In Chapter 2, Italian Gangs of New York: A Place in the Sun, of the book American Mafia, by Thomas Reppetto the author describes the growth of the Italian population in New York and how it led to the eventual growth of a mafia.

In the late 19^th century the number of Italians in New York City increase over tenfold. This massive increase in immigration led to the creation of small ghettos known as Little Italy. Many of the Italians that were immigrating to the United States during this time, Reppetto describes as industrious, but most often poorly educated, some even unable to read their own language. These Italians were often recruited to work even before they arrived in America and paid a meager wage for a hard day’s work. Furthermore, they were very often the subject of persecution by other ethnic groups, such as the Irish which made up a strong portion of the police force

These factors and living conditions caused the closely confined immigrants to fomr tight knit groups which relied on themselves internally for most things. Due to persecution and the nature of the ghettos they lived in they often fell short of adequet police protection. It was here that Scicilian gangster would find a home in which to create their illegal organization. It was here that the early families sprang up.

“The Godfather” shows a great number of these characterstics, especially the failings of the American dream and justice system. This motif which is prevelant throughout the movie is evident in the opening scene when Amerigo goes before Don Vito Corleone seeking justice after the American legal system had failed to protect his daughter or punish those responsible for her injuries. The understanding developed in this chapter creates a frame work for the foundation of families such as the Corleone or the Tattaglias.

    The article “New Mythology of Crime”, by John G. Cawelti examines the major popularity and acclaim associated with movie “The Godfather” and the reasons historically and socially for it rise to prominence in the minds of American entertainment consumers.

    People throughout history have been fascinated with crime, especially violent crime. In its earliest example we have the Illiad and several works of Shakespeare. This article takes a look at the progression of man’s fascination with crime or violence and how the development of the crime myth has has been shaped as a result the way in which the public identifies with character of the criminal.

    Cawelti examines the possibility that “The Godfather” popularity and renown can be accredited not only to what he describes as “Skillful writing, striking and emotionally involving characters and situation, and a powerfully unified action”, but also to the creation of a new type of crime mythology. He goes on to describe the development of the crime myth throughout history and shows its departure from the traditional dichotomy of moral good and sin towards dynamics that place the criminal in the role of the main character. Several factors influenced the development of the crime myth throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Among these are the development of the detective story, which helped to create a sort of intrigue towards stories of crime and criminal activity. Romanticized criminal characters such as Robin hood and Jesse James also developed during the 19^th and 20^th as well as a deeper insight into the criminal mind through the fields of psychology and sociology.

    A unique aspect of “The Godfather” was the importance and imagery of the family to refer to a criminal organization. This conceit began a new type of association with the criminal character, a sort of understanding or identification with character that was never so prevalent in the crime myth previously. Also, “The Godfather” introduced a sense of awe or fascination with the power and respect of the criminal organization as a whole. The combination of these factors are clearly evident in the film as various parts of the movie are defined by family events, whether it is the wedding of Vito Corleone’s daughter or the baptism of Michael Corleone’s godson, the criminal activities are consistently connected directly with the family. The development of these new conceits is just one of the factors that set “The Godfather” apart as unique and help to explain its tremendous popularity.

    The influence and penetration by the Mafia into various sectors of the government and legal system throughout the 20^th century is an issue of great concern that Earl Johnson Jr. a Special Attorney in the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the United States Department of Justice discusses in his paper Organized Crime: Challenge to the American Legal System: Part III. Legal Antidotes for the Political Corruption Induced by Organized Crime. The paper explores possible remedies to the corruption created by the mafia through four possible measures

    The first technique is that of initiating legal action against organized crime even when prosecutors are influenced and bought out not to take legal action. Remedying this situation is essential because if the prosecutor refuses to take action, the court is essentially powerless to react to illegal activity One possible remedy here is for the court to appoint a special prosecutor in the event that it appears the prosecutor is un willing to take any action. Other possible actions include substitution to the states Attorney General, a private person or the Federal Government.

    The government and legal body on all levels must also not only discourage officials from becoming corrupt but also try not hire corrupt officials in the future. Sanction both Civil and Criminal can be taken against officials that are corrupt. The author describes the legal process involved in prosecuting someone from start to finish as a set of contest that the court must win at all steps along the way.

    This paper sets up an understanding of the legal system and an acknowledgement of the corruption therein. In “The Godfather”, one of the central tools of any organized crime family is political connections. Throughout the movie, one can see corruption present at numerous points throughout the government, from corrupt police officers to an acknowledgment that the Don even has Judges and Senators “in his pocket.” The central conflict evolves from the fact that Don Vito Corrleone has legal contacts which are of tremendous value to other crime organization, contacts that worth killing for.

