The Mafia and the Movies: Defying the Myth Review for Final Exam

Flashcards covering key people, laws, and cinematic representations of the Mafia and anti-Mafia resistance.

Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa

A Carabinieri general appointed as prefect of Palermo to stop the 'second mafia war.' Assassinated by the Cosa Nostra in 1982.

Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino

They were prosecutors and started the "Anti-Mafia Pool" (a group of judges who dealt only with mafia crimes & collaborated) who laid the groundwork for the Maxi-Trial (1986–1992). They were both assassinated by the Mafia in May and July 1992.

Tommaso Buscetta

A member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the first informant (pentito). As a witness in the Maxi-Trial, he explained the inner workings of the Mafia, the structure of Cosa Nostra, and the outcomes of the First and Second Mafia Wars.

Salvatore (Totò) Riina

The 'boss of bosses' from Corleone (Palermo) and head of Cosa Nostra. Sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia in 1987 and later arrested in 1993.

Maxi-Indictment Document

A 40-volume document detailing evidence against 475 defendants, & decline of the Sicilian aristocracy. Showed the growth of the heroin trade, the organizational map of the Cosa Nostra, and the connections of mafia politicians.

Rognoni-La Torre Law (Law 646/1982)

Introduced a definition of the mafia, the crime of association and collaboration, and permitted the seizure and confiscation of items belonging to members of the mafia.

Italian Law 109/96 and example

Allows for the social reuse of assets confiscated from criminal organizations. For example, a mobster's villa that the one in Scarface was modeled after has been turned into a clinic.

Core Value of Anti-Mafia Ideology

Good citizenship

I cento passi (One Hundred Steps, 2000)

·      The film tells the story of Peppino Impastato, a political activist and radio journalist from Cinisi, Sicily, who publicly denounced the Mafia.

·      The title refers to the 100 steps between his family home and that of Mafia boss Tano Badalamenti, underscoring the invasive proximity of the mafia.

·      Key scenes include the opening scene of a rural setting and violent death a refernce to The Godfather, and his satirical radio shows on Radio Aut and family confrontations.

·      The film shows the dangers and costs of resistance in 1970s Sicily.

Fortapàsc (Fort Apache, 2009)

·      The film is based on the life of Giancarlo Siani, a 26-year-old stringer in Naples who exposed links between the Camorra and politicians.

·      The nickname “Fortapàsc” refers to the Naples suburb of Torre Annunziata and is a reference to “Fort Apache” where the lawlessness of the Camorra in Naples is shown.

·      Scenes show him having a personal nature with his family and friends and being a regular sympathetic guy. The scene with Valentino Gionta riding into town with his motorcycle shows a cinematic reference to how Neapolitan mobsters emulate Hollywood characters, he was arrested ill dressed in a farmhouse, which shows the gap between the imaginary mafia and reality.  

·      He was assassinated in 1985 for his truth-telling.

 

Alla luce del sole (Come Into the Light, 2005)

·      Based on the true story of Father Pino Puglisi, a priest who challenged the Mafia to protect local youth in Palermo’s Brancaccio neighborhood, an poor breeding ground for the mafia.

·      Elements and scenes include the 2 years earlier flashback in Brancaccio with children playing soccer and the removal of explicit actions, which shows cross cutting. The Holy Procession Scene with him vs the local mafiosi with the parallel editing being a montage “by opposition”.

·      He was murdered in 1993. The film emphasizes integrity and compassion.

La siciliana ribelle (The Sicilian Girl, 2008)

·      The story of Rita Atria (Rita Mancuso in the film), a Sicilian teenager who broke the code of silence and became a key witness in a major Mafia investigation after her father Vito and brother Nicola were killed by rival clans.

·      She worked as a witness with Judge Borsellino who was killed and later the reason for her suicide which was a rebellion against mafia codes.

·      A pivotal scene shows her entering witness protection, torn between fear and conviction.

·      Elements include the rural landscape with her father protecting farmers as a man of honor, Rita’s diary showing her personal vendetta vs justice, and Vito’s proposal showing the mafias outlook towards women.

·      The film explores betrayal, courage, and the emotional cost of defying omertà (the code of silence).

 

Describe at least three of the recommendations listed in the pamphlet “Nine Uncomfortable Guidelines for the Citizen Who Would Combat the Mafia” prepared and distributed by the Committee of the Sheets in 1992.

Citizens should claim their rights, educate their children in democracy and respect for the law, report suspicions of corrupt activities, and refuse to patronize businesses suspected of being run by the mafia.

What are the difficulties and dilemmas of anti-mafia consciousness raising?

Tensions between anti-mafia values and everyday experiences in poor neighborhoods, ambiguity around victimhood, and challenges faced by professionals.