Listings for Friday, May 9, through Thursday, May 15, 2008

Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans & the Movies

Capsule by J.R. Jones

From the Chicago Reader

This cable-ready documentary surveys images of Italian-Americans in movies and TV, from The Black Hand (1906), which portrayed them as ruthless criminals, to The Sopranos, which portrayed them as . . . ruthless criminals. Contrary to the title, director Steven Fischler doesn't venture far beyond wiseguys; there's an interesting sequence on Frank Capra, who was famously uninterested in his Sicilian heritage, but more screen time goes to mob classics like Goodfellas and The Godfather (and, strangely, even The Public Enemy and Miller's Crossing, which dealt with Irish gangsters). The engaging interview subjects range from stars (Ben Gazzara, John Turturro, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Chazz Palminteri) to familiar character actors (Paul Borghese, Michael Rispoli, Andrew Parisi, Dominic Chianese). 57 min. Fred Gardaphe, author of From Wiseguys to Wise Men: Masculinity and the Italian American Gangster, will lead a discussion after the screening.

This movie is currently playing at: Gene Siskel Film Center

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