Smith Jr., Dwight C. "Mafia: The Prototypical Alien Conspiracy." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science: Vol. 423, Crime and Justice in America: 1776-1976, p. 75-88.

    There seems to consistently exist a sense of fascination with conspiracy theories. In American culture, the Mafia is one specific type of conspiracy that seems to have captured the public opinion. Dwight C. Smith, Jr examines the conspiracy of the mafia in his paper, Mafia: The Prototypical Alien Conspiracy. This paper examines the worries about not external, but internal aggressors that seek to undermine the status quo or legal system.

    Smith traces the progression of various conspiracies throughout history, what is required to constitute or create a conspiracy and  the way in which these conspiracies affect the mentality of a countries citizens. The eartliest examples of these comspiracies would be the illuminati of the late 18^th century, the Bolsheviks of the late 19^th century, and now the conspiracies that have surrounded mafia activities. In each of these cases and perhaps with all conspiracies, there is a beginning in which there is only an idea or suspicion. For the Mafia, this suspicion started around October of 1890 in which New Orleans Superintendant of Police David Hennesey and a simple allegation that a group of Sicilians known as the Matrangas were the leaders of a 300 person Mafia. The significance of the Death of the Police superintnedant was clear and retaliation swift.

    The work goes on to show the progression of the Mafia as a product of cultural influence to an organization with a complex hierarchy and infrastructure. In the film “The Godfather”  one can see the complexity of the organization as well as a necessity to remain “under the radar” even if it was only a formality. For example, Don Vito tells Solozzo that he does not wish to take part in his drug trade no matter how lucrative it is because essentially it would their quiet existence within circle of government officials to public and too loud for them to continue to take part in the conspiracy. This paper offers a historical understanding of the development of a Mafioso culture as a conspiracy along with all of the political corruption that is associated with it.

    James Thomas Chiampi takes a detailed look at the novel “The Godfather”, written my Mario Puzo in the article Ressurecting “The Godfather”. He begins with an examination of the criticism of the novel that he has found throughout the years. Some condemn the novel as a mere work of sensationalism that alonbg with a hedonistic atmosphere simply glorifies evil deeds and corruption. Chiampi, however, argues that these critics as well as those that praise it for it’s realism are missing it’s most essential facet, the ability to make the outrageous plausible.

    Chiampi also takes a careful look at the characters and the dynamic between them that Puzo establishes. In this examination he builds an understanding of the characters action within the larger and deeper context of the American dream of justice and the fact that the Corrleone family must by their very own nature exist ouside of that reality. He notes the impossibility of the Corrleone family or anyone associated with them to be able to live within the pretense of that dream for very long. He makes a keen observation by showing that any of the characters that act outside of the realm of the scicilian demeanor or embody characteristics that make them inherently American are either traitors to the Corrleones or die, or both.

    Perhaps the most poignant of analyses to be found in this article is that of the barbarism in the characters. He qualifies this barbaric nature as one of cold calculations and pragmatic choices, but is quick to criticize any argument that depicts Michael Corrleone as anything but an American. Even though Michael fits all of the criteria to be considered an American (Dartmouth, served in the Marines) he ironically must ultimately come to grips with his own identity through the identity of his father. It is then that Michael must take on the sins of his father and although he does not realize it never be able to reach that American dream he thought he had wanted for so long.

    The article “Italian-Americans in Film: From Immigrants to Icons”, written by Carlos E. Cortés takes a detailed look at the progression of immigrants, especially Italian Americans, in cinema throughout history. The article traces the steps of immigrants or minorities and how cinema affected the way in which they were viewed by society.

    From the era of silent films there has been different portrayals of Italian Americans as well as Mexican, Chinese, and African Americans in cinema. These portrayals were often fairly negative however, although Italian Americans were portrayed in a less than favorable light they were significantly better off than the cruel or barbaric depictions of their minority counterparts.

    The concern about increasing alien presence/influence in the U.S. led congress in the 1920’s to pass a series of immigration laws that would restrict the inflow of immigrants. This also led to need to Americanize or at least hide one’s foreignness in pursuit of the American Dream. Gradually Italian-American imagery began to move away from their violent portrayals in films such as Lady in the Lake (1946) or Force of Evil (1948). Due to the popularity of people like Frank Sinatra and Joe Dimaggio, Hollywood began to see the possibilities for the commercialization of ethnicities.

    In “The Godfather”, the new imagery of Italian Americans begins to take shape in the form of characters such as Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone. The transition from Don Vito to Michael can in many ways stand as a great example of the evolution of the imagery of Italian Americans in Cinema. Vito’s character hold much more true to the traditional Italian values whereas Michael served in WWII and is involved with a traditionally “American “ girl, Kay. The transition from Vito to Michael embodies the way people began to view Italian Americans and their struggles to achieve the American dream.

