Different individuals, groups, and institutions in various American films are defined and redefined over time, bringing into question the issue of what it means to be a "good, normal American." Some films confront this issue head-on, while others imply an answer in the way they depict either society as a whole or a fringe group or sub-culture in that society. An examination of several American films will show how this is accomplished and how the definition of an American shifts over time.
Public Enemy (1931) depicts the Prohibition era in American history, an era that in some ways tested what it meant to be a normal American. While a certain behavior--drinking alcohol--was proscribed by law, it was also an activity indulged in by or and ore Americans who seemed to enjoy the illicit nature of the activity. One of the consequences of Prohibition was the empowerment and enrichment of an organized criminal class that would continue in operation once Prohibition was ended by simply shifting to other criminal enterprises that would also be profitable. Tom Powers is part of this beginning of organized crime. He is an American with criminal tendencies--it is evident that though he comes from a tough neighborhood, his criminality is always within him. He becomes a criminal and a killer because he likes it and not because of dire economic need. The good, normal American is his brother, who puts himself through college and works toward the American dream on the right side of the law. In some ways, though, the brother is more than a good, normal American, with a saintly air that places him above that level. The good normal American in the film is the average joe who buys the beer and alcohol sold by men like Tom Powers. The good, normal American is the one whose minor criminality in drinking supports the creation of this criminal class. These people constitute the majority, the average person who means no harm but who contributes to ...