America is obsessed with the Mafia. Watching characters like Vito Corleone to Tony Soprano somehow makes us cheer for hired killers as if they were the good guys. Why does America have this fixation with the mob?
There are many reasons. The Mafia hero is a different kind of champion for America. He is a hired assassin who will do anything within his means to build his power and protect his family and interests. Even though he is a killer, we view him with awe, respect and even envy.
First, let me clarify that gangster films such as The Public Enemy and Little Caesar are films about hired assassins, but they are very different from true Mafia films. Gangster films put stress on the individual and the gangster hero is characteristically portrayed as a man who thinks he is powerful, but is truly not. As Tom Powers, the main character in The Public Enemy dies alone in a street gutter, he mutters to himself "ain't so tough." This is a characteristic gangster hero: a man who seeks power by becoming a gangster, attains a false sense of wealth and power and ends up dying pathetic and alone. This is very different from the way we view Mafia films and television shows such as The Godfather Trilogy, Goodfellas and The Sopranos.
"A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." - Vito Corleone, The Godfather.
One of the reasons why America loves the mob is because mob films are all about family. The latest tagline for HBO's The Sopranos is "Family. Redefined." Family in mafia shows and movies ranges from the dysfunctional family of The Sopranos to the tightly knit Corleone family of The Godfather.
Although there is turmoil between Michael and Fredo Corleone in The Godfather II, we are still able to see Michael in a positive light, since he is the Don and must maintain power and respect. The important thing is the emphasis on the family. Being in the Mafia involves trust in your family. Thus, these people are not wandering killers. We are able to identify with them because, hey, they have families, too. It seems like they're just guys like you and me, trying to make a living. As Michael Corleone explains to his girlfriend in The Godfather, "My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator."
"I believe in America. America has made my fortune." - Bonasera, The Godfather
Another reason why we love mob films is because they are patriotic, rags-to-riches stories. We sympathize with protagonists such as Henry Hill from Goodfellas and Vito Corleone from The Godfather because they climb from a state of poverty and helplessness to a state of power, influence and wealth.
Corleone is a perfect example of this. His family is murdered and he comes to the United States in search of opportunity and finds it with the Mafia.
Goodfellas shows the rise of Henry Hill from a poor boy to an influential member of the Mafia. Although it is obvious through these films that the Mafia is dangerous and should not be taken lightly, the power that the protagonists attain is very real, unlike those of one-man gangster films.
"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." - Clemenza, The Godfather.
"How the fuck am I funny? What the fuck is so funny about me?" - Tommy Devito, Goodfellas.
America not only loves the mob, but also is able to see it in a humorous way. Analyze This, Mickey Blue Eyes and Mafia! are only a few examples. Even on The Simpsons, there are comedic mob characters such as Fat Tony. These days, to "make someone an offer they can't refuse" holds more comedic value than intimidation value. This is another reason why America loves the mob: it can somehow not be taken seriously all the time.
"Kids in school think it's actually kinda neat." - Meadow Soprano, about her father being involved in the Mafia.
I have a poster in my room above my desk of Al Pacino in a scene from The Godfather, about to shoot two men. He is about to shoot the men to take revenge for the murder of his father. There are many emotions that the poster conveys: toughness, class, danger and power. These heroes are certainly not like Superman. At the JHU poster sale a couple weeks ago, it seemed like half of the posters portrayed scenes from Scarface or The Godfather. Mafia heroes have firmly implanted themselves in American culture and are here to stay.
"I don't want to kill everyone, Tom. Just my enemies." - Michael Corleone, The Godfather II.
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