    Beyond The Godfather, Italian American Writers Writing about the Real Italian American experience is a collection of stories from various Italian authors who offer an intimate and unique insight into what there lives were like completely disconnected from the experiences depticted in a movie like “The Godfather”. This work is not so mucha response to the film “The Godfather” as it is a reaction to those that have seen the film and can not distinguish between reality and fiction or are simply content to place stereotypical

    The first story in the book is that of Louise Desalvo called “Finding My Way” and his experiences as a young boy growing up in Hoboken, New Jersey and going to grammar school. This interesting little story shows how important education was this Italian American family and the pride that they felt to become integrated into American society as opposed to the extra legal activities that you would experience in “The Godfather.” Moreover, his real-life experiences at school prove him to be quite astute and polite. This quaint story ends as it had began ground in the real experience of family, one that has no connection to the mafia.

    This book takes a step back from the stereotypes that one might decide to adopt from the portrayals of Italian Americans in The Godfather. Understanding the distinction is important not only because stereotyping a group of people is ignorant, but because in realizing that the book or the movie are a work of fiction should increase one’s appreciation of the work.  

In the article, “Denunciation and the Illusion of Social Control: The Case of the Nevada Black Book,” authors Carole Case and Ronald A. Farrell discuss the exclusion of organized crime figures from the gambling industry in Nevada. These individuals’ names are written in a black book and remain there forever, thus insuring that they are excluded from the gaming industry.

Based on previous fears in the mid 1950s on congressional hearings and the results from the President’s Task force against organized crime in 1967, those that were put into the black book were ones who had the mafia stigma associated with them, which tended to be Italians.

By the mid 1940s, in the post World War II era, Las Vegas was undergoing immense economic growth, and gambling played a critical part in this. In the early 1950s, hearings were held expressing concern over the involvement of the Mafia. This led to concern directed towards Italian Americans. In the end, there was a disproportionate amount of Italians on the black book. The black book’s purpose was to provide security to the public in believing in a clean and lawful gaming system, however based on social stereotypes, a large number of names that appeared on this black book were Italian.

The fear of Italian Americans involved in the gaming industry leads to an increased amount of depth of the movie. The movie is able to play off of current events of the period in order to add strength to the movie. The movie plays off of many of society’s stereotypes in order to convey subtle messages.

In this novel, author Christian Messenger analyzes the numerous factors that account for America’s love of The Godfather saga. By both objectively assessing the text of Puzo’s novel, and allowing himself to emotionally dive into it, Messenger offers a unique outlook on the effect of this work on American culture.

By looking at the time with which The Godfather was created, it is easy to see why it became such a phenomenal success. America was in a time of change. It had just gotten over the age of the Vietnam War and its many sociological consequences, just as the very power structure of the family and the country seemed to be changing everyday. Unsurprisingly, the release of the novel and shortly after, the film drew in massive numbers of fans who were ready and willing to believe in this sort of old-world philosophy of morals and business.

Once again, the idea of family is brought into sight. This would be the core of the story that would bring so many admirers back time and time again. The fact that audiences today still find an emotional connection to the film, as Messenger states, demonstrates that The Godfather holds a definitive plot in the recent history of American culture. Modern viewers are touched by the significance of family values in all that drives us. Messenger remarks that at points in the story, one is tempted to actually cheer for the cold-blooded murder of the enemies. The image of the family is so deeply rooted, that audiences take sides with the Corleone’s in their struggle for power.

            In this particular chapter of Reppetto’s novel, he writes about the formation of the Mafia Commission, or La Commissione, started by Charles “Lucky” Laciano in the 1930’s.  This national crime syndicate was made up of the bosses of the five major mafia families in New York, well known as The Five Families.  The commission was a way to settle disputes and conduct business without resorting to violence.  All major business affairs were handled by the commission, such as territories, political contacts, and other chief matters. 

            This historical committee is evident throughout The Godfather film.  Terms such as “The Commission” and “The Five Families” are common in numerous scenes, especially at the onslaught of the mafia war started by the attempted assassination of Don Vito.  It is easy to think that The Godfather is a non-fictitious work due to the references of so many historically prominent issues, and it is this blurred line of reality and fiction that draw so many viewers to the screen.

            The Godfather is well-known to mix fiction with history, just as Mario Puzo did in his original novel.  The character Johnny Fontane is supposedly based on real-life celebrity Frank Sinatra, who was known to have ties with the mob.  The Corleone family itself is thought to be modeled after the Genovese family of New York, which was for a long time the most powerful mafia family in America.  These social references are so identifiable to the common viewer, especially older audiences who lived through the era, that it is easy to see why so many adore the saga of The Godfather.

