The Irishman | Is Frank Sheeran a Sociopath?

this video is brought you by mu B a curated online cinema streaming exceptional films from around the globe get one month free at MU be calm slash the discard image if you're interested in a more casual discussion about the irishman then make sure to check out our latest podcast featuring myself and my co-writer slash editor lewis as meadow [Music] ace Rothstein Travis Bickel Jordan Belfort Henry Hill these are all men with a twisted sense of right and wrong they won't let anything stand in the way of what they want Scorsese's previous gangster movies were told with kinetic editing and cinematography to show you what attracts the characters to this brash wild world before the inevitable comeuppance after all Scorsese once wanted to be a priest this Irishman is cut from a similar cloth to those men but his nature isn't quite the same Frank Sheeran is a different kind of fellow as far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster instead of Henry's childhood desire we have a less enthusiastic aphorism where each each one of us I call me get your shine box this hitman never kills people because of a personal slide it's tricky business Scorsese's gangsters are stuck in a wheel of money and stares but those don't seem to hold the same appeal to Frank he doesn't fly as close to the Sun as those other protagonists do [Music] violence was different in Scorsese's prior gangster films - it was vicious the type of violence that has shocked both the audience as well as any characters with a shred of a moral core in the irishman violence his profession and pragmatics you simply paint houses and do the carpentry typical blue-collar vocations once Frank gets his first gig as an interior designer school says he begins to use repetitive imagery to show how routine it is for this man in no moment that he seemed to have second thoughts about the killing could one classify Frank as a complete sociopath or does he carry the burden of his crimes beneath the surface it's not the easiest question to answer because as Jimmy Hoffa says the Frank you never reveal life you know [Music] but to get closer to the answer of who this Irishman is there's a few places to look at like Scorsese's editing the only person who seems to truly know Frank to the extent anyone can is Russell Bufalino a fellow killer and the connection is mutual when crazy Joe insulted Russ Frank dealt with Oh Joey [Music] when they sat down the pair only had to share a look that look meant a trip down under and both of them knew it I would just one cut we the audience knew it too now if that in mind let's go back to the moment when they first got to know each other little ballet model Amorim know nothing tell you to bring some prisoners into the woods you know what they don't tell you what to do it's obvious they're forming upon you but when Frank tells the story about killing POWs in cold blood Russ has this look Russell he took a shine to me right away it's apparent white took a shine to Frank if the previous cut made it clear that Russ wanted Frank to kill on his behalf cutting on that look reveals that their relationship is based on Frank's ability to do just that kill on command he knows Frank will follow orders without question you got orders you follow them and most importantly he'll do it for a cause the killing vocation he developed in the war brings him another family in the Mafia and yet another in Hoffa I heard you paint houses they also lose him into hafez fight yes I would whatever you need me to do I'm available [Music] thought I was talking to General Patton it's no coincidence that Frank's constantly alluding to the war he was assigned to be on patterns killer division in those days the average GI saw 80 days of active combat Frank saw 411 it doesn't seem like he ever came back from the war like fellow veteran Travis he sees civil society as just another bell ground if anyone wanted to get Frank on board they just had to give him a mission and a purpose just show it to him don't use it he'd get it done it could be small-time laundry sabotage torch or aiding a major political figure in America big business and the government yes I can sir all right Frank soul might not have been irrevocably lost in the war notice how he tells the POWs story now you know you got orders you file and they tell you to bring some president prisoners into the woods you know and he stammers he seemed shaken and possibly remorseful [Music] meeting Russ on this road put him on a path to destroy whoever was left of his goodness he's the one they'll lead him into moral bankruptcy on a road to spiritual damnation it's crazy but I never understood how they just keep digging Frank doesn't understand his own choices any more than those men who followed orders straight to the grave he does the same his only choice is between the men he'll follow into war offer or Russ there is genuine love for both you can see it in this biblical Last Supper that mimics their first meal or in this embrace where Frank holds on for a second too long he's not incapable of sentiment but there's no love without calculation tonight to present the sword to my dear friend mr. Frank Sheeran Oh Frank's big night he's honored with a speech from Hoffa and a gold watch and Russ gives him this ring which is supposed to be a symbol of his power in fact is a symbol of who's master Frank serves