Papazyan 1

Arsen Papazyan
Professor Lawson
English 115
28 November 2016
Research Paper/Final Draft
2197
Gangsters: Criminals or Idols
Whether it is a drama, comedy, action, or horror film, society has been very engaged in
movies for over a century. Influential movies like Star Wars, The Dark Knight, The Shawshank
Redemption, Lord of the Rings, and many more, have had a great impact on society. Although
these movies are in vastly different genres and have different plotlines, they are similar because
they have a protagonist who is either trying to save the world, become successful in the world, or
survive in the world. It is a natural reaction to choose a side when there is a battle between good
and evil. However, there is one genre of movies that completely goes against the system. This
genre is called the crime drama and it depicts both the lives of powerful gangsters as well as the
success and downfall of organized crime. Hollywood always portrays the gangsters as very
respected figures that have power over the city and are feared by everyone. However, the fact
that the gangster is an admirable character does not mean that what he is doing is right. The
mafia head organizes crime, kills people, steals money, etc. and yet we still have the desire for
that person to succeed. Why is it that the viewers themselves are rooting for the criminals? What
is it about these criminals that give the viewer the desire for the Mafiosos to win? They bring
harm to society, making them the opposite of a hero, and yet the only thing the viewer thinks
about during the movie is the more power this person has, the better. Gangsters have become

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popular movie icons because they are shown as righteous intelligent, and extravagant people,
causing the viewer to focus on their good characteristics and to ignore their crimes.
Everything has history connected to it. The first gangster movie created was called
Underworld and it was made in 1927 (IMDB). Some might wonder, Why would people create a
movie about criminals? It is significant that the first gangster movie came out a mere seven
years after Congress passed the 18th Amendment in 1920, which prohibited the manufacture,
transportation and sale of intoxicating liquors (History.com staff). This meant that people could
not part take in one of their favorite activities, which was drinking. Alcohol was taken away and
the people that wanted the product were not able to get a hold of it. However, the mafia was able
to acquire it and they created an entire system where alcohol was sold to the people that wanted
it. Before the 20s gangsters were just small time operators (Konnikava). They became very
popular because they benefited the people that were hurt by the amendment. It was the gangsters
who were the main providers of alcohol during prohibition. They ran speakeasies and smuggled
alcohol. This in return provided them with both money and a good reputation. The gangsters
were respected for their contribution to society. Many people resented prohibition and did not
want to give up alcohol, which created this feeling of hatred towards the system. The gangsters
were successful because the people were angry with the government. It took away the peoples
right to enjoy themselves with alcohol and in return lost the support of the public. The mobsters
found a solution and were like folk heroes in the eyes of the people, regardless of all the crimes
they committed. They successfully acquired the publics support and were able to continue their
businesses. It was almost as if the gangsters were battling the government for peoples rights.
Now that gangsters have a positive reputation, Hollywood begins to make movies about these
heroes. People watch movies that appeal to them, which meant that in the 20s, gangster

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movies would have successful showings. Maria Konnikava, a writer and journalist for The New
Yorker, claims, Even when Prohibition was repealed and the services of the bootleggers were no
longer required, that initial positive image stuck. (Konnikava). With the people viewing
gangsters as positive figures, Hollywood was able to continue making gangster movies, which
created an entirely new genre and led to brilliant and influential movies such as The Godfather,
Goodfellas, Scarface, Pulp Fiction, Carlitos Way, and many more. These movies have very high
ratings and satisfy the public with their breathtaking plots.
Moving on from the 20s, we enter the 70s where society was changing at a rapid rate. In
the 70s, America was going through a very difficult time because there was the struggle of the
Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal. It was a time where the people had no faith in the
government. Tom Santopietro, author of The Godfather Effect, was interviewed by Megan
Gambino, writer and editor for Smithsonian.com, stated that The Godfather was released when
we had been facing the twin discouragements of the Vietnam War and Watergate, so it spoke to
this sense of disillusionment that really started to permeate American life at that time
(Gambino). People were angry with the government. The war was an unsuccessful attempt to
prevent communism that took the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Along with the war,
came the Watergate Scandal where the government gave the citizens another reason to not trust it
anymore. During the havoc of the 70s, there was a movie that was released to the public. It was
one of, if not the greatest gangster movie of all time. This movie was called The Godfather. It
was a film that portrayed gangsters in a way that no other movie was able to duplicate. The film
consisted of rivaling mafias, also called the families, struggling for power. The most prominent
family in the movie was the Corleone family. This family was a prestigious family that had great
power in the city of New York and cared about nothing but its own family. This movie

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immediately snatched the audiences attention and became an instant classic. The portrayal of the
family was done so well, that the viewers wanted to be part of the family. This movie was
released at a perfect time period. When the public was drawing away from the government, they
were entering the screen realm of the underworld, where Mafiosos ran the country and did
everything in a classy way. This gives the audience the immediate desire for the mafia to succeed
in order to continue this lifestyle. No one wanted to be part of the government, but everyone
could imagine themselves as the mafia head that is powerful and respected. People watching
movies are always looking for someone that they can relate to. Who better than the person that is
portrayed in an ideal way? It is natural to desire success for the character that is appealing to the
audience the most.
Aside from the government issues, there were pivotal movements that sparked societal
change in America. The Civil Rights Movement and Black Power was rising along with the
Feminist movement. The people wanted change and eventually, they got it. However, there were
also people who did not want these changes in society and did not support any of the movements.
So when The Godfather was released to the public, [it] presented this look at the vanishing
white male patriarchal society. (Gambino). The film was able to invoke the feeling of nostalgia
in the audience, causing them to both be attracted to the movie and support the characters that are
portrayed in it. Vito Corleone, the head of the Corleone family, took the role of the superior
white male figure that had power over his family and was respected by the entire city.
Immediately that appeals to the viewers, who felt so uncertain in this rapidly changing world
(Gambino). It was a change that a lot of people disapproved. The Godfather continuously
showed the powerful white male, and when the audience witnessed this, they immediately
wanted that ideal figure to succeed. This establishes a precedent, meaning that when people

