When will Hollywood stop beating up on Italian Americans?

Contrary to actual history, Italian Americans have been portrayed as either gangsters, buffoons or gum-chewing bimbos. This tradition continues with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.”

SHARE When will Hollywood stop beating up on Italian Americans?
TI_KS_072.0.jpg

A Philadelphia mob boss (Joe Pesci, left) takes on a small-time crook (Robert De Niro) as his protege in “The Irishman.” Netflix

The Bank of America. Planter’s Peanuts. Tropicana Orange Juice. Barnes & Noble bookstores. The Radio Flyer Red Wagon. The Securities and Exchange Commission. The Jacuzzi. The pilot ejector seat. The first computer microprocessor. The shopping mall. Multicultural education. And even the McDonald’s Big Mac hamburger.

What do all of these long-accepted symbols of Americana have in common?

They sprang from the creative genius of Italian Americans.

Since 1915, however, with the release of the short film “The Italian,” Hollywood has told — and sold — a different story.

Contrary to actual history, Italian Americans have been portrayed as either gangsters or buffoons (male) or gum-chewing bimbos (female). And this tradition continues with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” — which, despite its deceptive title, conveys the same negative tropes over 100 years later.

In 2015, our educational institute conducted a survey of the Italian image in movies over the past century. Two findings were especially disturbing.

After the success of the 1972 fictional film “The Godfather,” there was an 81% increase in the number of mob movies produced by Hollywood over the next four decades, from 98 (1915-1972) to 438 (1972-now).

Even more disturbing: Nearly 90% of mob films feature Italian gangster characters who have no basis in reality; that is, they are entirely fictitious.

In other words, for every film about, say, Al Capone, another eight mob movies feature fake Italian gangster stereotypes. “Reel life” dominates “real life.”

A rare film based on a true story, such as “The Irishman,” is then used to rationalize Hollywood’s obsession with Italian surnamed criminals: “See? The mob existed! You Italian Americans are in denial.”

Wrong. It is Hollywood that is in denial.

They continue to deny the complexity — and yes, genius — of actual Italian American history.

Bill Dal Cerro
Senior Analyst with the Chicago Office of the Italic Institute of America

SEND LETTERS TO: letters@suntimes.com. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes.

Results trump rhetoric when it comes to addressing climate change

A recent Sun-Times editorial notes that addressing climate change “requires a worldwide effort.”

That’s just one of many facts that are essential to remember when contextualizing the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.

Despite all the negative attention the decision generated, the United States has reduced carbon dioxide emissions more than any other nation this century and is projected to see emissions decline 2.2 percent this year.

The Energy Information Administration credits nearly two-thirds of power sector CO2 reductions since 2005 to fuel switching to natural gas — a big reason United Nations Energy Programme chief Erik Solheim has noted, “In all likelihood, the United States of America will live up to its Paris commitment, not because of the White House, but because of the private sector.”

In contrast, Paris signatory China — by far the world’s largest emitter — has seen its emissions nearly triple this century.

And due largely to China’s long-term commitment to coal-fired power generation, southeast Asia power sector CO2 emissions are projected to increase by two-thirds by 2040, likely offsetting reductions made in the United States and elsewhere.

In the global effort to address climate change, the big picture matters.

And frankly, much of the world is taking little tangible action to address climate change while the United States is quietly leading with an all-of-the-above approach that includes natural gas.

Illinois can and should contribute as much as possible to the worldwide effort to address climate change.

But it should not come at the disproportionate expense of our already beleaguered economy while other nations contribute nothing more than empty words.

Seth Whitehead
Executive Director, Illinois Petroleum Resources Board

The Latest
The suspect’s son witnessed the shooting of at least five relatives, according to Joliet police reports obtained through a public records request. The reports also indicate the boy’s mother was more deeply involved in the case than first thought.
Counsell is measured and stoic, more so than Joe Maddon or David Ross. After Justin Steele’s Opening Day injury, Counsell will put his head down, pace and figure it out.
The Cubs opened the season against the reigning World Series champions in Texas.