            In this novel, author Christian Messenger analyzes the numerous factors that account for America’s love of The Godfather saga.  By both objectively assessing the text of Puzo’s novel, and allowing himself to emotionally dive into it, Messenger offers a unique outlook on the effect of this work on American culture.

            By looking at the time with which The Godfather was created, it is easy to see why it became such a phenomenal success.  America was in a time of change.  It had just gotten over the age of the Vietnam War and its many sociological consequences, just as the very power structure of the family and the country seemed to be changing everyday.  Unsurprisingly, the release of the novel and shortly after, the film drew in massive numbers of fans who were ready and willing to believe in this sort of old-world philosophy of morals and business. 

            Once again, the idea of family is brought into sight.  This would be the core of the story that would bring so many admirers back time and time again.  The fact that audiences today still find an emotional connection to the film, as Messenger states, demonstrates that The Godfather holds a definitive plot in the recent history of American culture.  Modern viewers are touched by the significance of family values in all that drives us.  Messenger remarks that at points in the story, one is tempted to actually cheer for the cold-blooded murder of the enemies.  The image of the family is so deeply rooted, that audiences take sides with the Corleone’s in their struggle for power.   

            Nick Browne writes the introduction to this manual for The Godfather films.  He explains that nothing like them had been done before in American cinema, and that a whole new genre was introduced through the melodrama of the Corleone family.  During the time the film was made, in the early 70’s, the traditional crime/violence film had long been overdone, but what The Godfather did was pioneer a definitive romanticism to the former understanding of the Mafioso lifestyle. 

            It is evident throughout the film that music, scenery, and continuity all come together most ingeniously as to parallel the many motives that underlie the story.  Browne points out the distinct ability of Coppola to direct his actors as to individual means of producing a scene which shows each character’s progression, or digression, in development.  This is what truly makes The Godfather so unique.  Each character is presented in such a way that the audience is drawn to their personal struggle.  Michael’s change from a loving, personable young man to the cold and calculating boss he becomes illustrates to the audience the ways and means by which people can change.  One actually feels emotion for the circumstances surrounding his rise to the family Don. 

            It is important that the audience feel genuine sentiment for the characters for that is what Coppola intended to bring to the screen.  That is why The Godfather is one of the most recognized films of all time, for it encapsulates every angle of what is La Cosa Nostra; tradition, family, and cold-blooded crime.   

            Homer’s Odyssey is one of literature’s most known stories.  It is the epic tale of the Greek hero Odysseus returning home after the historic fall of Troy.  It takes Odysseus ten years for him to return to his native Ithaka and reunite with his father, son and wife.  During this time, the gods play with the fates of Odysseus and his followers by helping them or harming them, but through a deep sense of faith and virtue, Odysseus makes it home and back to his family. 

            A major theme throughout Homer’s epic poem is the idea of faith; faith in one’s family, and most especially faith in the gods.  Odysseus was obedient to the will of the gods and believed he would find his family again.  The underlying theme and story of The Odyssey connects perfectly to The Godfather in that both put a huge emphasis on the ideals of family and faith. 

            Throughout the film, Francis Ford Coppola reinforces ideas of family and religion.  For example, the film starts out at a traditional Sicilian wedding celebration.  Later, Michael decides to be Godfather to Connie’s baby, just as his father Vito was Godfather to Johnny Fontane.  Finally, Michael asserts his power for the first time by having his enemies killed while taking part in the baptism of his godson.  These are three key parts of the movie that all involve family and faith.

            Michael relates to Odysseus in that his family is his only motive for his actions.  He took over the business because his father needed him.  He killed his enemies because they went against his family, and he commits his crimes in order to carry on his loved ones.  As Vito Corleone so plainly put it during the first few scenes of the film, “…a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.”

            This article argues the literary significance of Mario Puzo’s The Godfather and the ultimate justification for its success as both a commercially marketable product and a work of art.  This argument holds much relevance to the paralleled success of The Godfather films.

            There have been numerous analyses of The Godfather since its premier in 1972.  Such a work had never been seen before, and offered much to assess.  It is a story of violent crime, but yet an outlook on the ideals of family and morals.  It is a sort of documentary of its times, but then again still a completely fictitious story.  How then does one classify this film in terms of art and product?

            As Chiampi cites Puzo’s own assessment of his work, he shows that the author created a distinctive critique on America, but that Puzo felt that he had “sold out” when he wrote The Godfather.  He says that given the opportunity again, he could have produced a much better work of literary art.  What then, does this say about the film?  Is the film a work of art, an intimate look into the core of the American dream, or is it a “sell-out,” a built-up product of profit? 

