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Often overlooked in Martin Scorsese‘s near flawless filmography is the 2002 period gangster flick, Gangs of New York, a picture of grittiness, grand set pieces, and a magnificent opening sequence that rivals that of any other movie. With an intriguing story set around gangsters in the older days of New York, and one of the most spectacular performances of Daniel Day-Lewis‘ career, it is a shame that it remains underappreciated as it is. It’s violent, intriguing, and even repulsive at times, but the artistry of one of cinema’s most revered individuals sews it together in true poetic fashion.
The events that unfold as the movie progresses is hinted at the very start, a move that masterfully brings the viewer to reflect and look back on the early minutes of the viewing experience. Bringing decades of expertise, and a knack for making the most out of every filmic image, Scorsese fleshes out the plot, the unbelievable set pieces, and the nuances of each character mere minutes into the beginning of this picture.
What Is ‘Gangs of New York’ About?
Gangs of New York tells the story of Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) of the Dead Rabbits, and his quest for vengeance against The Protestant Confederation of American Natives led by the fear-inducing Bill “The Butcher” Cutting. He bears witness to how the memory of the death of his father, Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson), is celebrated by “The Butcher”, and how some of their former comrades have switched sides. Infiltrating the ranks of the rival gang, along with forming a personal bond with “The Butcher”, Vallon patiently bides his time and waits for the right opportunity to strike. Unfortunately, his former friend Johnny Sirocco (Henry Thomas) becomes jealous of his relationship with Bill and reveals his plan. Kicked out of the gang through humiliation by Bill, Vallon returns to challenge for the control of The Five Points, with the culminating battle being disrupted by the Civil War draft riots. Vallon then avenges his father’s death by killing “The Butcher”, followed by a cinematic push in time visually depicting the meaninglessness of his victory in a fast-paced world.
‘Gangs of New York’s Opening Sequence Says It All
Aside from the obvious technical mastery, Scorsese’s opening shot in Gangs of New York encapsulates the whole narrative in one fell swoop. After a figurative passing of the torch, or in this case the awarding of a razor and the oath to denounce Satan, Priest Vallon goes on and the shot begins. Marching into battle, Priest holds the hands of Amsterdam with a walk of swagger, as if this is the most significant event in their lives. Immediately, the spectators become aware of the strong father and son bond that these two have. It then switches over to the point of view of Amsterdam, surveying the landscape with a look of childlike innocence, slowly withering away with each step closer to the field. His father is going to battle, and he is confident that he will be the victor, but his eyes show a miniscule amount of doubt. Only a few moments into the film, Scorsese has already planted the seeds of what is to be Amsterdam’s intentions, which the impending death of his father ultimately confirms.
This movement of the camera also introduces, in quick-fire fashion, the supporting characters that color the entire film. It is interesting to note that all the individuals who interact with Amsterdam in this shot betray their allegiance to the Dead Rabbits in one way or another. He exchanges a smile with Gary McGloin (Gary Lewis), one of his father’s most trusted companions, as he sharpens his weapon. The smile is comforting, hinting to the little boy that everything is going to be alright. It is a beguiling smile however, one of treachery and disloyalty. McGloin would eventually be one of Bill’s henchmen, and his grin was like that of a wolf who at the behest of selfishness would shed its sheep’s clothing.
He then sees a focused Jack Mulraney (John C. Reilly) fixing the ties to his weapons. He eventually walks together with them, facing Amsterdam with a determined look, one that seems to unnerve the child. It is as if this nervousness was already a foreshadowing of Mulraney’s defection, and Amsterdam’s unease with him only proves his instincts to be right. Amsterdam then exchanges pleasantries with Johnny, asking which side he is on, to which he answers “what do you think? The Dead Rabbits!”. Johnny later betraying him lays a blanket of intrigue on his initial question. It is with these interactions that Scorsese has unknowingly revealed the turncoats, and realizing this later on merits a repeat viewing of the picture.
A Scenic Coup D’Oeil
Aside from the engaging introductions to its characters, it also provides a breathtaking look into the scenery and massive set pieces Scorsese and his team built of mid-nineteenth century New York. Gangs of New York had the pleasure of being filmed in the Cinecitta studios in Rome, with a huge stretch of mid-nineteenth century buildings recreated and built from scratch just for this purpose. While the rest of the picture vividly provides the audience with images of the set’s artistry, an instance in the middle of the opening scene captures the sheer poverty and desperation of the Dead Rabbits whereabouts, supposedly where the immigrants and outcasts are placed. When the camera slowly pulls away to frame the massive interior of the slums and its numerous platforms, it manages to let the viewers understand the unsanitary and inhumane conditions they were living in, without the need for a single word.
The cherry on top is the acquainting of the audience with Walter “Monk” McGinn (Brendan Gleeson), a warrior who is in it for the money, and asks to be paid for each of his kills. More than a cheeky personality, this also foreshadows his real nature. McGinn is no warrior in the true essence of the word, but one who chases his selfish interests in the guise of glory, evidenced by his subsequent acceptance to run for Sheriff. As Vallon agrees to his demands, McGinn kicks the door open to the battlefield as the camera goes out of the door and reveals a field covered in freezing white snow. It changes the tone to that of dead silence, beautifully evoking the figurative calm before the storm. It is with this tonal shift that dictates how serious the consequences of this skirmish are, and the whiteness of the field soon to be blemished with a crimson mask of passion and violence.
More than this, the entire scene is a symbolic image tackling themes of religion and immigration. The denouncing of Satan by a group of catholics, literally led by a priest to fight against what they see is evil, with the door being kicked open by a monk to face the protestants. In the guise of a gangster epic’s opening scene, Scorsese manages to cinematically stage and represent one of the biggest schisms in religion.
How ‘Gang of New York’s Opening Compares to Scorsese’s Other Shots
Taken as a whole, these elements in the opening shot ultimately become essential to the picture’s unfolding story. With very few words, the audience has a myopia of the entire film, including the characters and their motivations. It is interesting to note that the opening sequence in Gangs of New York uses cues and objectives from several of Scorsese’s brilliant imagery in his previous works.
In hindsight, it is arguably a collage of intentions, a result of the combination of meanings derived from his usage of it in his other films. In Goodfellas, the famous Copacabana shot offers the spectators a treat to an overwhelming sensation of grandeur as Henry Hill and Karen traverse the jubilant halls of the renowned nightclub. In The Irishman, the camera slowly tracks its way to an old and decrepit Frank Sheeran as he battles old age with the dark secrets of his mob-affiliated existence. A shot of a massive train station in Hugo animates the sheer massiveness of the world and its occurrences relative to the perspective of a little boy named Hugo Cabret. Lastly, the climactic encapsulation in The Age of Innocence provides a grand look at the glorious set pieces and of the characters’ now true emotions and motivations, as felt by Newland Archer. While all of these are spectacular in their own right, Gangs of New York takes all of their laurels and presents it in a revitalized image of misplaced hope in a place of decadence.
In essence, Gangs of New York was not as acclaimed as some of his other pictures, but that doesn’t mean it is not a worthwhile watch. Through its epic scale and flamboyant representation of religious conflict, class warfare, and the passage of time, it deserves more recognition than what it currently receives. Its opening sequence is one of Scorsese’s finest, and it is only the tip of the iceberg in exploring and appreciating this violent and elegiac feat of a movie.
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