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Gangsters of North Jersey
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From Little Caesar to American Gangster, gangster movies have enthralled audiences the world over for nearly a century. Whether it's the experience of living vicariously through glamourous (and dangerous) lives of the films' antiheroes, or contemplating the sociological implications of organized crime, the allure of gangster films cannot be denied.
The history of the gangster movie can be traced back to the early days of the Silent Film era, when the industry was still in its infancy and studios started cropping up near the Palisades, in Fort Lee, NJ.
The Musketeers of Pig Alley, film historians agree, was the cinema's first gangster movie. Written and directed by silent film icon D.W. Griffith, The Musketeers of Pig Alley was filmed in Fort Lee in 1912, with several scenes shot on the borough's Main Street.
The film stars Lillian Gish, and features one of the first screen appearances of Harry Carey, as the porkpie hat wearing sidekick of the film's main antagonist, Snapper Kid (leader of the Musketeer Gang), played by Elmer Booth.
Over the course of its 17-minute running time, Musketeers tells the story of a musician and his wife living in New York City. While on his way back from a gig, the musician is robbed in the eponymous Pig Alley by Snapper Kid and his sidekick. Later, during an unrelated shootout the musician happens upon, he recognizes Snapper Kid in the melee and decides he wants his stolen money back.
Besides being notable as the first gangster film, Musketeers also features one of the first uses of follow focus.
Nearly 80 years later, in homage to the birthplace of the gangster film, Martin Scorsese would film portions of his mobster epic Goodfellas in Fort Lee. The house owned by Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta) in the film is located on Inwood Terrace in Fort Lee. HBO's The Sopranos also filmed scenes within the borough, bringing the history of the gangster film full circle.
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