            Francis Ford Coppola would argue that The Godfather is a true work of cinematic expression.  If one looks at the circumstances of the novel and the film, one could say that by collaborating with Mario Puzo on the screenplay, Coppola gave the author his second chance to truly express that which he regretted not fulfilling in the novel.  This is why few critics would dare to sell short this renowned film, and why The Godfather still remains one of the best works of cinema in history.

            Mario Puzo’s The Godfather debuted on bookshelves in 1969, and America has since-then been fascinated with the world of organized crime.  His novel, the basis for The Godfather Trilogy, introduced the Corleone family and romanticized the gangster lifestyle. 

            The book follows two generations of one of the biggest crime families in New York starting from Vito Corleone’s immigration to the United States in 1909 to his son Michael’s taking-over of the “family business” almost 40 years later.  The Godfather Parts I and II align quite naturally with the novel, as Puzo co-wrote the screenplay with director Francis Ford Coppola.  From reading the book, however, one can grasp a whole new understanding of the drama that ultimately made the movies.  There are many powerful messages in the novel for instance that go unmentioned throughout any of the three films. 

            One such case is the scene that unfolds at the very end of Puzo’s narrative.  Michael’s wife, Kay, kneels before the altar in an empty church, “Then with a profound and deeply willed desire to believe… she said the necessary prayers for the soul of Michael Corleone.”  How does such a significant scene simply go untold during the movie?  Nowhere in the film is the audience aware of any sort of dread by Kay for the soul of her husband.  In the film, we are given a feeling of hatred for the path that Michael has chosen.

There are numerous instances of unsaid imagery in the movie that are prevalent in the novel, but it is the job of the writers to show what is believed to be the most pertinent. 

The book Beyond the Godfather: Italian American Writers on the Real Italian American Experience, is a collection of essays written by writers of Italian descent. The book is in response to the wide popularity of The Godfather. The popularity of this book and movie has overshadowed the culture of Italians. As a result, these essays were compiled in order to give an overview of the styles of writing of the Italian Americans.

There are three main sections of the book: Memories and Memoirs, Italian American Literature and Identity Politics. Memories and Memoirs are full of anecdotes from Italian American everyday lives. In Louise DeSalvo’s story, “Finding My Way,” he discusses his education experience growing up. From this essay, it is apparent the importance of family as well as education in the life of this Italian American. The Italian American Literature section mainly discussed the different types of styles of writing. This is used to show the diversity in terms of its culture. Lastly, Identity Politics discusses the role that Italian Americans have in the United States. In the essay, “Italian Americans and American Politics,” Michael Barone discusses the influential role of Italians in the U.S. government, and the prominent figures, such as Fiorello LaGuardia, that were present in society.

The purpose of this book was to respond to the stereotypes of Italian Americans that was created by The Godfather. Although Mafia is an aspect of Italian Americans, the book highlights other aspects of their culture. Most notably, it shows the power that Italian Americans have in America. However, this power is through respectable positions in government and not through illegal ways. In addition to this, the importance of family is evident through the essays written, which is mirrored in the movie.

This article written by Earl Johnson Jr. is used to express the influence of organized crime on American society.  Johnson discusses and analyzes the reasons behind the difficulty in suppressing organized crime through traditional methods.

Throughout the essay he discusses the influence that organized crime has ranging from entertainment such as TV, books and newspaper articles, to the economy.  He states that the action of organized crime takes money away from society and law abiding citizens, thus being a detriment to society.  Organized crime also participates in other illicit actions such as violent crimes and getting rid of free competition.  All of these tactics are used in order to give the organizations power.  Johnson believes the reason for this immunity from the law is due to the fact that these crime organizations buy politicians and enforcement agents, corrupting the system and ruining its integrity.  In addition to this, Johnson points out there is a distinct structure within these organizations to make insure that the leaders are safe from any prosecution.

Johnson refers to two other main attributes which protect organized crime from any problems is the corruption throughout the American legal system as well as the façade that these organizations establish. 

From these reasons it is easy to see why these organizations continue to exist.  Despite the knowledge of the government, they continue to be above the law and have nothing standing in there way.

These themes were all present throughout the film, as the Corleone family held many politicians “in their pocket.”  Government officials were never present in the film, as they held no authority over these families.  The only form of regulation was through the interactions between the five families.

