In American Gangster by Ridley Scott, the film uses Frank Lucas’s rise to power to expose how race and systemic inequality shape the pathways to opportunity in America. Set in the 1960s and 1970s, a period marked by deep racial segregation, limited economic mobility for Black communities, and discriminatory policing, the story shows that legitimate routes to success are often inaccessible to men like Lucas. His decision to build an illicit drug empire becomes not just a personal choice but a commentary on the restricted avenues society offers to marginalise groups.
Lucas’s business methods, strategic thinking, and discipline mirror those of successful corporate leaders, yet he is pushed to operate outside the system because the system was never designed to include him. The film ultimately suggests that when society denies fair access to wealth and dignity, individuals may turn to alternative, often dangerous, routes to claim the success they have been barred from attaining. In this way, American Gangster exposes the connection between racial inequality and the criminal economies that emerge in its shadows. “Success has enemies” is a phrase said by Frank Lucas as he discovers that as he becomes more successful, he gains more enemies who are jealous of his success. More so, most of the already present gang leaders were shocked to find out that he was a black man dominating the streets. This showcases the stereotypes already present and how much society questioned Lucas’ success.
Works Cited:
American Gangster. Directed by Ridley Scott, Universal Pictures, 2007.
