Tom's Influence On American Films

The only reflection of Tom in the character of Cody is his overwhelming dependence on his mother, the only person Cody ever answers to or takes advice from. After her death, his mental stability declines to the point where he delusionally believes to be talking to her, even screaming “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” right before he dies. Cody’s reliance on his mother, his debilitating migraines or his juvenile temper are never explained, but the audience can piece together that the problems stem from his close relationship to his mother and his undying desire to show off. Some have even classified Cody Jarrett with “hysteria”, as his sociopathic traits coupled with his crippling migraine episodes suggest an unquiet mind. “Clearly, Cody Jarrett

The conventions of the film had changed significantly by this point. The plots had become more elaborate, the dialogue more daring and the content more questionable. Without the prohibition influencing it or the Hays code restricting it, the gangster genre had acquired more freedom. This trend has continued until the present day and is reflected in films such as 2015’s Legend, a film based on the legendary and brutal Kray twins who ruled London back in the 60’s. It stars actor Tom Hardy in both roles as the twins, and is a significant example of how what is typically expected from a gangster film has changed dramatically since they first appeared on the screen. The potential of these films also owes their success to the early gangster films such as The Public Enemy, as without these original foundations the high-grossing and cult-followed gangster films of today would have no genre to expand

What was once a one-trick-pony type of film has now expanded its horizons and become of the most successful genres in terms of both popularity and gross, and is often the go-to type of picture for an unconventional or controversial plot, such as 1994’s Pulp Fiction. Some directors have even taken the genre and added a unique twist or take, time after time, that they have almost created their own sub-genre from the gangster films. Quentin Tarantino for instance, with his beginnings in 1992’s Reservoir Dogs, adds “a little bit of this, a little bit of that, into, voilà, a “something else,” which then becomes a new variant like Pulp Fiction or like Quentin Tarantino per se, a genre unto himself.” With the introduction of television the genre has now branched out from the big screen to the small, and with great benefit. Popular shows such as The Sopranos, The Wire or Breaking Bad, while all varied in style and characters, can all find their roots firmly planted in the gangster