Gangs of New York - Essay Example

?Full Gangs of New York In MLA Style Full Full 2 Gangs of New York is a movie directed by Martin Scorsese after planning the film for approximately 30 years. The movie is about the violent rise of gangs in New York City at the time of massive political corruption during the Civil War. The movie shows the time when the Irish immigrants relocate to New York City in 1846 and how those with British and Dutch ancestry who were born in the US show resentment to the new arrivals. Scorsese depicts a good picture of the city in this scene, making a realistic portrayal of New York in that era. Scorsese makes an interesting story here as he inserts Daniel Day-Lewis who plays the character of a man who has deadly knife skills, William Cutting, a.k.a Bill the Butcher. William is a Native American who leads a gang of fellow natives who begrudge the Irish immigrants in the city. In turn, these immigrants form a gang and clashes with the natives. Scorsese’s portrayal of the gangs during the Civil War is a little too limited since he only focuses of the two gangs – Bill the Butcher and The Dead Rabbits. (Gallman, 2003) Although he makes it seem that there are not only two gangs around during that time, he only makes the two visible to the viewers. Nonetheless, Scorsese does a good job at giving a good background in this portion. The clash of the two gangs leaves Priest Vallon, the one who acts as the leader of The Dead Rabbits, dead. As the movies goes on showing the whereabouts and the happenings of Vallon’s son, Amsterdam, Full Name 3 played by Leonardo DiCaprio, Scorsese creates an atmosphere of vengeance while Amsterdam attends a reform school until the time he goes back to the city. Scorsese’s portrayal of the Five Points is almost excellent until some American-Chinese characters appeared on the screen, showing that Chinatown already existed during that time. It is true that the Five Points - Mulberry; Anthony, Cross, Orange and Little Water are the streets now being occupied by Chinatown, though some streets are named differently today, the Chinese community was not present during the Civil War. (Gallman, 2003) This may not be the director’s intention, since it is possible that they were in New York, shooting groups of people, accidentally passing a group of Chinese and forgetting editing the scene. Whatever the reason is, Scorsese is still not able to perfectly show an accurate picture of New York in the Civil War. The movie moves around the story of Amsterdam’s long-awaited thirst to kill Bill, having the Civil War as an aid to give a good story plot. Although it revolves around Amsterdam’s vengeance, Scorsese reconstructs the details of life in that era and the historical change and the reason behind the Americans and New Yorkers disdain the shed of blood and overt display of corruption and how the past laws gave way to the modern ones. (Lightner, 2006) As the story goes on, Amsterdam sets a scheme to avenge his father’s death, which eventually leads to penetrating Bill’s Gang deep, making himself as the gang leader’s trusted assistant. As he continues his act with the gang, he meets Jenny Everdeane, Cameron Diaz, who has a history with Bill and then starts a linchpin of male jealousy. Cameron’s character here is more of a structural necessity than a widely explored one. (Gallman, 2003) Considering the setting of the Full Name 4 movie, women of that era didn’t have much to do with the society due to the social injustices not just to slaves but also to women. Having a lady thief in that era, possessing a beautiful face and an extraordinary skill, it is tantamount to power and such vibrant character should be well- explored. (Sight and Sound, 2003) Scorsese could’ve used Jenny’s character to show the women of that era, unfortunately, she only is a hub for jealousy between Bill and Amsterdam, who happens to be a woman born ahead of her time. The movie shows too little of the characters in the story aside from the big three; Diaz, DiCaprio and Lewis. They are able to breathe life to their characters. Very few times have Boss Tweed appeared on the screen although he is able to show a great portrayal how a corrupt world he is in. As the movie continues, Amsterdam learns so much from Bill and before he is even able to move for a checkmate, his true identity has been exposed even if he tries to hide it from everyone. All of these, combined together, make a great drama; a son avenging his father’s death; a gang leader who wants all foreigners out of the city and a beautiful lady who owes the gang leader an allegiance for saving her life. With such plot, anyone can come up with a good drama. The question whether the movie is historically accurate or not, it is vividly presented that it is the latter. (Sight and Sound, 2003) The movie shows how America is like during the times of the Great Depression and Civil War and how it evolved to how it is today. It talks a lot about the history, particularly how the ‘Five Points’ in New York was and the ways of Americans during that era. The entire movie can be considered as an achievement of a good portrayal of the birth of American democracy and American crime. Full Name 5 It shows astounding pictures of families stacked in rooms on top of each other like bookshelves in a city that is so rich and powerful today. This shows that the modern America is not made in quiet rooms by famous and great men in wigs but in the streets through the clashes between the immigrants and the natives that resulted to a bloody war. Regardless of the cries of historical inaccuracy, the movie is frank with its cynicism about democracy during that time and can be regarded as one that can give someone a good guide about the Civil War. It gives an excellent picture about the Irish immigrants in the US and how they were during those times although it is not discussed well, it gives the viewers a good understanding about the questions, what, why, when and how. With all the historical inaccuracies and weakness of the story, it is still a good and entertaining one especially as it reaches the narrative boundaries and epic ambitions, the actors played their roles well – the lead the supporting and even the background actors but it cannot be argued that the film belongs to Lewis. Works Cited Gallman, J M. "Movie Reviews - Gangs of New York." The Journal of American History. 90.3 (2003): 1124. Print. Lightner, David L. Slavery and the Commerce Power: How the Struggle against the Interstate Slave Trade Led to the Civil War. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006. Print. "Film Reviews - Gangs of New York." Sight and Sound. 13.2 (2003): 44. Print. Faust, Drew G. This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008. Print. McDougall, Walter A. Throes of Democracy: The American Civil War Era, 1829-1877. New York: Harper, 2008. Print. Fountain, Daniel L. Slavery, Civil War, and Salvation: African American Slaves and Christianity, 1830-1870. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2010. Internet resource. Read More