From Wise Guys To Men

Studies the cultural figure of the gangster, and explores its social function in the construction and projection of masculinity in the United States. From Francis Ford Coppola to Martin Scorsese, this book investigates the role of the gangster in their films, as well as the literature of Italian American writers such as Mario Puzo and Gay Talese. The gangster, in the hands of the Italian American artist, becomes a telling figure in the tale of American race, gender, and ethnicity - a figure that reflects the autobiography of an immigrant group just as it reflects the fantasy of a native population. From Wiseguys to Wise Men studies the figure of the gangster and explores its social function in the construction and projection of masculinity in the United States. By looking at the cultural icon of the gangster through the lens of gender, this book presents new insights into material that has been part of American culture for close to 100 years.