What exactly does being "made" mean? Sorry if this sounds stupid. Besides Billy Batts, who else is made in movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas? Once again sorry if this sounds stupid

Well Mike becomes "made" (in a way) when he shoots Sollozzo and McClusky in GF. Being made is basically like the final initiation into the core tof the mob. Hope that helped a little

Thanks lil_mafioso

Once you become "Made" your position is that of a "Soldier" also known as the "Button man" in the Mob Structure

the books should be opened before a member can be made. votes will be made if the members will agree if you will become part of them. and should be 100% Italian for them to trace your roots in Italy. if you're a Made Man you can't be whacked without the go signal from the Bosses. an example of these is Joe Pesci's cahracter in GoodFellas and Casino. you're a Friend of Ours. as the Mafia's would say . . .

GoodFella

Goodfellaoggie is right. It's like a license for underworld wiseguys. To get this license you have to "make your bones" like lil mafia said. It usually means, kill someone although some made members have been known to be initiated without having killed someone. Say they could be a very good earner, hijacker etc.

Now with this license made members within a Mafia Family would look upon outsiders as just civilians or if they work with them, like Pesci's character they are associates. Pesci as Tommy in Goodfellas made a fatal mistake in whacking Billy Batts. It eventually led to his death.

ScarfaceRH, if you havn't already, check out the film Donnie Brasco, not only is it an awesome Mafia film but it really gives insight into the rules and basics of the mafia. Plus the star cast is worth seeing alone anyway. Pacino, Depp, Madson....

Once you're "Made" (also referred to as opening the books, getting your button, making your bones etc...) the only way out of the Family is via a bullet going into your head--or by other means just as savage, if you get me. It means that you worry less about doing dirty work for the Family, and your only real worry is ensuring your capo, to whom you report, gets his fair share of the kickbacks you earn from the associates under your command.

Turi, I must get Donnie Brasco soon mate. I expect great things. Along with the LOTR books, Pulp Fiction, King of Comedy and the new "24" boxset, Brasco is high on my wanted list at the moment!

Mick

I've been meaning to check this out...hopefully I can rent or buy it soon.

Each Mafia family has a "core" group of about 100-200 "Made" guys, who are absolutely pure Sicilian. They are also called wise guys or good fellows.

To be "made" you have to go through a ceremony (hence the scene in Goodfellas where Tommy dresses in a silk suit!) You prick your finger with a needle, burn a paper religious image, and one or two others. An older made guy is designated a mentor.

The core of Made men is outnumbered by a large number of associates. Associates (or "connected guys") do not have to be Sicilian, and can't become Buttons, Capos, etc. Mafia families are made up of mainly connected guys, with only a tiny number of Made guys.

(It is sort of like the Spartan system of having a minority of Spartiates and a majority of Helots).

Thanks for the info Willie

There is no requirement that made guys in American Mafia families have to be 100% Sicilian. Some Dons (Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, to name two) weren't Sicilian. John Gotti was of Neapolitan extraction. So was Joe Valachi. The requirement is that a made guy has to be Italian on both sides of his family.
It's true that most families have a larger number of unmade associates than made guys.

This is untrue ... a made man only has to be Italian on his father side. Even John A. Gotti Jr. was 100% Italian ... his Mother was a half-breed. John Jr. was only around 75% Italian.

Cosa Nostra only requires you to be Italian on your Fathers side because "you are what your Father is."

Perhaps in the "modern" American mafia, being Italian on the father's side only was acceptable, but back in the "day" I always thought that one had to be full Italian. Of course, I won't pretend to know every mafia figure, but who wasn't a full Italian made member during the peak period of the mafia????

TIS

This is where you are right. In the past, many years ago, a man had to be 100% Italian to be made, so that they could trace back all your family to the old country, back to Italy.

For a while now though they have made an exception that only your Father had to be Italian on the grounds of "you are what your Father is."

I believe that the exception to all of these rules is if you are born into the family of the boss.

For example, in The Godfather, Michael would not have to be made. He would not have to make his bones or do any dirty work or anything like that.

And, later on, Michael's son, although not entirely Italian (Kay was not Italian) would be allowed into the Mafia family.

And of course, you don't have to be 100% Italian to join the Mafia.

You just have to get big enough to beat all of the Mafia families.

Then, if you somehow manage to do that, you can call your organization Mafia or just about anything else you want to.

Cool stuff. Gotta check it

In casino joe pesci is a made member it mean nobaby can mess other gangsters cant mess with you and if they do they could get in big troible.