B. Data Analysis
1. The Kinds of Crime Presented in American Gangster Movie and How do Their Connection with Montero and McDowell’s Theory
From the data description above, the writer would like to analyze them by using Montero and McDowell’s approach.
a. Victimless Crime
Based on the approach of Montero and McDowells, Victimless crime might be categorized as a sinful or immoral behavior which does not engage directly object as the victim but it is still a
kind of action that breaking the law of the society or constitution of the country. The phenomenon of Victimless crime that could be analyzed in the movie is shown by the
picture below;
00:21:40, Frank’s Family and Colleagues were injecting heroin at each other in their
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own hidden post. The Boy: Thanks Girl, it is America.
The Girl: Thank Frank The Boy: Thanks Frank While looking at Frank who was sitting beside him
The Girl: Just relax You have to do this several times. Vice hauled down its quality and then sell it.
The Boy: I don’t wanna say anything because the price is right, but the heroin in Vietnam is better for me.
It was categorized as victimless crime because the scene showed the Frank’s colleagues used the drugs and narcotics at their secret place. Based on the theory of Montero and McDowell,
the action was not directly included a person as a victim but it was still kind of crime because breaking the law and norm which majority of society know that is such kind an “immoral” or
“sinful” behavior. The other performance of the Victimless crime in American Gangster is in the action
00:37:15. The capture of the action could be shown by the picture below;
00:37:15: The newest version of heroin which is called “Blue magic” that was bought by Frank from Vietnam was spread widely and rapidly in America. Peoples use it freely in their party.
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The scene showed since the coming of “Blue Magic”, the use of Drugs, narcotics and Heroin in America was going crazier than before. They inserted and mixed it into the kinds of food
such as Milk for Baby, Flour, Wheat, etc that caused the increasing number of disease and death in Harlem.
This case caused unstable elements of the society, be it in Economy and Social condition. Many Companies experience the total loss, the babies died, the teens became addictive and
experience mental illness, the broken social stabilization and the number of crime also increased because of many people murder at each other to get the money to buy heroin and consumed it in
their daily activities. It was also kind of victimless crime because based on Montero and McDowell’s theory,
although the action didn’t have a direct person as a victim, but it causes the various loss of the society, especially the Economical loss because person uses all the kinds of method to get the
narcotics when they were addictive and they loss much money and other financial loss.
b. White Collar Crime
According to the explanation of the theory of Montero and McDowells, White Collar Crime could be defined as the malfeasance of public officials, corruption, graft, payoffs, and a general
abuse of political power.
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Those actions such corruption, graft, payoffs etc might be done by individual or collective. This
36Montero, McDowell, Social Problems new York: Mcmillan Publishing Company, 1986, p.397 29
phenomenon could be seen in the action when Frank was in the International Chemical Bank, in the safety deposit Room with the man looks like a banker. The movie captures is in the evidence below:
00:20:13; Frank gave the bribe to the man Bumpy’s banker Frank: get yourself a new suit while gave him a lot of money
That was keys turn the locks of safety-deposit box, the lids lifts revealing decks of cash. Frank takes it all out, slips one slender packet into Bumpy’s banker’s jacket pocket.
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He did it in order to make easier the process of the procedures of his travelling to Bangkok to buy much number
of high level heroins, called Blue magic. That was the kind of White-collar crime because Frank bribes the man who was a banker or
the person that can make his process of going to Thailand to be easier. According to Montero ad McDowell, bribegraft, corruption and other illegal money are the kinds of white-collar crime
because it seems to benefit the person who was bribed or received money but actually it was crime
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because actually it is something unfair let people to breaking the law to do their illegal business. It can cause the bad reputation of the country if the case was known by the government of other
country that will be visited by the doer of crime. The other performance of white-collar crime was Frank when in Bangkok. After he did the
agreement of heroin transaction with the General, before left Bangkok, He gave Nate bribe money to cover the fee for the process of delivering heroin from Bangkok to America.
It could be shown by the performance and the dialogue below;
00:29:06; Frank gave the bribe money to Nate Nate: Fifty grand. In advance, that’ll cover them, the pilots and the guys on the other end.
Frank: Give them a hundred. Nate: Fifty, to cover them all.
Frank: a hundred. And it’s all I got left. So if that dope doesn’t arrive, for whatever reason embraced Nate and whispered. Cousin no cousin – don’t let me down.
