See invitation at bottom of letter
 
 
 
 
 
 

Your company, DreamWorks, is in the process of funding a film that potentially will dishonor war veterans who fought for this country in Japan during WWII. This letter is to ask you to reconsider stopping production of this film about an Italian American who becomes a post WWII mob kingpin in Japan.

While DreamWorks is involved in many film and TV productions, the intention of this letter is to inform you of this specific project and the need for you to seriously reconsider stopping production of this film.

The March 14th issue of Daily Variety contains an article about how Martin Scorsese and Nick Pileggi are turning to Japan to produce this film about this Italian American mob kingpin. The name of this “kingpin” is Nick Zappetti and he was a 22-year old Marine sergeant who criminally exploited Japan’s post-war confusion.

My initial thought to this article about yet another movie depicting an Italian American as a mobster was “You have got to be joking? Where did they dig up this story?” More importantly “Who is funding this film?”

In the article it says that DreamWorks has optioned Robert Whiting's book Tokyo Underworld for this film. “Isn’t DreamWorks owned by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen? Why would Mr. Spielberg want to be associated with a film that seeks to tarnish his image as a fighter of great causes?” 

Mr. Spielberg, your reputation is second to none when it comes to educational efforts in regards to social justice. Films such as Schindler’s List, The Last Days, Amistad, and The Color Purple have had a great impact on audiences all over the world, sensitizing them to events such as the Holocaust and issues such as slavery. For the NAACP selected you to receive their coveted Vanguard Award, an honor awarded to an individual or group whose pioneering courage has promoted social justice through creative endeavors. Why would you now want to be associated with a film that seeks not to educate but to promote misunderstanding and intolerance to audiences all over the world?

The estimated 20 million Italian Americans in the United States do not refute Nick Zappetti and his illegal activities in Japan during WWII. We question why you want to focus the audience lens on an immoral individual whose aberrant behavior was completely at odds with the bravery, sacrifice and honor exhibited by some 500,000 American soldiers of Italian heritage during WWII? Do you want to be responsible for a film that will become the “official” representative for these soldiers?

You may argue that the life of Nick Zappetti is quite unique and has an entertaining story line to it. Maybe to some, but what about the other unique stories during this time. The story of Giorgio Perlasca who, without authorization by the Spanish government, assumed the position of Spanish consul in Budapest and risked his life daily to protect thousands of Jewish men, women, and children (see The Banality of Goodness by Enrico Deaglio for more information). 
 

If this story is not powerful enough, what about the story of a country on the side of the Nazis who prevented the deportation of some 40,000 Jews to their extermination? This untold humanitarian story about Italy has been well documented in the film, Righteous Enemy by Joseph Rochlitz, and the book, Bad Times Good People by Walter Wolff.

There are many more unique and interesting stories pertaining to war veterans during WWII that have yet to be explored.  Many American soldiers of Italian descent were highly decorated for their war efforts. Perhaps two of the most heroic individuals to fight in WWII were John Basilone and Don Gentile. Described by General Douglas MacArthur as “a one-man army,” Marine John Basilone was the only soldier in our nation’s history to receive both the Marine’s Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross for Valor. As for Don Gentile, he was the highest-scoring fighter pilot in American history, earning him the title of “Ace of Aces” by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

If these stories are not controversial enough, what about the story of an ethnic community that was interned by a country even when their sons and daughters were risking their lives for this country, and in some cases fighting their own relatives overseas? This heartbreaking story about the many Italian and Italian American individuals in the United States can be found in the History Channel’s documentary, Italian-American Internment: A Secret War, and the booklet, Una Storia Segreta by the American Italian Historical Association. 

You must agree that these are stories deserving to be associated with a Vanguard Awardee. Films based on stories such as these seek to educate audiences throughout the world and to promote an understanding and tolerance to these events and issues. 

But if DreamWorks proceeds with development of the film about Nick Zappetti’s life, many of us in the Italian American community can only come to the conclusion that you have something against our community. For even in your overwhelming positive film Saving Private Ryan, Italian American soldiers are referred to as “Guineas” (the equivalency of referring to African Americans as Niggers, Hispanic Americans as Spics, German Americans as Nazis, Asian Americans as Chinks, etc.). Has someone in our community done something against you that is so unforgivable that you find it acceptable to negatively stereotype and portray our ethnic group? 

In a study performed by the Italic Studies Institute of New York concerning “Italian Culture on Film” from 1928-2000, Italian characters are negatively portrayed 73% of the times in films. Of this 73%, 40% are portrayed as criminals and 33% as boors, buffoons, bigots, and bimbos. These numbers are ludicrous seeing that only 0.01% of the Italian American population are affiliated with organized crime (per the Federal Bureau of Investigations, as cited in USA Today 7/28/99). 

As Kweisi Mfume, President & CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) blasted the four major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox) for their lack of diversity in the 1999 new fall season prime time line-up, you must be made aware of the path you are following. To produce this film about Nick Zappetti is to go against everything that people admire about you. Do not fall into the trap that so many others do, including self-hating Italian Americans such as Scorsese and Pillegi, of shamefully making money off of an unbalanced and outrageous stereotyping and negative portrayal of Italian Americans.

For the 500,000 war veterans of Italian descent, the interned families of these soldiers during WWII, and the Italian people who risked their lives saving 85% of their Jewish population in Italy, we strongly implore you to stop the funding of “Tokyo Underworld”.

Please understand the grave importance of your decision. Do not mistakenly think that the halting of this one film will not make a difference for it will make a grand difference. “For whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.”

P.S. We look forward to your reply and readily agree on its publication in the next issue of our paper in September.

Giorgio DiPaolo is the director of Project Bella Vita, a subcommittee for Italian Jewish Holocaust History under Fieri-Chicago’s Image Committee. Mr. DiPaolo’s article is in reply to his first letter sent to Mr. Spielberg on May 18, 2000.

To share your thoughts with Mr. Spielberg, please send letters to Giorgio DiPaolo, P.O. Box 16, Brookfield, IL 60513-1347 or send emails to projectbellavita@juno.com.  These letters will be forwarded to Mr. Spielberg. Individuals and organizations wanting to find out more can contact Mr. DiPaolo at 708-485-5035.