Gangster Films: The Golden Ages

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.

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.