and Frank's big night is anything but his looks here are similar to those of his daughter Peggy it's a reminder of how powerless they are to the violence that has to be committed even if in Frank's case is by his own hand so he carries out the deed choosing Russ choosing the Mafia choosing life leaving his soul behind killing offer a away him to the grave [Music] Frank's grief is palpable in his confession to the priest any any remorse for the families families he claims it's all water under the dam he doesn't put faces to the pain empathy requires work and while being able to feel what someone else feels is an essential quality in civilian life it's life-threatening in the Mafia ranks or in the war so Frank's empathy is barely visible but it's telling they still can't forget offers murder and in modena shut mourn they know the nature of the film structure demands that he moved through history at far 3 yet the killing of Hoffa is spread out across the whole film in more minut detail this is a memoir after all he remembers most vividly the day he killed his friend and his own family in the process it's the one day that truly got through to it was not more complicated than in comparison he has four words about his wife dying lung cancer not surprised if the portrayal of hoppers murder was marked by its abundance the time devoted to his family is telling me scars in The Godfather Part 2 De Niro played a man who genuinely did what he did to protect the family he loved when Frank says he did it for family it sounds like empty words and I wasn't a good dad I know that I know I was just trying to protect her protect all use that's what I was doing that's much has been written critiquing Anna Paquin's scarce lines but it's obvious Scorsese chose to highlight Frank's relationship with his family or lack of a relationship in a different way than his mafia life his family appears briefly but when it does it's a statement a few words finally crack his icy veneer and open him up to a world of her why why what why Joe in Scorsese's previous gangster films the family life is well chaotic but you know at least there's some passion there Frank's love life seems practically non-existent and compared Peggy looking appalled her father about to commit violence with care insurance Lomo thrilled at the sight of bloodshed I gotta admit the truth it turned me on what separates Frank's family from the traditional mafia clan is that they are not on board Frank he didn't mean it the man Frank's first wife seems distraught with the idea of him hurting him and when she figures out that Frank is involved in some shady business we get one of the most flamboyant camera moves in the film that's the last time we see her she's not accomplice no wife number two she's all in [Music] Church and family are the mafia gospel so Stauf shalt kill and steal first followed by the inevitable absolution from the Good Book Frank doesn't live by that gospel but he wants to die by looking for family and absolution in the end but it's unclear if he does it out of love and faith or practicality after all Frank has always been defined by his pragmatism and at death's door Wells could he do to improve his prospects the question is does he truly repent funk or like that he does feel something for that phone call but it sounds like it's more because he appeared weak than any compassion for the family a family who's suffering he does nothing to appease [Music] he's more loyal to the street code of ethics than a moral code of his own Frank never owned his destiny he was just a cog in the wheels of history he followed orders and lived this life without making his own decisions he's leaving it by making one final choice the color of his coffin but does he truly own his final step towards oblivion or is Frank Sheeran picking green simply because he is Martin Scorsese I'm sure you're aware has been very vocal about what constitutes cinema these days so I can only imagine the great maestro would be a fan of this video sponsor mu B Scorsese's influences range far and wide to Old Hollywood classics from directors like Hitchcock and John Ford to world cinema particularly from Italy with filmmakers like Roberto Rossellini and Federico Fellini these are all the sorts of cinema you will find on movies platform movie are dedicated to providing a service that gives people access to an eclectic wide variety of film from across the globe they're great curators I always trust though ever is on that platform is gonna be worth looking at I don't have to endlessly scroll for something that piques my interest I always find something I want to watch so head over to movie calm slash the discarded image for your 30 day extended free troll of course thanks to my patreon supporters in particular the new ones that have recently signed up we are very happy to have you on board and that's it from me see you soon I think I wanted to start off this discussion on the Irishman with where the hell was de niro's Oscar nomination the love of this was his best performance since he became an actor

Channel: The Discarded Image

Views: 280,332

Keywords: The Irishman, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, The Irishman Video Essay, Martin Scorsese video essay, Goodfellas video essay, Casino video essay, Goodfellas analysis, Irishman analysis

Id: kmjTLbZ8UJY

Length: 14min 39sec (879 seconds)

Published: Mon Jan 27 2020