CAPONE

US, 1975, 101 minutes, Colour.
Ben Gazzara, Susan Blakely, Harry Guardino, John Cassavetes, Sylvester Stallone.
Directed by Steve Carver.

Modern filmgoers could be experts on the personalities of the Mafia, Prohibition and Depression gangsters, their lives, greed, self-importance and myths. The most famous of them all was A1 Capone. As they say, this is his story. The content, style and impact of this film is much like the others, but it has been made more carefully than some of the more exploitive examples. Ben Gazzara captures the devious arrogance of Capone that took him to power and wealth, but also to imprisonment and mental decay. He is no way likeable but his drives and ambitions are fascinating. Less violent than others of its kind.

1. The impact of this gangster film? Interesting. entertaining? The purpose of its being made in the seventies? For what audience?

2. Comment on the gangster genre, its conventions, audience expectations moralizing? Was this a better than average example?

3. The time structure of the film, the device of the red fade-ins and fade-outs, the documentary tone? The sense of realism about Capone's life and career?

4. The film as a piece of Americana? The New York settings of the early part of the century, the build-up of the Mafia, its methods. personalities and styles? The nature of small protection? The influence of Prohibition? Chicago, violence and power? The picture of the American heritage?

5. The importance of the introduction to Capone, his device of gaining attention and power? As an indication of his methods and his later career?

6. How well did the film focus on Capone as a man? Within his context? His devious nature. his crude methods. repellent personality? The details of his struggle and his rise? His making mistakes and his capacity to overlook them? The skills in power and violence? The nature and extent of his ambitions? His lack of conscience? His personal feelings, friendship for Torrio, for Iris, for Nitti?

7. The picture of Chicago and its enterprises? The rise of Protection. Bootlegging? Hits. for example, Colosimo? Johnny Torrio and his dividing of the city? Capone's disappointment with this?

8. The city's divisions. the gang wars and the visualizing of these, for example. Capone at golf and the slaughter of O'Bannion? The racial differences of the groups? The conceding of power. the grabbing of power?

9. The picture of political corruption? The deals done with the criminals? The pressure put on the politicians? Immorality and amorality?

10. Iris and her fascination with Capone? Her influence on his life?

11. Capone and his rise to fame? The double-crossing of Torrio? The attempted assassination? His pride? The St. Valentine's Day Massacre?

12. Nitti as an echo of Capone? But more shrewd? Learning the message of the master?

13. The impact of Iris's death? The visual impact of this? The effect on Capone?

14. The drama of the case against him, his prison life. the passing of time, his passing from fame?

15. How much pathos in the deterioration, the ageing and the madness? The themes and the dramatic impact of his final soliloquy? The summing-up of his life?

16. The film's attention to detail. re-creation of the period, the massacres, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre?

17. The values of these men? Their place in American history? Their influence, people's reaction against them? A pessimistic look at human nature?