Gangster & Crime films traits and characteristics By Kirsten Barman

Gangster films emerged in the early 1930’s and are one of the oldest film genres around. The most notable of course is The Godfather Trilogy, the first of which is often regarded as the best film ever made.

These films have very recognisable traits. For example, an audience watching a Mafia film will expect the characters to be Italian. The audience are also expecting to see lots of action, violence and murder when they watch a gangster film. The characters in the film are also very identifiable in a gangster film; there is typically a head of the gang (Don or Godfather in Mafia films) who has many men under him. In mafia films, the gang is usually all from the same family, like the Corleone’s in The Godfather. Often the mafia do not call themselves the mafia, only “the family” or “the business” as they see this as a way of life. Settings are another trait of these types of films. Nearly all are set in busy cities, like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.

Most Gangster films are shot to look dark and gritty, a similarity many share which came from Film Noir. Costume is also a distinguishable feature of a gangster movie; characters are nearly always seen wearing smart clothing such as shirts and ties, suits and waistcoats. It is not uncommon to see women in a gangster movie, but they are not generally involved with any crimes. A female character who subverts this stereotype is called a Female Fatale, which again came from Film Noir; she is usually devious, manipulative, mysterious and beautiful as opposed to the usual stereotype of a woman being loving and caring. Female Fatales are often seen wearing stunning dresses and are associated with the colour red.