Historical Text




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Scareface 1932
Scareface by Howard Hawks (1932) is a film that depicts the zeitgeist of the period in which the film was mad in. The film depicts the social issues in America, the opening credits of the shows the purpose of the film “The picture is an indictment of gang rule in America and of the callous government to this constantly increasing menace to our safety and our liberty”. The opening credits straightforwardly outlines the problems America faces due to Gang control and violence in the 1930’s. The opening credits suggest the problems the poeple of America faced due to their economical issues, leading to gang crimes and violence.

The film glorifies the idea of being a gangster and enforces the ideologies of good vs evil. Furthermore the female characters are subordinate to the male characters and are mad to be portrayed as female objects of the male gaze and perceived as ‘eye candy’.

The male character typically the “decisions which [lead] the story, and [are] assertive, confident and dominant”. The female characters undertook a more stereotypical role, they are “shown as frightened, in need of protection and direction and offering love and support to the male character”. However Scarface’s sister is shown in the final seen to undertake a masculine role subverting from the stereotypical roles of women of the zeitgeist of the film. The film focused on the representations of real life gangsters of the period such as Al Capone.

The film showcases proppian theory as the police/law is seen as not hero but as good and Mobsters such as Scarface are seen as bad or rebellious to law. Therefore the film demotes the representation of a gangster and the lifestyle it portrays, as the ending of the film depicts the protagonist in its weakest hour as a coward scared of the consequences of his actions. Furthermore the use of low angle shot of Scarface on the stair case leading to his bloody death in the final high angle shot shows the demise of the persona and demise of the glorified gangster lifestyle.

Moreover due to the period in which the film was shot the there were strict censorship laws meaning that blood was not actually shown neither were bullet wounds. This shows how the film industry in the 1930’s was technically less advanced. Additionally the strict censorship laws show how the audience are not prepared for bloody or gory scenes in contrast to the 21st century audience who are desensitised with minor killings and bloodshed.

Similarities

·Deaths of gang members and gang rivalry.
·Stereotypical of Italians as mostly gangsters, however The Sopranos tries to challenge this stereotype.
·Women as subordinate characters to the male characters.
·Male protagonists who drive the narrative.
·The use of women undertaking male roles such as shooting and killing (Scareface’s sister at the end and Tony Sopranos sister Janice killing Richie Aprile). Subverting from the ideologies of women as frightened and nurturers.
·Both texts reflect the zeitgeist of the period in which the text is produced in e.g. The Sopranos target key issues such as terrorism or homosexuality.

Differences

·The Sopranos has storylines based on the female characters that as well drive some of the narrative.
·Female characters in The Sopranos are portrayed as independent career women with respectable professions as well as fetishized objects.