He holds out a business envelope fat with money. Nate hesitates, knowing Frank has just said he’ll kill him if things don’t go right, and then takes it.
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Nate: I’ll let you know when it is in the air.
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Besides of it, there is the other performance to show the phenomenon of white-collar crime presented in this movie. It was shown by the dialogue between Frank and Charlie in Frank’s
penthouse in the Christmas night. The dialogue is below; 00:23:49
Frank: bribed Johny Law the police is important, it’s no problem. I have paid on the police since I was ten years old, but my money could send more their children to school than
National Marriage Award, it was different while arranged the Christmas tree.
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The Dialogue told that Frank himself has realized that he has done the practice of bribe kind of white collar-crime since he was child. He spoke that bribing the police was something
usual for him, even more it could help the police to pay the study of their children in the school. Those two evidences also showed the phenomenon of bribe in America that was done by
Frank Lucas when he was at Bangkok. It was being his habit even since he was a child as he said in the dialogue above.
d. Organized Crime
Another kind of crime based on Montero and McDowell’s theory is organized crime. As the writer stated before, based on Montero and McDowell, Organized crime is the business of
providing customers with illicit goods and services in return for extremely high profits. Its illegal enterprises include gambling probably its primary source of income, narcotics, prostitution,
38 ibid 39 Ib id
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pornography, and business of labor racketeering.
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It means that all kinds of collective and organized illegal enterprises in purpose to get high profits from the customers could be classified as organized crime.
There are some performances of organized crime shown in the movie. They were almost all kind of Heroin and narcotics Business related to Frank Lucas. The scene and dialogues are below;
00:27:47; Frank Lucas entered the Bamboo dwelling in opium farm in the back country of Bangkok. He talked with the General and explained his purpose of coming then doing the
transaction of heroin trading. General: How would you get it into the states?
Frank: what do you care? General: who do you work for in there?
Frank: what do you care? General: who are you really?
40 Montero, McDowell, Social Problems New York: Mcmillan Publishing Company, 1986, p.393 33
Frank: it says right there, Frank Lucas. General: I mean, who do you represent?
Frank: Me. The man doesn’t believe it, but lets it go.
General: you think you are going to take a hundred kilos of heroin into the US and you don’t work for anyone? Someone is going to allow that?
Frank shrugs; the general regards one of men. Chinese, subtitled: General: I don’t believe a word of this.
The General regards the cash and paperwork again for a moment. And, to Frank: General: after this first purchase, if you’re not killed by Marseilles importers – or their
people in the States – then what? Frank: Then there’d be more. On a regular basis, though I’d rather not have to drag my ass
all the way up here every time. The man regards frank for a long moment, the cash and paperwork again. Finally –
General: of course not.
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It was in the processing center for the entire region. The Thai translator is with frank to negotiate with a vanquished Chinese general. Other Americans and Thais guard them while the
Chinese with their CIA advisors guard them. In the Bamboo Dwelling – later – day, the Chinese General examines Frank’s papers –
passport, visa, bank receipts – and lots of cash – then studies Frank. He questioned about Frank’s profile and his purpose of coming. The General didn’t believed that was Frank Lucas, a Godfather
who was very brave as representation of himself heroin business, directly coming to his opium farm in Bangkok to bought a very huge number high class of heroin.
Those dialogues represent the kind of organized crime in Bangkok. It was an opium farm in
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the back country of Bangkok and nobody knows that is an Opium Farm who looked a very professional and simple company completed with the main General, the translator, and the other
staffs with all of the procedures of coming and transaction of heroin trading. Another performance of organized crime is related to the main job and business of Frank
and Bumpy the X-Frank’s Boss. The scene and dialogue could be seen in the evidence below;
00:46:05, Frank and the Family is walking down the street. Frank told them about his business organization that has been existed for many years.
Frank: Man I worked for managed the biggest organization in New York city and even more than sixty years. 15 Years, 8 Months, 9 Days I worked for him, protected him, kept him and
learn about many things from him. Bumpy was rich but not as rich as white man. He thought that organization was belong to him, but he was just organized it.
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In the evidence above, Frank told his family about his Bumpy’s organized business in selling heroin that has been existed for more than 60 years. In the other words, it could be assumed
42Ibid
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that Bumpy is a very professional person in doing this job until more than 60 years and he want him and his family continues what Bumpy has done for more than 60 years and he has worked there for
15 years, 6 months and 9 days. He wants this organization still exist and become the big resources for getting income in
their life to be rich man as many white men have done. Through this evidence, it has been clear what the business organization that Frank has done
with Bumpy and he wanted to continue and exist is the kind of organized crime. It was classified
as organized crime because based on the theory of Montero and McDowell, it is the business of providing customers with illicit goods and services in return for extremely high profits. It is an
illegal enterprise of narcotics and heroin. They bought, produced and mixed it into the milk and other kind of food.
