreme to the other such as “loansharking, especially to addicted gamblers; Las Vegas casinos and tourism; trash-hauling and construction companies; coin-operated slot machines and laundromats; and schemes for kickbacks, extortion, truck jackings, …show more content…

The Godfather is a film that was directed by Francis Coppola and is about the Corleone family and unfolds the struggles they must face. The film depicts the time from 1945 to 1955. The movie starts with Vito, who is the head of the family, watching over his daughter's wedding in Sicily. Michael, Don Vito’s son, had just returned from WWII. Michael, the main character, is forced to become the head of the family after the death of his hot-headed brother. This causes a split between him and his family so he can protect them. This film shows the evolution of the criminal protagonist. Michael is a war veteran at the start of the movie and holds a high moral code. He wishes to stay away from his family and even says "That’s my family… Not me" (Coppola). There is a lot to admire about Michael. He is compassionate but pressured into his family dealings. He decides to kill two men for his family which leads to his descent into stone-heartedness. Unlike the older gangster movies, the protagonist is not completely unforgivable and has some redeeming qualities. Michael is shown as more of a victim than an assailant in the film. He has been separated from his conventional life, needing to choose between staying innocent and protecting his family. In the end, he is forced to be a cold-blooded killer without the glory or glamor that is associated with the Mafia life. Micheal lost …show more content…

(2016, September 30). Research Into the Crime Genre – Character Archetypes | Finlay McGarry’s A2 Media Studies Blog. https://a2mcgarryf.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/research-into-the-crime-genre-character-archetypes/
Scripts, I. (2021, November 29). How to Write a Gangster Movie: The Expectations of the Genre. Industrial Scripts®. https://industrialscripts.com/gangster-movie/
Jacobs. (2019). The Rise and Fall of Organized Crime in the United States. The University of Chicago Press Journals. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/706895#:~:text=The%20Italian%20American%20Cosa%20Nostra,in%20the%201970s%20and%201980s
The Era of Gangster Films | American Experience | PBS. (n.d.). The Era of Gangster Films | American Experience | Official Site | PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/dillinger-era-gangster-films/ https://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/gangsters/angels.html. (n.d.). https://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/gangsters/angels.html
Angels with Dirty Faces. Directed by Michael Curtiz, performances by James Cagney and Pat O’Brein, final cut, Warner Bros., 1938
The Godfather. Directed by Francis Coppola, performances by Marlo Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan, final cut, Paramount Pictures,

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