The New Mythology of Crime

Cawelti, John G. "The New Mythology of Crime." boundary 2: Vol. 3, No. 2, p. 325-357. Duke University Press.

    In this article written by John G. Cawelti, Cawelti analyzes the impact that The Godfather has had on American society, and the way crime has been portrayed in movies over the course of history.
    Initially, crime was often related to religious and moral problems. The author states that from this, those who commit crimes are often sinners who are condemned to terrible punishments. The nineteenth century belonged to more intellectual approach, or as Cawelti writes, “aesthetic” approach. Morals are still incorporated to the overall plot, however they no longer play an integral role in the story. Coupling this aesthetic approach with the increase in scientific method, detective stories became popular. Finally, in the early twentieth century, the gangster film was introduced to cinema. Although past
    Cawelti compares and contrasts the early gangster films and the Godfather by pointing out the primary concern of the early films was the rise and fall of the central protagonist. However, The Godfather is centered on the relationships in the family, and the power that these characters possessed.
    He goes on to relate this change to society’s concern and the overall publicity that organized crimes received. This overall interest in the “family,” or “mafia,” led to a change in which crime was portrayed. The structure and relationships between the characters became the most important aspect of the story.
    Through analysis of Mario Puzo’s work, Cawelti states that The Godfather is a story which discusses the relationship between crime and American society. He discusses the contrast between the structure and organization of the “family,” with the overall deterioration of values within American society. Cawelti goes on to say that although previously, the gangster film exemplifies everything that America does not want to be, with the introduction of The Godfather, this now exemplifies what America is striving to be; a cohesive and unified group.
    This essay expresses the overall social impact that The Godfather had on society. By introducing the history of crime cinema, one is able to see the different ways crime is portrayed based on the time period, thus this movie can be described as a social commentary.

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The New Mythology of Crime