Lately, the American society life became very dangerous, many of Americans became addicted users of heroin and the number of disease and death was dramatically increased.
The third performance of organized crime also could be seen in the scene and dialogue below;
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00:04:56; Detective Trupo rebuked Frank Lucas to remind him about the production sharing of their Business organization which they have done corporately.
The Lincoln and security cars and Trupo’s Shelby parked. Frank: stay in the car say to Ana
As Frank and Doc climb out, Frank motions to his other security men to remain calm, he’ll handle this.
Trupo: Hello, Frank. If Frank is surprised Trupo knows his name, he doesn’t show it, or anything else except an
air of professional courtesy. Frank: detective.
Trupo looks in at Ana in the back seat, smiles at her. She turns her away and closes the door. Trupo leads Frank away for a private conversation.
Trupo: are you sure you done the right thing? She’s beautiful girl – there’s no question – but she’s got an attitude on her –
Frank: Listen to me. Before you say another word – about her – or me – remember that you’re saying iot on the most important fuckin day of my life.
Trupo: man walks around in a fifty thousand dollar chinchilla coat and he never even bought me a cup of coffee? Something wrong there.
Frank: I don’t know what you’re talking about. Trupo: you pay your bills, Frank?
Frank: you want to keep talking; talk to my lawyer, here’s his card. You call him, because
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we’re done here. – Trupo: do you pay your bills, I asked you.
Frank: if you’re not getting your share, it’s not my fault; go ask the chief of police. Trupo: what’s my share? You don’t even know me. Maybe I’m special.
Frank: No, you’re all the fuckin same.
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The evidence above shows the cooperation of heroin business organization which leads by Trupo is unfair. Trupo who has an agreement with Frank to share the profits from that business, was
disappointed because Frank didn’t share it with Trupo, even he forgot him. This is also the kind of organized crime in the business of producing heroin between Trupo
and Frank. Both of them cooperated to do this business together, even include the police like frank said in the dialogue. Why this is the kind of ‘crime’? Because they cheated the society by mixing
the heroin into the product of foods suck baby milk, drinking water, etc. In addition, in relation to their kind of business organization, caused by their business is an
illegal enterprise of narcotic and heroin. In doing this crime, the police also include in it. Another performance of Organized crime also could be seen in the scene 00:37:25 below:
43 Ib id 38
00:37:25 showed the phenomenon of prostitution in Harlem. Beside consumed the heroin, they also often did free sex party in Prostitution Place in
Harlem. They often celebrated the heroin and sex party with their friends and community. The doers include adults and teenagers.
The writer analyze based on Montero and McDowell’s approach on their “conflict approach” which explained about the influence of dominant group in the society that has a power
within the society, those scenes and dialogues of organized crime above were caused by the organization of Bumpy managed by Frank Lucas in Harlem.
The writer thought, Frank Lucas could be exist in Harlem and influence the society through the business of drugs and narcotics, manipulate the other companies, built the prostitution place,
influence almost the society to work with him to do that illegal business, and other cause of his organization could be happened because Frank Lucas Bumpy in 1971 in the Film, is the most
dominant group in Harlem society.
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Why they were considered as the “dominant” people? Because the business organization of Bumpy has been exist for many years ago and the society knew it was the organization that benefit
them because could give them the job, no matter what kind of job they got, what they know is Bumpy is the “hero” that brought them to the freedom, happiness and to do all kinds of crime
without the prohibition from any people. They didn’t realize that their cooperation with Bumpy causes the loss in their life. They got
the financial loss when they were addicted by narcotics and drugs, their life seems without civilization by prostitution and violence everywhere, even they loss their colleagues and family
because they often murdered at each other. They are examples of the clear influence of “dominant people” in the “conflict approach”
according to Montero and McDowell’s theory. It was true that “dominant people” has the power to do everything within the society, because they could greatly influence other people especially the
people which was called “minority” in the society.
d. Violent crime
According to Montero and McDowell’s theory, Crimes of violence include robbery, aggravated assault, rape, and murder. It is largely a phenomenon of large cities. The offenders are
young males, often between the ages of 15 and 24.
