The Penguinis a show that knows its genre. By treating audiences tosubtle comic book referencesand plenty of nerve-wracking negotiations,Lauren LeFranc’sseries expertlybalances the mythology of Gotham City with all the hallmarks of a classic gangster movie, leveraging its setting’s gritty reputation to deliver a hybrid in the superhero age. The show’s creators have made no secret of their inspirations, with executive producerMatt ReevescitingAl Pacino’sScarfaceas an influence on Oz’s (Colin Farrell)character development, but this week’s episode goes even furtherby exploringThe Penguin’sthematic linksto the go-to classic of American crime,The Godfather.
Oz’s Monologue in ‘The Penguin’ Episode 3 Calls Back to ‘The Godfather’s Opening Scene
This connection occurs towards the latter half ofThe PenguinEpisode 3, “Bliss”.After discovering Victor’s (Rhenzy Feliz) plans to leave Gotham with his old girlfriend, Graciela (Anire Kim Amoda), Oz launches into a tirade about howorganized crime is his sidekick’s best opportunity to gain a better lifethan his father, who did everything the right way only to be washed away by the Riddler’s (Paul Dano) flood inthe episode’s opening flashback. This monologue also connects to Victor and Oz’s conversation at a high-class restaurant halfway through “Bliss,” during whichOz insists the American dream is a hustle that fails honest men, and taken together, the supervillain’s arguments directly mirror the monologue inThe Godfather’siconic opening scene.
Francis Ford Coppola’sclassic crime epic famously begins by dissecting the idea of America, withSalvatore Corsitto’sBonasera recounting how the traditional justice system failed to punish the men who beat his daughter close to death. As a result, Bonasera seeks outMarlon Brando’scat-loving Don Vito Corleoneon the day of his daughter’s wedding to do what the government refuses, demonstrating howorganized crime families can fight for the rights of the people when American authorities do nothing.The Penguinalready alludes to this kind of old-fashioned arrangement with Oz’s description ofRex Calabrese in Episode 1, butOz’s speech to Victor ultimately doubles down on this romantic view of the Mafiaby claiming crime is the only way for Victor to make his way in an otherwise uncaring world.
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‘The Penguin’s Callback to ‘The Godfather’ Highlights the Temptations of a Criminal Life
In many ways, the events ofThe PenguinEpisode 3 also reaffirm the perspective that the series picks up from the first minutes ofThe Godfather,demonstrating America’s broken justice system while simultaneously playing up the perks of being a criminal. The generous salary and high-class meals Oz gifts to Victor are a far cry from the latter’s desperate state in Episode 1. Victor’s bribe to a police officer early in the episode delivers on the corruption for which Gotham is famously known. Combined with Oz’s fiery conviction,this blend of material temptation and urban disillusionment ultimately convinces Victor to remain in Gothamandsave his mentor in the final minutes ofThe PenguinEpisode 3, underscoring the powerful allure of Oz’s promises.
The appeal of a gangster’s life isn’t solely confined toThe Penguineither. As a testament to the show’s inspirations,Victor’s dilemma is a play on a classic trope of mob dramas — the criminal seduction.Think Henry Hill’s (Ray Liotta) one-shot take walking throughthe Copacabana nightclub inGoodfellasorRobert De Niro’sFrank Sheeran receiving some impossibly helpful legal assistance at the beginning ofThe Irishman. In both cases,belonging to a criminal organization grants the main character access to glamorous and otherwise unreachable resources, and Oz’s success in bringing Victor into the life is merely the latest example of a character being seduced by the same support system that makesThe Godfather’sopening scene satisfying.
Yet, just asThe Godfatherlater contrasts its opening with the bloody realities of organized crime, Oz’s romantic facade has already shown signs of cracking. His brutal command that Victor lies in an open grave for the victims ofEpisode 2’s Falcone family dramademonstratesthe cruel lengths he’s willing to go to teach his protégé a lesson. The fact that Victor seemingly loses all the money he earned during his bribery suggeststhe criminal life may take as much from him as it provides. That said,The Penguin’sconnections toThe Godfather’ssocial commentary still honor the spirit of Hollywood’s long history of gangster movies, even if Victor may soon be in need of an undertaker himself.
The Penguinis available to stream on Max in the U.S. New Episodes air every Sunday night.
The Penguin
It follows the transformation of Oswald Cobblepot from a disfigured nobody to a noted Gotham gangster.
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