( Movie) Marvin Leroy, Little Caesar (1930)

As you watch Little Caesar, pay attention to the prophecy from Matthew 26:52 that opens the film. How will this prophecy structure the narrative that follows? While you continue watching, notice the names of characters, their actions, the private and public spaces where they meet and their use of language. How do these representations tie the image of the Italian immigrant to that of the Italian as gangster? Food for thought: – The prophecy foreshadowing the life of Rico Bandello; – The positive and/or negative image of the Italian immigrant connected to that of the Italian as gangster; – The importance of the secondary figures such as Ma’ Magdalena and Antonio Passa and the fate that befalls them; – Close consideration of the character of Joe Massara.