In the article “Resurrecting the Godfather,” author James Thomas Chiampi analyzes Mario Puzo’s, The Godfather, and the themes that are consistent throughout the book.  In addition to this, he compares and contrasts the book with the film made by Francis Ford Coppola, to show the difference in the overall message of these two mediums.  Quoting The Godfather Papers, Chiampi informs the reader that Puzo’s overall intentions of writing this book was financially motivated, and according to Puzo, writing this book caused him to “sell out.” 

Chiampi analyzes Puzo’s writing, showing that the book is a social commentary.  He states that Puzo’s writing shows that crime in America is in response to “alienation and powerlessness.”  In order for one to attain power, Puzo shows that one must revert back to the Italian customs.  Chiampi emphasizes that these Italian customs are conveyed through themes that run throughout the book:  a code of behavior, courtesy and strong family ties.  These are expressed through the characteristics of the characters.  Chiampi points out that Sonny’s spontaneity can be categorized as “American,” while Michael’s demeanor is more Sicilian.

Chiampi believes that a theme Puzo tried to develop was the fact that Sicilian culture is better than that of America, and tries to convey that American society is irrational compared to Sicilian.

One can see that Puzo’s beliefs and character development are conveyed through the characters of the movie, insuring that his overall message is captured by the movie. 

In the article, “Denunciation and the Illusion of Social Control:  The Case of the Nevada Black Book,” authors Carole Case and Ronald A. Farrell discuss the exclusion of organized crime figures from the gambling industry in Nevada.  These individuals’ names are written in a black book and remain there forever, thus insuring that they are excluded from the gaming industry. 

Based on previous fears in the mid 1950s on congressional hearings and the results from the President’s Task force against organized crime in 1967, those that were put into the black book were ones who had the mafia stigma associated with them, which tended to be Italians. 

By the mid 1940s, in the post World War II era, Las Vegas was undergoing immense economic growth, and gambling played a critical part in this.  In the early 1950s, hearings were held expressing concern over the involvement of the Mafia.  This led to concern directed towards Italian Americans.  In the end, there was a disproportionate amount of Italians on the black book.  The black book’s purpose was to provide security to the public in believing in a clean and lawful gaming system, however based on social stereotypes, a large number of names that appeared on this black book were Italian.

The fear of Italian Americans involved in the gaming industry leads to an increased amount of depth of the movie.  The movie is able to play off of current events of the period in order to add strength to the movie.  The movie plays off of many of society’s stereotypes in order to convey subtle messages.

Velikonja, Joseph.  "Italian Immigrants in the United States in the Mid-Sixties." International Migration Review: Vol. 1, No. 3, Special Issue: The Italian Experience in Emigration, p. 25-37.

This article by Dr. Joseph Velkonja discusses the history of Italian Immigration with a focus on the mid-sixties.  The article points out that the immigration and expansion of Italians in America increased exponentially due to the new Immigration act of the mid 1960s.  Prior to this, not many new immigrants were allowed into the country, which kept the amount of Italians in America at a small level.  Between the years of 1952 to 1965, the annual quota allowed for Italian Immigrants was 5,666, however these immigration laws were lifted, and an exponential increase of Italians entered the United States followed.

In addition to immigration, this article discusses Italian American’s expansion across the United States.  Much of the expansion was related to economic reasons.  Although many Italian Americans stayed on the eastern seaboard, others relocated to the Midwest and the West coast in cities such as Chicago, St. Louis and Los Angeles.  It is also shown that there was a greater number of second generation Italian Americans who expanded westward.

Much of these things directly relate to the plot of the movie.  The small number of Italians allowed into the country allowed for these citizens to create families and create a basis of power and influence on these Italian neighborhoods.  In addition, at the end of the movie, the Corleone family decides to move to Las Vegas due to the economic potential that the city and casinos possess.  Finally, Michael Corleone is second generation Italian American, thus this migration mimics the trend that this article’s statistics show.

The plot of the movie is a reflection of society during the post war era.  This correlation leads to a realistic plotline and helps one understand the overall state of society.

Cawelti, John G.  "The New Mythology of Crime." boundary 2: Vol. 3, No. 2, p. 325-357. Duke University Press.

