Why has the Italian Mafia been so romanticized?

We all love a good villain.

Why not a caricature of real villains to make us feel better about their actual existence?

I don’t know. What I do know is that I’d rather choke on my own vomit then have to watch The Godfather again.

The Italians are romantic people. And all those movies probably helped.

Damn those sexy, romantic mobsters ;)

Because they carry on more like a family than other criminal organizations seem to, with all the personal issues and interactions of a real family.

I think hollywood did with the whole, you can come after me but not my family business. Plus the mafia back in the day was big with prohibition, gambling and night clubs with hookers and the loan sharks. Everything we have today only now its legal. So people don’t see what they did as bad. We have, gambling, liquor (all you can want) night clubs with prostitutes and the credit card industry with their 30 percent. Sure you don’t get your leg broken but after you file bankruptcy you couldn’t get a loan to save your life, So you just pay till you die.