Book Summary: The Godfather

Along with New York, he began to make plans for The Commission, a nation-wide governing body for organized crime. He also became one of the Big Six bootleggers, dealing drugs on a larger scale (“Lucky Luciano Biography.com.” Edited by Biography.com, The Biography.Com website, A&E Television Networks, 17 June 2015, www.biography.com/people/lucky-luciano-9388350). At some point in Luciano’s life, Masseria and Maranzano-- the top bosses-- were engaged in a turf war. After hiring Luciano to take out Masseria, Maranzano launched him to the top alongside him. However, Maranzano soon decided Luciano was a threat and attempted to take him out. Luciano heard of this plan and beat him to it, ensuring his power over the Genovese family of organized crime in New York

Absolute power is the goal for the Corleone family, the demeanor and confidence of Don, Michael and Sonny demanded respect of all who approached them for favors. The lighting exposed the own dominant masculinity of Don and Michael Corleone, as they threatened or murdered a rival gang member. Henceforth, they expelled absolute power. The Godfather; Sicilian Don Corleone is the head of the number one crime family using elimination to protect his business of Drugs, Casinos, loan sharking and small businesses. As a result of Sonny’s assassination, one primary focus is to locate the crew that carried out the hit. Certainly, the background and props, at times with the antique look, showcased Don Corleone and Michael to look as if they owned the world. Ultimately, the overhead lighting when Michael retrieved the gun from the

There are many minor characters in The Godfather due to the Corleone family’s immense size and intricate relationships with other crime families and policemen. The first Don mentioned in the book, Michael’s father Vito Corleone, was minor character. Sonny Corleone was the successor to the Don because he was his son, he was the most qualified of the Don’s sons to take over the business and he did so until he was murdered a short while after in a phone booth. Michael and Sonny had one other blood brother, Fredo Corleone, who doesn’t play a big role in the family. Fredo was with the Don when he was shot and went into shock; to protect

There are quite a lot of widespread stereotypes of Italian Americans in “The Godfather” movies which involve characters, Italian foods, family, and violence. Food plays a huge role in The Godfather movies. Characters in the movies are always seen eating Italian food such as pasta. If the directors were not referring to any specific ethnic group than why were all the movies showing characters with Italian names eating foods that were known to be “Italian” foods. Also, violence is a major key in the movie which is also stereotyped to Italian Americans by them being associated with crime and the mafia. “ Thus, rather than helping to overcome the negative image of Italian-Americans fostered by entertainment programming, the media reinforces

     Exactly what is the Mafia? Mafia, more specifically the Italian-American Mafia, is a group of criminals organized into "families," and operating primarily in North America. Also known as La Cosa Nostra, at one time there were 26 families in the United States - roughly one for each major city. The Mafia composed of bosses of numerous families, mostly New York, was the overseeing authority for all of the other La Cosa Nostra families. New York City is the place of origin for organized crime in the United States. Currently, there are five families in the New York City outfit of the La Cosa Nostra. The five families are, the Gambinos, Genovese, Colombo,

Unlike Goodfellas, the violence in The Godfather occurs mysteriously and almost magically. The organized crimes and murders simply occur without any mistake in this film. One of the bloody scenes that portray this is the one where Woltz’ bed is covered in blood. This scene was very slick the way Tom Hagen slipped away without being noticed by anyone. Hagen’s visit was to intimidate Woltz by proving that if he had to kill him, he would be able to. Another very violent act was Sonny’s death. This plan was organized carefully by Don Emilio Varzini with the help of Carlo Rizzi, his brother-in-law. Earlier in the film Sonny had beaten Carlo after he heard Carlo was abusing his sister Connie. To get back at him, Carlo viciously beats Connie using his belt. When Sonny hears of this he speeds to Connie’s apartment. As he approaches, Barzini’s men surround Sonny and viciously shoot him to death. This act was also thought out very cautiously by masterminds. Towards the end of the movie, the planned killing of the five other mob leaders is revealed. Michael orders all of the head of the families to be killed so he can be the top Don. Although this scene is violent, it is masked by the ceremony of Michael becoming Connie’s son’s godfather. The mass murder was perfectly planned to

The Mafia way of life may seem like a romantic updated version of the western movie played out on the streets of the big cities where the good guys and the wise guys who share the same instincts and values do battle before an enthralled public but it is actually very different. The Mafia is really just a group of uneducated thugs making money by victimizing the public. Initially, the Mafia was setup as a prominent supplier of bootlegged liquor, but it has spread into many different areas of crime. During this research paper I will discuss three aspects of the Mafia which are crime, structure and decline in leadership.