 
    In this article written by John G. Cawelti, Cawelti analyzes the impact that The Godfather has had on American society, and the way crime has been portrayed in movies over the course of history.
    Initially, crime was often related to religious and moral problems.  The author states that from this, those who commit crimes are often sinners who are condemned to terrible punishments.  The nineteenth century belonged to more intellectual approach, or as Cawelti writes, “aesthetic” approach.  Morals are still incorporated to the overall plot, however they no longer play an integral role in the story.  Coupling this aesthetic approach with the increase in scientific method, detective stories became popular.  Finally, in the early twentieth century, the gangster film was introduced to cinema.  Although past
    Cawelti compares and contrasts the early gangster films and the Godfather by pointing out the primary concern of the early films was the rise and fall of the central protagonist.  However, The Godfather is centered on the relationships in the family, and the power that these characters possessed.
    He goes on to relate this change to society’s concern and the overall publicity that organized crimes received.  This overall interest in the “family,” or “mafia,” led to a change in which crime was portrayed.  The structure and relationships between the characters became the most important aspect of the story.
    Through analysis of Mario Puzo’s work, Cawelti states that The Godfather is a story which discusses the relationship between crime and American society.  He discusses the contrast between the structure and organization of the “family,” with the overall deterioration of values within American society.  Cawelti goes on to say that although previously, the gangster film exemplifies everything that America does not want to be, with the introduction of The Godfather, this now exemplifies what America is striving to be; a cohesive and unified group.
    This essay expresses the overall social impact that The Godfather had on society.  By introducing the history of crime cinema, one is able to see the different ways crime is portrayed based on the time period, thus this movie can be described as a social commentary.

Smith Jr., Dwight C.  "Mafia:  The Prototypical Alien Conspiracy." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science: Vol. 423, Crime and Justice in America: 1776-1976, p. 75-88.

 

    The article, “Mafia:  The Prototypical Alien Conspiracy,” written by Dwight C. Smith Jr. discusses the role that the “Mafia” has played in American society, and the ways in which America has tried to deal with this issue.  The term “Mafia” became popularized before the 19^th century, when people began to develop conspiracy theories against Sicilians.  Stemming from the Hennessey murder case in New Orleans, a stigma was developed against the Sicilian population of the town.  Although there was no real proof of mob ties, these Mafia rumors lived on which led to support and implementation of immigration laws. 
    During the post World War II era, the “Mafia” legend was revived.  Beginning with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, rumors persisted about the Mafia and immigrants.  These rumors reached its pinnacle when the President’s Crime Commission agreed with the concept of a Mafia conspiracy.  Smith Jr. writes that the reason behind the creation of this “Mafia” myth is to explain the failure of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics to eliminate the existence of narcotics in America.  By using the “Mafia” as a scapegoat for their failures, the Bureau popularized this idea.  Whether or not it actually existed is debatable, but it led to changes in society.

    From the popularization of the “Mafia,” those in entertainment began to capitalize on it by selling it as a product to the public.  Mario Puzo wrote the book, The Godfather, which focused on the world that America was so worried about. 
    This article gives background into the reasoning behind the making of the movie, The Godfather, as well as providing explanation of the content of the movie.  The movie is a period film, set post World War II, which as the article has shown was the era in which the “Mafia” conspiracy was being revived.  In the movie, the reason that the five families began to fight was due to introduction of narcotics.  At this time, drugs were a big problem in America, thus showing parallels between the period of the movie and societal problems.  Also, Paramount capitalized on the publicity that the “Mafia” genre was receiving by producing Mario Puzo’s book.  This led to The Godfather becoming one of the most successful movies of all time.

In defining crime, this article sites The Godfather as a film that not only was wildly successful in its own right, but one that also sparked a crime craze in terms of the manner in which violence was portrayed and consumed by the public.  While it does not attempt to claim that this movie somehow created interest in crime, because this is something the article suggests if very innate to human beings, but rather questions how human beings justify their interest in violence and how definitions of crime vary between cultures.  Finally, the article seeks to answer the question as to whether or not this film somehow changed beliefs about crime and violence.

In order to consider these questions, and prove The Godfather, both as a film and a novel, is representative of a new morality regarding crime, the authors proceed by comparing the structures of this film to the structures of novels and films in the past.  The first aspect of the movie that is considered is the usage of the word “family,” specifically given its historical usage in Italian, which is symbolically used as a replacement for the mafia, or organized crime.  The use of the word family as well as the parallel structures drawn from the Corleone family itself to that of the organized crime unit changes how one views the crime family, making it more complex that simply a group of gangsters out to commit crimes.

A second important factor in the view of crime put forth by The Godfather, is the way in which violence is romanticized and justified in the film.  As the article suggests, we then understand Don Vito’s choices and become sympathetic to him as a character.  As Michael understands him, we too accept his violence.

The article also discusses how a scientific and social approach to crimes had arisen, and places this as a third way in which beliefs about violence were changing.  There was a movement, as depicted in this film, away from morals and religion, which were traditionally associated with crimes.  Therefore, a new belief system had arisen along with new entertainment.

This encyclopedia entry on The Godfather first goes to show its universality amongst the film and popular culture worlds.  It is simply defined first as a film adaptation about a mafia family which spans from 1945 to 1955, but was filmed in 1972.  The entry then proceeds to be organized first by main characters and plotline, production, casting, critical acclaim, sequels, trivia, impact, quotes, games, and related works.

