The Italian American movie “Casino” is an overview of ordinary people in the American society. Martin Scorsese utilizes his stylistic ability to unfold an overview of the outlook of a money-mad society. In this movie, the real world appears to be outrageously impoverished by evaluation. With its outflow of cash, a combination of the high rollers as well as a display of low life places, “Casino” opulently explores the framework of America’s garish environment (Cavallero, 2011). This environment is harsh enough for a classic morality film; however, its tone is out rightly journalistic. Based on reports done by Nicholas Pileggi, ‘Casino’ comes with a display of investigative journalism. The movie focuses on characters whose lives appear to be too messy to conform.
‘Casino’ movie is an Italian-American production. Evidently, the film attempts to portray the stereotype characteristics of the Italian American society based on the themes in the movie. Mr. Pillegi unearths truths that are classified to be stranger than fiction. He reveals the histrionic showdowns, people that are greatly obsessive. ‘Casino’ displays the gambling phenomenon, greed, and lust. The American society tends to define the Italian Americans as people associated with being mob (Cavallero, 2011). In America, today, stereotyping different cultures is done mainly through the media. Research in the past and in the present shows that Italian Americans have often been misjudged through movies, films, and reality shows (Laurino, 2015). American Italian actors in movies, such as ‘Casino’ are often given the worst traits to cause most Americans to accept the fact that Italians are characterized by what they see in the movies.
Looking back at a time when the Italians arrived in America, stereotypical thoughts were non-existent. The stereotyping trend began when television shows started to portray the Italians as ‘mobsters’ (Laurino, 2015). Evidently, the mobster movies featuring the American Italians began to portray them in a wrong way to the public. It is quite difficult for the American filmmakers to make a difference today. The American society has for a long time believed that the Italian-American society can never be changed, which is not true. Undoing such thoughts can be done through a positive media campaign. The Italian filmmakers can involve in making a difference through a positive portrayal of the American Italians. For instance, instead of producing negative movies, the filmmakers may decide to concentrate on the positive values of the Italian Americans. This process is likely to take many decades since the whole American generation has its mind set on the stereotype; however, consistency is likely to change the situation.
The Italian Americans have for a considerable duration of time specialized in taking the negative character positions in the movies. Apparently, a majority took up the positions of smugglers, robbers, gamblers, and much more in the films. Progressively, the American society developed a negative attitude towards them. If this image is to improve, the Italian Americans must resolve towards its restoration. Firstly, film producers must ensure that all the negative publicity is shunned. The Italian Americans should be given positive character positions other than the destructive ones. For example, instead of taking up the gambler character, one may decide to act as a leader. Secondly, every Italian-American film should ensure to run a positive advert about their character. Such adverts can be placed before the beginning of their movies.
References
Laurino, M. (2015). The Italian Americans: A History. NY: W.W. Norton Incorporated.
Cavallero, J. (2011). Hollywood’s Italian American Filmmakers: Capra, Scorsese, Savoca, Coppola, and Tarantino. Illinois: University of Illinois Press.