It is a thoughtful and insightful analysis of the 'Sopranos' by one
of the premier experts on Italian American Film & TV in the US.                 
==================================================
>From Professor Ben Lawton:

I have just read a posting by Ellen Willis, "Our Mobsters, Ourselves", that
endorses THE SOPRANOS to a greater or lesser extent. The argument in 
defense of freedom of expression is predicated on the idea that when all 
positions are allowed to be aired, the "best" will prevail. Granted, it's a 
frequently messy process. In fact, at times it is even disgusting. But, 
covering up the maggots doesn't make them go away.

They thrive in darkness and putrefaction. The best response to an article
one disagrees with is not suppression, but a better article, one that
demolishes the thesis of the former. See in this context, Professor Emeritus
James Mancuso's excellent critique of "Mob Movies." So long as there are
Italian Americans don't see what is wrong with THE SOPRANOS, those of us 
who find the show disturbing are obviously failing.

Having said all this, let me hasten to say that I endorse all the letters
and protests directed against THE SOPRANOS in particular and in relation to
the defamation of Italian Americans in general. The media tend to be a bit
like the proverbial mule: You need a two by four to get their attention
before you start reasoning with them. And for that we owe a debt of
gratitude to the relentless campaign of Manny Alfano, the founder of Italian
American One Voice (IAOV) and it's members, and AIDA (American Italian
Defense Association) who has dramatically brought the issue to the fore.

A confession: I have to say that I am a fan of Coppola and Scorsese for
reasons which I have discussed elsewhere in print. I am not a fan of Chase.
It seems to me that perhaps the most fundamental difference between Coppola
and Scorsese on the one hand, and Chase on the other, is that the former
have a deep love for all that is positive in their heritage and, by
extension, an intense resentment and perhaps even hatred for those Italian
Americans who have harmed Italian Americans directly and indirectly over the
years.

Coppola and Scorsese are openly and avowedly proud of their Italian/American
heritage. Coppola and Scorsese are always very careful to make it very clear
that the "Mafia" can exist only with the collusion of and at the behest the
"establishment." And, they also make it crystal clear that organized crime
is comprised of individuals of every ethnic group.

In this context I really should add that De Palma (SCARFACE), Cimino
(HEAVEN'S GATE; YEAR OF THE DRAGON), Tarentino (PULP FICTION), 
etc. make the same point quite explicitly. Furthermore, after recognizing 
others' misreading of THE GODFATHER, they have all striven to 
demythologize the Mafia.

Chase, on the other hand, seems embarrassed to be of Italian/American
extraction. He seems to despise the Italian Americans who tell him that they
are hurt by his program. He certainly does not wish to engage in any kind of
dialog with them.

Another confession: When THE SOPRANOS first appeared, I had to admit,
grudgingly, that I was--I won't say pleasantly surprised, but, perhaps
surprised that it wasn't nearly so bad as I expected to be. In fact, at
first it almost seemed to offer some promise--at least in terms of how it
was done. Over the past couple of years, however, it has gone steadily
downhill. The last episode I saw was pathetic, in the worst and most
colloquial sense of the word. It has degenerated into pornography of sex and
violence--that is, the sex and violence are ends in themselves, rather than
being somehow made necessary by the narrative development.

Also, the show seems to be going out of its way to demean Italian Americans.
It has been said that Italian Americans have been depicted as "beasts,
boors, and buffoons" in most mob movies. This is certainly true of most such
films made in Hollywood. By and large it is not true of the films of
Coppola, Scorsese, Cimino, De Palma, etc. The "mafiosi" in their films may
well be "beasts and boors," but they are almost never buffoons. You may (and
should) despise and fear them, but you can't "dis" them. With the possible
exception of Carmela Soprano, who somehow retains the gravitas of the
Italian (American) mater familiae, everyone else appears to be depicted in a
manner that is deliberately demeaning. In fact, one might argue that Chase
seems threatened by what Mussolini (buonanima), might have called Italic
virility.

You can start with the "godfather" himself. Coppola's godfather was called
"Corleone," or Lion Heart. This godfather is called "Soprano." We all know
how a man becomes a soprano. Until not so terribly long ago, castrati were
appreciated by the Vatican for their vocal evolutions. What kind of "capo"
faints at the sight of sausage? What kind of "capo" sees a shrink?.

The fact is that Chase follows in the tradition of films such as LITTLE
CAESAR, SOME LIKE IT HOT, PRIZZI'S HONOR, MARRIED TO THE MOB, 
THE GANG THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT, ANALYZE THIS, AND 
MICKEY BLUE EYES, all of which have helped perpetuate the image of 
Italian Americans as buffoons.

How can a serious mobster possibly be called "Big Pussy." I don't claim to
know anything about the Mafia except what I have read. But, from what I have
read, it is my sense that these are (or were) serious people. I say "were"
because from what I read, the Italian American Mafia is, for the most part,
history. But, while they were around, they were anything but buffoons. They
were also not "nice" people. These traits are conveyed very effectively by
Coppola's GODFATHER 1 and 2. They are not by Chases' SOPRANOS.

How can a serious mobster be called "Paulie Walnuts?" How can anyone take
seriously wannabe mobsters such as "Ralphie" (who somehow got lost on his
way to the Cage aux Folles, or Christopher. Or any of the grotesquely obese,
constantly sweating, huffing and puffing Bada Bing aficionados.

Please, don't misconstrue what I am saying. I am not knocking castrati,
gays, or heavy people. I am simply saying that, if the Mafia had soldiers
such as these, it is no wonder that it went the way of the dodo bird and the
traveler pigeon. I am also saying that this allegedly the best show on
television, tells us absolutely nothing about the Italian American
community, about the Mafia, or, contrary to what Chase purports, about
America. OR, if you prefer, it is as accurate and educational about the
former as GLADIATOR is about the Roman Empire. This is a situation comedy
that relies on vulgarity and ethnic slurs for its humor. Like many if not
most of the more successful HBO original shows, it's appeal is predicated on
sex or violence, or sex and violence.

Much has been made of the fact that Chase is of Italian extraction. He has
used this fact to defend the series. Basically, he seems to be saying that
if Blacks can use the "n" word, he can make THE SOPRANOS. In both 
cases the behavior is tacky, not amusing, self-destructive, and devoutly to 
be eschewed.

Professor Ben Lawton
Chair, Italian Studies
Chair, Film Studies
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907