Chrissy Moltisanti was always one of the more relatable characters to the fans of 'The Sopranos', for his love of movies reflected ours. We 'got high off that popcorn smell at Blockbusters' just as he did, and we laugh and empathise with him as he struggles to pen his first screenplay -a tale of a rising footsoldier and his conflicting loyalties inspired by his experiences in 'the Tony Soprano Crew'. He yearns to make it big in Hollywood and in the Mafia, his subsequent chase for the dollar swayed by his lust for fame over criminal enterprise.
Yes, it would be right to say that this was the first 'Chrissy episode' as well as the first in which we realised the very real threat the feds presented to the crew. Tony uses the Green Grove retirement community to hide his 'earnings' from the FBI amid rumour of imminent indictments. It is an episode especially rife with pop cultural references to 'GoodFellas' (the wedding scene and the noteworthy 'hold-up' at the bakers), itself a huge influence on the tone -and cast- of the show.
The references are referred to themselves when Jennifer Melfi, played by 'GoodFellas' star Lorraine Bracco herself, tries to enjoy a traditional Italian dinner with her family (ex-husband Michael and son Jason). It is here where she is confronted by Michael with the inappropriate nature of her relationship with a certain TS. David Chase puts his views on the Italian-American Ant-Defamation lobby boldly on display: espousing through his characters his belief that the twenty-million Italo-Americans with no involvement in the mob should be proud that staples such as pizza, pasta, cappuccinos and 'GoodFellas' are cherished by so many of their fellow countrymen.
Instead, he suggests they should act more like "the Scotch-Irish {and stop} pissin' and moanin' about being portrayed as cowboys and cattle rustlers", or in their case, Mafiosi and Don Corleone's. Or go and 'piss and moan' to Tony Soprano, if you've got the cojones.
In an episode concerning Italian-American identity, Chris complains of having none -no character arc as his screen writing books put it. You have to develop your character first, Chrissy.
Yes, it would be right to say that this was the first 'Chrissy episode' as well as the first in which we realised the very real threat the feds presented to the crew. Tony uses the Green Grove retirement community to hide his 'earnings' from the FBI amid rumour of imminent indictments. It is an episode especially rife with pop cultural references to 'GoodFellas' (the wedding scene and the noteworthy 'hold-up' at the bakers), itself a huge influence on the tone -and cast- of the show.
The references are referred to themselves when Jennifer Melfi, played by 'GoodFellas' star Lorraine Bracco herself, tries to enjoy a traditional Italian dinner with her family (ex-husband Michael and son Jason). It is here where she is confronted by Michael with the inappropriate nature of her relationship with a certain TS. David Chase puts his views on the Italian-American Ant-Defamation lobby boldly on display: espousing through his characters his belief that the twenty-million Italo-Americans with no involvement in the mob should be proud that staples such as pizza, pasta, cappuccinos and 'GoodFellas' are cherished by so many of their fellow countrymen.
Instead, he suggests they should act more like "the Scotch-Irish {and stop} pissin' and moanin' about being portrayed as cowboys and cattle rustlers", or in their case, Mafiosi and Don Corleone's. Or go and 'piss and moan' to Tony Soprano, if you've got the cojones.
In an episode concerning Italian-American identity, Chris complains of having none -no character arc as his screen writing books put it. You have to develop your character first, Chrissy.