Although the Mafia is most associated with the Prohibition era of the 1920’s when it dominated crime in all major US cities, the true beginnings of the most infamous criminal organization started quite earlier. Beginning in the late 1800s, many Italians immigrated to New York City due to continued rumors of success in the area. This trend continued out of the 19th century and into the 20th as over 500,000 Italians immigrated to the United States (Sifakis). As Italian citizens migrated to the cities of the US, they brought along organized Italian criminals, who formed an organization known as Costra Nosa, translating to ‘our thing’, today we call it the Mafia.

Carlo Gambino, the man who is the family namesake, never served a day of jailtime in his life. He liked to keep low key, but many things are attributed to this family. Murder Inc., an infamous group of talented, for-hire hitmen, was started by Albert Anastasia, member of the Gambino family. While this was well publicized and talked about, perhaps the most publicized and talked about Mafia happening recently was the John Gotti case. John Gotti, Don of the Gambino family, was “ratted out” but one of his underlings, Sammy “The Bull” Gravano. Sammy, in return for this favor to the police, served only five years in jail for twenty murders. However, this offense, breaking the “Omerta” is one of the worst possible things any member of the Mafia could ever do. As Michael Corleone says to his wife Kay, “Don’t ask me about my business, Kay.” (Godfather) Everyone in the Mafia must learn many, many rules and live by all of them. Of most importance is Omerta, as stated before, but many guidelines are set for way of life as well. Members cannot show signs of weaknesses. Crying and wearing glasses are two such things. Also, women are looked upon as inferior and a couple that is unable to produce sons is frowned upon. Since power is very influential in how this business is run, members must know their place because “someone always wants more, that’s how wars start.” (Anonymous) Making reference to the movie “The Godfather” is

The Godfather is the story of a Mafia family. It follows the rise of Michael Corleone within the family. Michael was once a war hero and did not want to be involved in the family business. When his father is shot though, Michael takes revenge on the people who did it and becomes a part of the Mafia lifestyle. When his older brother is murdered, Michael ascends to become the boss of the family, and proves to be more ruthless than his father and brother combined. The scene that I am analyzing is one where Michael is becoming his nephew’s godfather at his baptism.

The Godfather is a mob film focuses on the Corleone Family, with its head Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) trying to find a suitable heir to his empire, while war is breathing down the neck of other crime families. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) then steps in to organize the family back to shape. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based from the novel of the same name written by Mario Puzo. It received critical acclaim by critics and was cited as an influence by real life mobsters due to its rather realistic portrayal of gangster life and Cosa Nostra.

By the end of the movie, most of the Corleone family have been murdered. Michael organizes the execution of several people within the other crime families as the Corleon family's new Don, having reasoned that these murders are necessary. Feeling that he must follow in his father’s footsteps he transforms from an innocent bystander to the central manipulator.

The Italians are associated with organized crime and are also shown as close to their families as shown in the movie The Godfather where the characters are associated with family, violence, and food, such as pasta. The TV series, Sopranos portrayed Italian men as leaders of the house with women being housewives. However, a

Michael Corleone, the youngest son of Vito Corleone, initially doesn’t want to have anything to do with his family. He is apparently a law-abiding citizen and is evidently a war veteran. He seems to be a good-natured and tries to avoid identifying with Corleone activites, yet is fiercely loyal to his family, especially to his father. He is called by his peers as a civilian and refuses to acknowledge him as a criminal. Wnating to live an ordinary life was his choice, until an incident where he botched an assassination attempt on their patriarch; Vito Corleone, led to Michael trying to return the favor to Sollozo and McClusckey. This will eventually lead him entangled with the family affairs. With the family trying to prevent a war between other families, Michael starts to become more and more involved. His vengeful nature, coupled with his ruthless intellect earned the respect of his followers. He ordered the hit

“A man who doesn’t spend time with his family, can never be a real man” - Mario Puzo, The Godfather. As described in the novel Godfather, Don Corleone is a man who is passionate for obtaining respect, as well as repaying the favor. Don, a man of power, and much wisdom is very persuasive in using force to get what he wants. Throughout the Godfather, it will take many twists and turns into the lives of the mafia. It will reveal a world of crime, men on the run. Drugs, what such things