An extensive plot summary is provided, specifying all of the major characters, including Don Corleone and Michael, after the movie is described as one of the best ever filmed.  The specifics regarding production reveal that due to speculation about the potential success of Francis Ford Coppola’s film, the small budget did not allow for production lighting, but this was ultimately a good thing as the lighting that was utilized gave the film a more realistic appearance.

There is a very short cast list, but it emphasizes how strongly Coppola felt about having Al Pacino play the part of Michael, given that he nearly quit in order to make it happen.  Many other stars shot to fame as a result of this film as well.  There is also a listing of awards that the film won, including Best Picture, Best Actor in a leading role, and Best Writing.  The Godfather made record breaking revenues at the box office, and continues to earn through DVD sales, video game sales, and other such merchandizing tactics.

The remainder of the entry discusses the controversial video game, various quotes that became famous from the film, most specifically Don Vito’s line, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”  There are also various tidbits of trivia information, regarding animal rights group protests concerning the horse head scene.  But perhaps the most interesting of this trivia is how life began to imitate art in that actual mafia families began to imitate the forms of respect depicted in the movie, such as kissing the ring of the Godfather.

This article is an interview with Francis Ford Coppola about his career as a film Director, specifically regarding the making of The Godfather.  It begins with some general background about Coppola, and how he wanted to get away from big time Hollywood.  He struggled greatly, and despite not particularly wanting to take on Mario Puzo’s adaptation of his successful novel, he ended up doing so because his own film company was in great financial distress.

Admittedly, Coppola knew nothing about the mafia save the few films and books he has once viewed and read.  He did however, tear up the book and annotate it like crazy once he had accepted the job so as to familiarize himself with all of the relevant information he would need to successfully create this film.

Coppola then discusses how he was highly opposed to have Robert Redford play the part of Michael because he very clearly did not have the coloring to play a Sicilian which, for this mafia based movie, was very important.  The entire Italian-American immigrant aspect of the film was in many ways central to understanding the family, which is why Coppola pushed for Al Pacino, who was the young actor, at the time, who he had pictured playing the part.  Part of the opposition there, however, was that Pacino was short and Michael was supposed to be a tough guy, but Coppola supported Pacino’s acting skills.

Then Coppola tells the story of how he managed to get Marlon Brando to do the part of Don Corleone, after Brando had already turned down a previous script of his.

This film review of The Godfather, discusses its merits within its own time. Specifically the film was one of the highest grossing of its time which led to a resurgence of Hollywood film as there had been a great deal of foreign competition at the time.  Francis Ford Coppola solidified himself as a Director despite only being a film student.

As a nearly three hour gangster film, Coppola’s reluctant project was not expected to be such a success, especially given its small budget, despite what we now know is a star packed cast, including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall amongst others.  In addition to grossing a great deal of money, the film won many Oscars, and was highly critically acclaimed.

Despite the gangster genre having been around for quite a while, The Godfather, as a film, and Coppola as a Director reinvented it.  Though the film and characters are somewhat dark, the main characters are very well liked and become tragic heros.  The crimes the commit are justified in some respect and the violence in this film, and many that would follow, was romanticized.

A mafia family story set in the 1940’s and 50’s, “The Godfather is an insightful sociological study of violence, power, honor and obligation, corruption, justice and crime in America.”  The honorable Corleone family is an Italian-American immigrant family that is very tight knit.  Don Corleone, for instance, believes strongly in family values despite what one would imagine a crime lord to value.

This article discusses the way in which Italian-Americans have been portrayed in film within the larger context of minority representation in media.  It begins with a statement regarding the announcement made prior to the first showing on television of the first two Godfather films.  The announcement essentially claimed that no particular ethnicity was being depicted despite the fact that the film was taking place (initially) in Sicily, the family is Sicilian, they all have Italian names, and they were speaking in Italian.

The general representation of Italians was simply that of criminals involved in organized crime through their families.  The disclaimer could have been seen as trying to avoid the kind of media influence the film might have, or simply called attention to it.  In either case, it becomes very clear how extensive the effects media can have on the mind and on the belief systems of people, especially regarding minorities.

Immigrant films began in the early 1900’s often focused around the symbolic Italian as the minority.  “Colored” minorities were met with a very different representation than the mildly funny representations of white minorities, but eventually this changed, and the representations were not nearly as harmless as they had once been.

The crime genre started to get big around the Great Depression.  Essentially, in their pursuit of the American Dream, Italian-Americans and Chinese Americans came to be the front runners in media representations.