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discuss gangster movies, they advertise it as an excellent movie that contains cool and
intelligent characters. With the audience supporting the criminals, it is not a movie depicting
the negative effects that crime brings upon an individual anymore; it becomes a movie that
portrays heroes who revolve in the underworld.
Many people believe that gangster movies are not influential and that they are just movies
about cruel criminals. These films have offended Italian-Americans because they believe that
their ethnicity is represented primarily by criminals who cheat the system. The negative portrayal
of Italians in film even sparked a movement where the Italian-American Civil Rights League
held a rally to stop production of The Godfather (History.com staff). It is understandable that
Italians would fear that others would perceive them as Mafiosos after watching movies like
Goodfellas or The Godfather, if they lack other contacts or exposure to that ethnicity. However,
the gangster image was becoming more admired movie after movie. With the popularity of
gangsters gradually growing, their image evolved into something that is more desirable.
Hollywood created a new image, where gangsters live lavish lives after becoming successful
with their criminal activity. In the movie Scarface, there is an entire montage of Tony Montana
spending his hard earned money on cars, new suits, and a big house. The portrayal of all these
materialistic objects immediately appeals to the audience because it is something that many
people want. Bruce Chadwick, a Ph.D. at Rutgers University, claims that Americans saw them
just like other people successful people well-dressed men who drove flashy cars, hung out at
posh night clubs, mingled with movie stars, dated beautiful women and lived the American
dream. They achieved what we all wanted to achieve. These movies narrate a story about
immigrants that come to America with no money who faced discrimination, and yet they
overcome all the barriers that society puts up against them and become successful. It is an

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inspiring story that appeals to both many immigrants and Americans. This sparks a reaction in
peoples minds and the outcome of that reaction is that people begin to desire the success of
these corrupt individuals. The audience sympathizes with the difficult lives of the gangsters and
wants them to continue living the happy, successful lives that they have achieved through their
life of crime. As the film continues, the audience becomes engaged with the characters because
they can either relate to the characters or they admire the actions that the protagonist does. It is
very interesting to watch how, brutish, murderous thugs whose sole goal is accumulating power
and money by using fear tactics (Chadwick). However, it is also very appealing to watch how
they never killed people out of personal hatred. It was all just business. They loved their wives,
were good family men, raised kids, went to church and respected each other. (Chadwick). It is
almost as if the Mafiosos in these films are living a double life. The first life includes their
private affairs in the underworld, and the other is their involvement in family life and the
adaptation to society where crime is not tolerated. Ann ONeill, a writer and reporter for CNN,
states that, Mobsters live by their own, strict moral code (ONeill). That code contains all their
beliefs and morals that fuel their lives and affect their decisions. The audience witnesses the code
and begins to respect the character that utilizes it. With the newfound respect towards the
character, the viewers begin to admire that character and essentially begin to admire the movie
itself.
Gangster movies have had a great influence on the public. These crime drama movies
have become one of the best movies ever created and have become fan favorites around the
world. Hollywood has portrayed gangsters in such a way that the public has made them respected
icons because of their righteous appearances, leading them to overlook all the cruel crimes that
they commit. The audience cannot side against the gangsters because they have been led to

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respect them through their Hollywood image as masculine men who make smart tactical
decisions and live cool lavish lifestyles. Their morals formed during their difficult lives. Their
mentality is seen throughout the movies, causing the audience to be more drawn towards the
movie to witness intelligence that was formed on the streets of bad neighborhoods. The viewers
become interested because they themselves cannot be part of the life, but they want to be.
Watching these movies satisfies their want of being a part of the mafia. The more the audience
relates to the characters, the stronger the desire for the Mafiosos to succeed. Witnessing the way
these gangsters become successful after going through many hardships truly connects the
audience with the gangsters, leading the audience to root for these criminals and desiring more
success upon them. The audience does not want to see the unfortunate downfall of a once great
empire. We connect with these gangsters because we can relate to their lives. Our lives are
similar to theirs; the only difference is that they choose the life of the underworld, while we try to
become successful by honoring the system.

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Works Cited
Chadwick, Bruce. "Why We Have Loved Gangster Movies for 100 Years." History News
Network. HNN, 9 Sept. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
Gambino, Megan. "What Is The Godfather Effect?" Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian, 31 Jan.
2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.
History.com Staff. "18th and 21st Amendments." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010.
Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
History.com Staff. "The Mafia in Popular Culture." History.com. A&E Television Networks,
2009. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.
IMDB, Underworld, 27 Nov. 2016.
Konnikova, Maria. "Why Do We Admire Mobsters?" The New Yorker. Cond Nast, 2015. Web.
27 Nov. 2016.
O'Neill, Ann. "Mob Week: Why We Can't Get Enough of the Gangster Life." CNN. Cable News
Network, 22 June 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Scarface. Brian De Palma. Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer. Universal Studios, 1983.
Film
The Godfather. Francis Ford Coppola. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan. Paramount
Pictures, 1972. Film.

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