Godfatherly tales

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan and James Gandolfini. Four fictional faces of the Mafia. The real faces are not so famous. But in the US underworld, the Mafia men were at the forefront of racketeering, gambling, prostitution, drug peddling and loan sharking. <br /><br />And bootlegging during the Prohibition era.Marlon Brando played Vito Corleone with such chilling effectiveness that Mario Puzo’s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The Godfather</span> is still savoured by book and movie aficionados. Pacino was son Michael, his suave and reluctant successor. Caan was another son, the brutal Sonny. <br /><br />Gandolfini, who can be seen in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The Sopranos</span> on cable TV these days, is the foul-mouthed mobster in another interpretation of the Mafia. Four faces, four facets of a criminal organisation but they all live, and usually, die by omerta, the absolute code of silence.<br /><br />If the fiction is sometimes tough to stomach, reality is worse. This network of criminals has its roots in Sicily. They started off as protection providers for those who had a deep distrust of the police. At a price, of course. More and more Sicilians migrated to the US in the late 19th century. Prohibition was enforced in the 1920s and the liquor black market provided a golden opportunity. Lucky Luciano, one of the most famous mafioso, struck it big and became one of FBI’s most wanted men.<br /><br />La Cosa Nostra (translated as Our Thing or Our Affair) was criminal in nature. But family ties were most important. As was loyalty and obedience. While the family stood by each other during crises, death came swiftly to anyone who broke this code. The families also carved up cities and prospered immeasurably. However, gang wars broke out often and pesky policemen tried their best to put them behind bars. But the Mob always survived.<br /><br />These immigrants are also responsible for the word ‘Mafia’ gaining popular currency to describe any group of criminals. But the original Sicilians had a strong sense of honour, of blood and of secrecy. As the old guard dies away and the young brigade turns to New Age crime, the image of the broodingly powerful Don Corleone lingers on.</div> </div>