By Federica Rabiolo

“Why does it bother you so much when I bring up that you’re Italian?”  –  “I absolutely hate being the center of attention.” What at the time I thought was an honest answer to a question I get asked frequently, I later realized was a spurious statement.  Honestly, I am simply concerned by the flood of questions that arise when people finally learn that it was not my great-grandfather who immigrated here, but that I actually stepped off a plane less than six years ago.

Then, with patience, I explain that my family does not own an Italian restaurant, I am not in any way associated with the mafia, and while it is true that I love pasta and pizza, I prefer not to eat the two for breakfast. Most of the time people are not trying to be offensive, but are simply trying to learn more about a culture, which they find charming and fascinating. Yet it makes me wonder where the naïve characterizations of Italian people come from, and why the stereotypes that arise persist over time. Americans often choose to accept Italian culture through the lens of the media. Movies, such as “The Godfather”, which outwardly appear to be about Italian culture, allow people to accept a fictitious picture of the Italian people. Yet how is it possible for individuals to look past the typical “Mafioso” stereotype and acknowledge a purer form of the Italian culture?

A raspy, heavy Italian accent, a dark exchange between two men. One seeks revenge, the other is willing to use his corrupted, crime-filled ways for justice in exchange for respect. The opening scene of “The Godfather” shows that the popularity of such movies is solely based on a violent, thrilling and intricate image of the “mafia lifestyle”, which some mistake to be a symbol of Italian culture. Ben Lawton,[i] a professor at Purdue University and Graziella Parati from Northwestern University, conducted separate yet equal studies at each institution centered on the question:”Do Mafia movies and television shows such as “The Godfather” affect the image of Italian Americans?” In a part of the survey subjects were asked to write down the first three words they would use to describe Italian people. Mafia, hairy, good food, greedy, sneaky were all words written down. These words are not much different than the ideas that the media is portraying with the opening scene of “The Godfather (Part I)”. Lawton’s and Parati’s research illustrates the weight of the media in impacting society’s views of Italians and further validate the theory that views depicted through movies are often adopted by viewers.

In the 1990s producers spent 75 million dollars on the production and promotion of “The Godfather Part III”. In addition to this viewers have spent over $800 million dollars on idealizing the Godfather through both movie theater showings and TV. Further validating the success of the film were ten Academy Award nominations and three Oscars; these figures all validate how far producers, critics and audiences alike were willing to go to endorse a featured film filled with presumptuous labels about Italians. There are almost no individuals in support of lashing out against the outrageous representations of Italians. Why would anybody do so? The movie is regarded as a classic, a favorite and even one of the best movies ever made. Impeccable acting, ominous characters and a suspenseful plot are regarded with more importance than the realistic preservation of the true charms of Italian culture.

In an interview with Larry King,[ii] Mario Puzo -the creator of “The Godfather”- admitted his primary intention was to make money; he was looking to create a work that would appeal to the masses. Puzo did not have to look too far for an audience enthused by his book. In fact he found one right where he was born and raised, New York City. Puzo’s statement confirms that it is unlikely that factual images of Italians could attract a crowd as big as the fictional images of the Godfather did over 30 years. During his lifetime Puzo repeatedly admitted that he had never met a single “Italian gangster” before writing the book. However it’s understandable why Puzo would write such a novel. Stereotypical attributes such as the ones incorporated into his saga, and later into “The Godfather” trilogy, are far more thrilling for viewers and readers to accept and promote than everyday characteristics of true Italians. Essentially like the Godfather himself, Mario Puzo and filmmakers made viewers “an offer they could not refuse”.

“And…Action”: no one is kissing anybody’s hand. That would actually be very strange. Instead I walk into my grandmother’s house and she pulls me closer and kisses me on both cheeks. Her house is filled with familiar smells of my favorite dishes: roasted lamb and potatoes and, of course, crostata, a typical pie with blackberry jam. Spaghetti with meatballs and tiramisu’ are nowhere in sight. Upon entering, all the women attempt to gather in the kitchen, yet my grandfather is putting the finishing touches on the lamb and shushes everybody out of his kitchen. My grandmother is not allowed to do much more than set the table for these meals. Finally the family gathers at the table and because we’re not a large family we fit around it perfectly. There is always talk of politics at these Sunday gatherings, but the mafia is never mentioned. No one isa talkinga likea thiss either. I turn to settle a conflict between my blond-hair blue-eyed little cousins who are bickering about something. At the end of the meal grandpa asks: “Did you take care of that thing?” – he’s obviously talking about his espresso being done. “And…Scene”.

When we accept big stereotypical pictures thrown at us by the media, we fail to find the few true unique aspects that make it truly charming. Sometimes the beauty of a culture foreign to our own is the small truths we find when digging deeper than an image on a screen. The truths of Italian culture can be so much more fascinating and rewarding than the misconceptions fed to us by the media. My hopes are that one day authentic scenes, such as the one out of “My Godfather”, will attract audiences interested in immersing themselves into a culture different than their own.

[i] “Sicilian Culture.” September 5th, 2009. Cristaldi Communications Video, Web Design, Hosting & Promotion, Web. 5 Oct 2009

[ii] “The official Mario Puzo Library.” 2nd of August 1996. Web. 5 Oct 2009.