The course first looks at the foundations of the gangster film, as established in the early 1930s and as modified in the later 1930s due to the Production Code. The course then traces the additional development of the genre as various industrial and sociocultural changes impacted it. The gangster films screened represent periods that reflect deprivation, nostalgia, postwar anxiety and psychology, racism, modernism, and other cultural issues. We build a deep sense of the genre’s fascination with violence, the American Dream, family, loyalty (and betrayal). We will also explore many gangster films produced in other countries, from Europe to Asia to South America, and how they reflect the gangster’s mythological position in these new cultural contexts. We will also look at the role of particular directors, actors, writers and producers (and real gangsters) in the genre’s rich history. A background in film/TV analysis, as taught in Understanding Film (FT250) and in other film/TV studies-oriented courses, will be essential. Effective Spring 2027, this course fulfills a single requirement in each of the following BU Hub areas: Aesthetic Exploration, Critical Thinking, Historical Consciousness.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.