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Talking about violent crime could be the most often appearance performed in this movie
44 Montero and McDowell 1986, op. cit. p.400 40
because the movie itself talked about the phenomenon of crime in America, especially in Harlem in 1971. But in order to be more effective, the writer will not take it all into this paper. There will just
several of the most important evidences, performances and dialogues to show the kinds of violent crime in this movie.
The performances of violent crime in American Gangster the movie could be shown by these cut of movie picture and dialogues;
00:01:15; after flushed by kerosene, Bumpy and Frank burned the man’s body then fired a pistol right on the man’s head.
There’s not much dialogue in this action, because it is the first performance in the beginning of the movie. This horrible performance showed directly the character of Bumpy and Frank in the
movie. It showed that Bumpy and frank were cruel people or the godfather who are very brave to do the murder. So, it is easy to be classified that it is the kind of violent crime.
Based on writer analysis, from the performance scene of the picture above, it can be
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assumed that violent crime is the action of crime who engage the direct object as the victim of the crime action, because it was clearly seen that there is a people hurt directly. For more detail
explanation of the scenes and their correlation with the theory could be read in the end of the last scene of violent crime.
The other performance of violent crime showed in the movie is in the performance and dialogue below:
00:48:04; Frank fired the pistol right on the Tango’s head. Tango: Go away from here, what fuck you gonna do Frank?, you gonna shut me in front of
every body? Hah? Come on… Frank directly shut the pistol right on the Tango’s head
The Tango now is fucking dead.
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The picture and dialogue above also showed the kind of violent crime that was done by
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Frank Lucas to the man called Tango. The Tango at first looked like didn’t believe and didn’t afraid of Frank. He looked like thought that Frank will never brave to shut him in front of the peoples in
the market, but everybody there was so frightened by Frank’s action who shut the Pistol right on the Tango’s head.
The other performance of violent crime that writer thought as an important data to be inserted is in the evidence below;
00:26:29; a man tried to kill Frank and his wife when both of them in front of the restaurant for having dinner.
A man shut the gun to Frank’s car, and there was his wife inside of it, Frank directly run to cover and hold his wife. Doc ran to the outside of the restaurant and shut the pistol to 2 men in the
car but they rapidly ran away. Doc: hey, are you alright? Walked to help Frank
Frank: Oh, shit While hold his wife’s body. Are you alright baby?, come on while got up and help his wife to get up and back home.
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Through the picture above, it could be seen that there was also the kind of violent crime. Although Frank himself was a godfather and the doer of crime, but in that night he and especially
his wife became a target of victim by the people who wanted to kill them. They shut the gun to Frank’s car to kill Frank’s wife, no matter they did it caused of revenged, angriness or something
else. There was still another violent crime that presented in this movie. It could be shown by this
picture;
00:16:452; Huey Frank’s cousin was stroked by Frank because of hiding some heroin in the baggage to be sold to get the profit for himself.
Huey: I’m sorry Frank Frank: never mind, get into the car With his cold and angry face
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That was also the kind of violent crime because Huey was stroked by Frank after frank knew that he had hidden some of heroin in the baggage to be sold and to get the profit for himself
only. Although Huey was still Frank’s partner in crime, but in this case he was being the victim of Frank’s violence when Frank knew that Huey wasn’t fair to him as his Boss.
From those four scenes of the kind of violent crime, it was very clear that Frank Lucas did violence to almost people easily. Because of his cruel action, his colleagues that want to revenge
because of manipulated by him. So they also want to murder Frank Lucas. Violent crime is the most often and easiest action to be categorized as the crime because it
includes direct people as the victim. It even doesn’t need the more detail explanation because violence could be seen easily through see the action. For example, without telling anything, people
easily know that “murder” is the kind of violent crime when they see the evidence and when they see the victim directly.
The writer found that was the most often phenomenon of crime appeared in the movie. Back to the “conflict approach” of Montero and McDowell’s theory, the violence in Harlem in the
film often happened also because of Frank Lucas organization as the people which was considered as “dominant people”. Because of the assumption as the “dominant group”, Frank seems to be
arrogant because of the power that he has as the head of Gangster in Harlem. The writer argued that because of he felt he has the power and influence in Harlem and
nobody stronger than him, he easily murder people, even in front of everybody. He was not afraid of anything and ready for all the consequences that he might get later.
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CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
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