Nameless?


The gangsters call each other by name all the time.
"Gangster 55" does this as well.
So, why isn't his name ever revealed (could I have missed any hint on that?)
Might F. M. be his initials, too, hence the attachment to the pin?

Also, "Freddie Mays" seems to be a reference to The Krays.

I would appreciate any opinions on the "name" issue.

Regards,

Laura


Close your eyes,
And think of someone you physically admire
And let me kiss you

reply

I think it's meant to be representative in some way of his incompleteness as a person. He has no emotional connection with anyone, and because of this, he has absolutely nothing to his life apart from being a gangster, so a gangster is what he is, not a full person. This is unlike, say, Freddie Mays, who has his love life and relationships.

You see? I'm a steelworker. I kill what I eat. See?

reply

Thanks for the answer, DrPrunesquallor.
You've got a strong point there.

Regards,

Laura

Close your eyes,
And think of someone you physically admire
And let me kiss you

reply

Succinctly stated, DrPrunesquallor. The tie pin was clearly a token from Freddy, who is the object of his obsession, hence the attachment to it. Gangster exhibits some signs of dissociative identity disorder.

--the cause of my ambivalence is the effect of your own--anonymous

reply


What the hell's D.I.D? What are its syptoms?

So this is how liberty dies-with thunderous applause?

reply

Dissociative Identity Disorder - the short definition is a mental process, which produces a lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity. For other good examples of characters with these traits see: Tyler Durden, Jason Bourne, and Bruce Wayne.

the cause of my ambivalence is the effect of your own--anonymous

reply

Bumped because I like to read my own writing. :-P

I still believe. Do you still believe? - Earl Hickey

reply

I agree with DrPruneSquallor. Gangster is pure antagonist; he has no redeeming feature and is a complete steroetype. His story reminds me a bit of Faust selling his soul to the devil. Gangster sold his to be the number one gangster.

my vessel is magnificent and large and huge-ish

reply

Sure it's to emphasize he is "no-one" - all the persona he values is constructed from somebody else. From the opening music to the clue in the title, it's just another way of demonstrating his vacancy as a person. The vacancy that eventually drives him destructively nuts.

I like that this movie seems to be about gangsters, but it's also making some good points about life. Don't pretend to be something you're not because it will always catch up with you, and all the money and power in the world will still suck if you've got nothing else. Gangster's character is extreme, but it applies whether you're a nutcase or not.

reply