Hollywood’s portrayal of the modern-day gangster evolved from a mixed response concerning the Prohibition Act of 1920, the Great Depression and the rise of corporate capitalism. Gardaphé argues this “strange mixture of fact and fiction” subsequently created a cultural and ethnic icon which continues to provide “subliminal guidelines for manhood” in the United States. As the American public recovered from the trauma of the Great Depression and capitalism began to encouraged consumerism, American society became fascinated with the notion a man of lowly origins could ascend the levels of the social hierarchy with seemingly such easy, while also simultaneously defying its boundaries. While many films created before the early 30s depicted men as “losing their independence in the new capitalist society,” films such as Little Caesar (1930) and Scarface (1932) glorified men who “wielded power through sexuality and guns;” a theme that would soon become a favorite among audiences around the globe. The gangster icon eventually began shifting society’s notion of masculinity away from the traditional virtues of honor in favor of more violent and dishonest attributes.
Gardaphé connects this idea of the gangster to the god Hermes of ancient Greek mythology; who is traditionally associated with chaos, thievery, trickery, and cleverness. These characteristics therefore make Hermes the ideal model of a “self-made man who gains power through profit.” All of Hermes attributes can be seen in modern gangster movies such as the Godfather trilogy, Mean Streets, and Scarface (1983). The archetype of the trickster can especially be seen in Michael Corleone throughout the Godfather trilogy, as well as Tony Montana in Scarface. Both characters evolve and end up embracing their “shadow selves” while producing change through chaos in the films. According to Carl Jung, these films were particularly successful in the public eye because they serve “as a reminder of our shadow selves” and “help us organize our sense of community.” The trickster provides a backdrop to which mainstream society can “formulate its values and identity” up against. However, movies such as In Guerra per Amore, and The Seduction of Mimi, do not focus on the dramatic archetype of the trickster, instead they rely on comedic relief to effectively communicate their ideas.
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