Gangs Of New York Movie Analysis

Gangs of New York, is a movie rich in plot, significant setting and historical information. It is also full of cultural and economic differences which carry the movie forward. It tells us of a time that tensions exist between the Irish immigrants and the natives, both of which are trying to find their place in the “world” and claim a land for their own. A movie overwhelmed by anger, resentment, pain, chaos and shallow happiness, that is wrapped up in a most unsettling way. It begins with a gang battle between the Dead Rabbits who are the Irish immigrants and the Bowery Boys who are the “blood” natives. They appear civilized in their approach to battle concerning rules but when it comes to actually fighting they are unmerciful. This feud has
obviously been boiling over for time and will continue to exist no matter which gang comes out victorious. I will now discuss in detail all the relevant aspects of the story’s setting in respect to the true battle. First I feel it is necessary to describe the outdoor scenery of the Five Points in comparison to that of the wealthy.
The Five Points is where five streets converged and in the center there was Paradise Square. The name is deceiving because this community was anything but paradise. The best glimpse of the town we caught was that from a birds eye view. We were able to see just how cluttered it was, the houses and buildings were all attached and they stood in rows. All of the homes were rundown with paint peeling and cracks going along its walls. They are wooden and can be best described as an old picket fence that has been neglected for years and weathered. In front of these homes sat sad, broken down carriages, as if they once worked but have been put there many years before because they had no horses to pull them anymore. The roads weren’t roads at all but dirt paths, grooved out due to constant walking on them. The trees although very spare, were dead, thin and bare without any growth. In the winter the streets were empty and resembled a ghost town. During the warmer months we saw no difference in its appearance accept for now the streets were filled with people and animals. Luckily we were taken on a trip with a professional pickpocket named Jenny, and
were allowed to see how those who resided outside this poverty stricken square had lived. Their homes were large and had bright white paint as if it just been recently done. They were very clean and well kept in appearance. All the homes were surrounded by these tall, black and fancy fences, that put off a demeanor of privacy and conservativeness. The homes had long driveways and walkways made of cement that met at the end nice, lavish glass doors. The trees were full of life and the grass was just as healthy, each glowed with a green as though you were looking at photos of the rain forest. The color wasn’t as impressive as the appearance, the grass looked like it was freshly cut and you could almost smell the freshness. The whole overall effect of the wealthier neighborhood was one of grandeur, it seemed as though the sun just shone brighter there. In the Five Points the sun seemed to put his back to them, this grungy atmosphere filled the air with gloom. Now I will discuss how personal possessions and connection fit into setting.
Before the first battle we witnessed Priest Vallon cut himself with his razor and speak a few brief words before they parted for the “war.” The Priests death would make this razor the last thing his son could remember him by. His death also connected the boy to the Five Points and influenced his future interactions and emotional needs. Amsterdam will always carry his fathers death with him in the Points in both memory and in his revenge. The knife Bill had stabbed and killed Priest with instilled a sense of purpose in Amsterdam whenever he looked at it. It was a reminder of his fathers murder and would emotionally connect him with Bill. The church was the only other possessive setting for both Amsterdam and the other Irish. It was where they “received Christ,” worshipped and prayed. The church was theirs and something that they didn’t have to share with the natives. It gave them a sense of being, belonging to the Five Points as well as their heritage and if worth. For Bill it wasn’t a place of worship that was a home away from home but the Satan Circus. Just the name alone suggests something sinful and that it was a place of corrupt business dealings and unconventional entertainment. This was a place the natives could be proud of and boast about, it was a private membership club so to say. The Satan Circus was a place that supported the lives they wanted to live, it supported their beliefs and in
their opinion something better than what the Irish had. Yet I am sure to believe that Bill possessed everything in Five Points, well at least anything he wanted. He had Tweed at his side and he pretty much owned the people who lived there. Bill charged people what I can guess would be for protection. Bill was the spokesperson for the poor, he led the wealthy politicians around the town and had them believe what he wanted. He was in cahoots with the police force, paying them off with power. Next I will attempt to explain the cultural and historical settings of this movie.
Amsterdam’s revenge and hatred was predetermined by his fathers death as I stated earlier. His faith was part of his Irish heritage which made the church a refuge or a second home. When the Irish decided to rise up against the oppression of the natives a second time, it is the church which becomes the place that unites them. It was as though the church has become their fort but really they became its protectors. Another cultural value we can see if the significance of the razor. When Priest cut himself, he said to his son that the blood always stays on the blade. When Amsterdam finally recovers the razor for himself, we see him follow suit and cutting his own cheek. This shows us that the Irish believe in respect and trust the examples their elders set for them.