Comments on: Gangsters: They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To

By: NastyBedazzler

NastyBedazzler — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:51:50 +0000

Not Another Jake: I’m Italian as hell and I’ve never seen anything like that.

However I must say it’s probably good that the police stayed out of it as it was probably a drunken thing and not anything someone would want to see any sort of relative go to prison over. Hope you guys can work it out, keep it in the family!

By: Not Another Jake

Not Another Jake — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 05:37:43 +0000

On my Italian side, I have a cousin (not really, but second and third cousins are still cousins in my family) who shot another cousin in an argument over borrowing a car. He didn’t die and they managed to keep the police out of it, but still, not funny. Gang and mafia style life is praised far too much by Hollywood. It is NOT cool. Glorifying murderers doesn’t help anyone. I love my heritage, but I would love it more if it were a tad less … shady.

By: DOJ

DOJ — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:53:15 +0000

m, do you take issue with police officers who shoot first then arrest the bodies?

By: m

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:58:02 +0000

the author calls bonnie and clyde “feel-good” gangsters - I just don’t get that. I have to point out that I don’t know much about them, but from what I’ve read, they enjoyed killing people, and did it for no particular reason. either way, they did kill people, with reason or without. people don’t seem to take issue with that.

By: kid_icarus

kid_icarus — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:38:38 +0000

after reading public enemies i can’t wait for the film to come out. it was loads of fun seeing chicago go all 30’s again

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:06:29 +0000

That federal prison Capone stayed at was Alcatraz, just so we all know.

By: Lara

Lara — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:02:50 +0000

John Dillenger has an uncanny resemblance to Billy Bob Thornton.

By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:25:47 +0000

My favorite was Jewish gangster Lepke Buchalter. When Dutch Schultz wanted to off DA Tom Dewey, Lepke voted “no” along with most of the mob. Later, when Dewey was Gov. of NY, he denied Lepke clemency and Lepke went to the chair.

By: Neatoramawontsendmeapassword

Neatoramawontsendmeapassword — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:21:13 +0000

“He got married at the after of 17…”

Huh? What?

By: niko bellic

niko bellic — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:17:10 +0000

What i learned today: it’s okay to be a criminal if you are white. Awesome!

By: phrawgg

phrawgg — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:06:53 +0000

You need only look to the muslim world for modern gangsters. They make Capone look like a humanitarian.

By: JPW

JPW — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:09:28 +0000

“Pirates seem to be the most recent incarnation of this little cultural obsession. It makes me wonder if we’re going to be making blockbuster films about muggers in two hundred years’ time.”

I said the same thing to my wife, except in regards to romanticizing terrorists. Probably not though. At least not in the U.S. about Middle-Eastern ones. I’m sure there’s a movie romanticizing the IRA somewhere.

By: thesharkguys

thesharkguys — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:08:53 +0000

If I’m not mistaken, I believe it was Dillinger who inspired the phrase ‘Public Enemy Number 1′.

Nice list.

By: Polx

Polx — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:55:30 +0000

I was reading the book Low Life about new york crime and it turns out that Capone can trace his gang affiliations back to the Five Pointerr, as seen in Gangs of New York.

By: "A.J."

"A.J." — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:17:24 +0000

John Dillinger is actually alive and (not so)well, he’s was just in hiding. You all may have recently seen him in the news under the name Josef Fritzl.

By: LH

LH — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:19:50 +0000

“There is an urban legend that John Dillinger’s penis is at the Smithsonian.”

Ridiculous urban legends. =D

By: Thomas

Thomas — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:15:11 +0000

I’ve always found the fascination with criminals pretty fascinating.

Pirates seem to be the most recent incarnation of this little cultural obsession. It makes me wonder if we’re going to be making blockbuster films about muggers in two hundred years’ time.

By: Parker

Parker — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:13:21 +0000

Yes, what we need are some classy gangsters sticking it to the Man again and not their own men because last time I checked, times were rough..real rough.

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:59:34 +0000

I find it interesting that these days the “gangsta” is someone who can’t wear a decent pair of pants without them falling down. I’ve seen plenty of “Cops” and I can’t believe how they haven’t yet figured out that belts are there for a purpose to keep ones pants up. Nothing like shuffling away from the “popo”.