Gangsters, Fessos, Tricksters, and Sopranos: the Historical Roots of Italian American Stereotype Anxiety Jonathan J
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This article was downloaded by: [Tomsk State University Tul'skii gosudarstvennyi universitet] On: 15 March 2015, At: 03:03 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Journal of Popular Film and Television Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vjpf20 Gangsters, Fessos, Tricksters, and Sopranos: The Historical Roots of Italian American Stereotype Anxiety Jonathan J. Cavallero & George Plasketes a a Auburn University Department of Communication and Journalism Alabama Published online: 07 Aug 2010. To cite this article: Jonathan J. Cavallero & George Plasketes (2004) Gangsters, Fessos, Tricksters, and Sopranos: The Historical Roots of Italian American Stereotype Anxiety, Journal of Popular Film and Television, 32:2, 50-73, DOI: 10.3200/ JPFT.32.2.49-73 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/JPFT.32.2.49-73 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions Gangsters,Gangsters, Fessos,Fessos, Tricksters,Tricksters, AND SopranosSopranosAND The Historical Roots of Italian American Stereotype Anxiety By JONATHAN J. CAVALLERO Abstract: Throughout the 1930s, Italian characters challenged American ideals while simultaneously being blamed for their fail- Downloaded by [Tomsk State University Tul'skii gosudarstvennyi universitet] at 03:03 15 March 2015 ure. Filmmakers and audiences were thus allowed to ponder the subversive challenges such characters posed while distancing themselves from similar thought patterns. Today, understanding the rhetorical use of these characters is essential when evaluating n recent years, groups such as the American Italian Defense Associa- contemporary Italian American visions. tion and the National Italian Amer- ican Foundation have protested the Key words: gangster films; Italian American stereotypes; 1930s depiction of Italians in the HBO Itelevision series The Sopranos (1999– Hollywood cinema; Marx Brothers; Rhodes, Erik; The Sopranos; present) while ignoring most contem- stereotyping porary presentations of Italian ethnici- 50 The gangster: Paul Muni as Tony Camonte in a scene that was cut from the final version of Scarface, Shame of the Nation. Camonte’s Downloaded by [Tomsk State University Tul'skii gosudarstvennyi universitet] at 03:03 15 March 2015 childish qualities are obviously on display in this grotesque image. ty and even applauding the depictions but fail to provide the same degree of Furthermore, the criticisms leveled of Italians in television commercials scrutiny for non-gangster Italian against The Sopranos and other fic- for Ragu, radio advertisements for stereotypes. The image of the Italian tional mafioso characters often lack an Sprint PCS, and television programs gangster certainly has had real effects appreciation for the history or histori- such as the NBC series Friends (1994– on the Italian/Italian American com- cal significance of the stereotype present).1 Such choices indicate a dou- munity for decades,2 but such an (Shohat and Stam 199). Minimizing ble standard on the part of these intense focus on the gangster allows the evolution of the gangster character groups as they disparage the gangster other stereotypes to go unchecked. without sufficient regard for the socio- 51 52 JPF&T—Journal of Popular Film and Television cultural climate surrounding its cre- personal hypotheses regarding “proper Italians generally, whereas the “good ation allows critics to simply dispar- representation” are minimized. press” tended to treat the Italian Amer- age what is a multifaceted vision of Analyses of this type require an ican heroes as exceptions, as different ethnicity, far different from the one understanding not only of the culture from the average Italian. Life wrote of found in 1930s feature films.3 Howev- that produced such images but also of DiMaggio in 1939, “Although he er, although such a double standard is the culture of those targeted by these learned Italian first Joe, now 24, troubling, what is more problematic is visions. For Italians and Italian Amer- speaks English without an accent and a reductive understanding of stereo- icans, the 1930s were a time character- is otherwise well adapted to most U.S. types that insists on an either/or, “pos- ized by the rise of Italian American mores. Instead of olive oil or smelly itive” or “negative” dichotomy. I will heroes and the continued denigration bear grease he keeps his hair slick with attempt to assuage these oversights of Italians at large. The 1920s had seen water. He never reeks of garlic and and oversimplifications by rendering a new curbs placed on non–Anglo- prefers chicken chow mein to spaghet- historical and cultural analysis of three Saxon immigration4 and the execution ti” (Busch 69). Meanwhile, in The Italian male stereotypes that were of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Van- New Yorker, Capra’s doctor attributed prevalent in 1930s Hollywood films to zetti.5 Now, in the 1930s, Al Capone the famed director’s survival of a burst expound on the existing knowledge of was convicted on tax evasion charges appendix during his childhood to “the how Italian ethnicity was used in the the same year that Angelo Rossi be- fact that Sicilians, conditioned by gen- past and how it has evolved to its cur- came mayor of San Francisco. Be- erations of knifings, have very hardy rent state today. tween 1933 and 1939, Fiorello La- interiors” (Hellman 7). Thus, Capra was painted as an individual who was able to benefit from an undesirable past while rising above it, and DiMag- For Italians and Italian Americans, the 1930s gio was just as exceptional in terms of ethnicity as he was as an athlete. were a time characterized by the rise of Italian Within the Italian American com- munity, the rise of Mussolini and fas- American heroes and the continued cism in Italy had divisive effects, as some vehemently opposed his regime while others supported it by sending denigration of Italians at large. money and even wedding bands to Italy (Mangione and Morreale 319). The second generation6 was coming of age, and many of these sons and Any discussion of stereotyping Guardia was elected and reelected daughters of immigrants shunned the should strive to move beyond the so- mayor of New York City. Frank Capra cultural norms that defined their par- called accuracy or inaccuracy of stere- won three Best Director Academy ents’ lives. La via vecchia or the “old otypes. As Ella Shohat and Robert Awards. Russ Columbo rivaled Bing way” was replaced with a “more Stam have shown, passing judgment Crosby as the most popular singer of American” approach to life, as many on the realism of a particular stere- his time. Frank Sinatra began his second-generation Italian Americans otype almost invariably relies on singing career at a New Jersey night- preferred speaking English to Italian another stereotype as the barometer of club, and as part of their effort to and began dating outside of their eth- accuracy and thus leads to the creation secure and expand their fan base by nic group (Gambino 199–200). Sec- of an equally damaging and limiting signing players of Italian descent, the ond-generation Italian Americans “positive stereotype” (198–204). Sho- New York Yankees welcomed Joe found ways to fight the prejudices and Downloaded by [Tomsk State University Tul'skii gosudarstvennyi universitet] at 03:03 15 March 2015 hat and Stam have proposed linking DiMaggio to the “House That Ruth injustices that their parents had accept- analyses of stereotypes with the ideo- Built” (Cramer 66–67). During this ed (Gardaphé, Italian Signs 57), and logical climate surrounding their cre- same period, Mussolini’s invasion of this too agitated the generational con- ation and their reception (180–81). By Ethiopia sparked tensions between flict between new and old. doing so, the assumptions of the critic Italian Americans and African Ameri- These internal conflicts coupled are transferred from how a particular cans (LaGumina 250–52). Lucky with cultural intolerance isolated Ital- ethnicity should be represented to how Luciano was arrested on prostitution ians from mainstream American soci- a particular character or group of char- charges, and “nativists” argued for the