The Gangster Genre By Rachel Godlewski

Setting: Urban areas, New York City or Chicago. Crime ridden, dirty city streets Scenes take place in Boss’s “office” or hideout Usually dark and gray settings, shadowy settings 20th Century America

Characters: Main Characters: –Gangster himself –Gangster’s wife –Members of his crime family –Members of opposing crime family –FBI or police Minor Characters: –Gangster’s children –The mistress –Stock characters might include: Drivers Body guards Entertainers or prostitutes Politicians

More About Characters: Gangster –immigrant background, most often Italian. –strives to attain“American Dream” –Often his “fall” is due to his own greed or studpidity. –macho, short-tempered, violent tendencies –Gangster’s blood family and crime family both shown to be important, although crime family usually takes precedence –Follows hierarchical structures within the crime family

Women Characters: Wives enjoy their husbands’ success and power but they tend to show this only to their friends, not to their husbands. Wives show their husbands how they suffer from their criminal activity and sexual promiscuity. Gangster’s mother is portrayed as powerful over her son or saintly and loving If female children, they are most sheltered from the crime and their future roles are shaky

Plot: “Rise and fall of the gangster” (Teasly and Wilder) Sub plots: –laundering crime money, –escaping the FBI, –plotting against members of own crime family, –taking over the business of another crime family, –Hiding infidelities from wife

Iconography: Guns Stacks of money Dead bodies Illegal substances (alcohol during Prohibition, drugs) Mirrors, glass Clothing to represent stage in gangster’s rise (his and his wife’s) Cars

Mood: Tense Dark Even when gangster is successful, sense he will be caught or killed Violent

Cinematic Style: Dark, with low-key lighting, blue and red hues Enclosed spaces shadows

Narrative Themes: Family and loyalty of utmost importance Obedience to authority necessary Working hard will result in rise to power and economic success Police and politicians unable to maintain law and order Crime will pay off in the short term but crime life can’t be maintained Men should be strong and women forgiving