Questions and Answers
What events contributed to the popularity of gangster films in the 1930s?
What is a common setting for gangster films?
Cities, often in the bad areas
What distinguishes gangsters from other criminals?
They belong to groups known as gangs
What types of conflicts are often highlighted in classic gangster movies?
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What are common traits of film gangsters?
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Women play primary roles in gangster films.
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Which of the following is a theme commonly found in gangster films?
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What is the message conveyed by pre-1960s gangster films regarding crime?
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How do gangster films reflect American Dream narratives?
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What is represented by the gangster as a doppelganger?
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Study Notes
Historical Context
- The 1930s marked the first "Golden Age" of gangster films due to immigration waves, Nativism, the Great Depression, and the Prohibition Era.
- Prohibition significantly contributed to the rise in organized crime and real-life gangsters.
- The genre faded during WWII but resurged in the late 1960s, bolstered by "The Godfather" in 1972, initiating the second "Golden Age."
Setting
- Gangster/crime films often mirror noir films with urban settings, particularly in "bad" areas, exposing the clandestine lives of criminals.
Plot Characteristics
- Focus on gangsters who operate as groups (gangs) with varying sizes and structures, resembling corporations or military hierarchies.
- Overlap with film noir exists, particularly in shared cynical worldviews.
Conflict
- Central narratives typically revolve around the rise and fall of gangsters, revealing conflicts with peers, law enforcement, and internal moral dilemmas.
Protagonist Traits
- Film gangsters are often depicted as materialistic, ambitious, and power-hungry yet may show hidden vulnerability beneath their tough exteriors.
Role of Women
- Female characters tend to be secondary roles, associated with male characters as wives, mistresses, or mothers, rarely engaging in violent or criminal actions.
Themes of the Genre
- Films serve as morality tales, contrasting with traditional American Dream narratives.
- Gangsters reflect the doppelganger concept, parodying powerful "respectable" men.
- Explore the limits and excesses of the American Dream in context.
Morality Tales
- Classic gangster films start with sympathetic portrayals of gangsters facing prejudice but ultimately highlight the consequences of crime, as dictated by the Hayes Code.
- Pre-1960s films reinforce authority themes, while post-1960s portray more complex, sometimes heroic, gangsters alongside corrupt law enforcement.
Criminal Inversion of American Dream
- Gangster films reflect a distorted version of the American Dream, showing criminals achieving wealth through lawlessness rather than hard work and intelligence.
Role of Gangsters as Alter Egos
- Gangsters serve as parodic reflections of politicians and corporate leaders, illustrating the differing standards of success between legitimate paths and criminal enterprises.
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Description
Explore the evolution of gangster films from the 1930s to the rise of film noir. This quiz covers key characteristics, settings, and conflicts that define this compelling genre. Delve into the societal impacts of Prohibition and the portrayal of gangsters in cinema.
