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Over the past two years, when I was not going to movies, I was learning how to create comics and graphic novels. I am fascinated by the medium. I read your comments on the Dark Knight  and am intrigued, this appears to be your passion. Is there more to read?

I have been staring at my Final Draft software for at least one year, today everything made sense and the outline of my story is done and on index cards. After our discussion, I allowed it to leave my head and move to my computer, at least in a preliminary form, it is a start. I had a wonderful day, regardless of the outcome.

I have not had the time to go to films but have been around the business for a good part of my career, from what I am reading, your knowledge is extensive and I appreciate the help.
I grew up in my mother's version of The Great Gatsby and as an entertainment investment banker  worked in multiple industries in all the major cities in the US; I have wonderful stories to tell but have a great deal to learn.
I have been studying for two years and almost ready to attend one of Mr. McKee's seminars. In the meantime I take the weekly lessons and will start to ask questions.
I did watch The History of Violence and and off to watch Midnight Run.
In terms of what I meant of "no limits" . I am going to speak in general terms just in case I decide to produce this film.
Example:
Gangster steals money from another gangster and leaves the country .
Gangster # 1 ( who stole the money ) has a friend who he leaves behind.
Gangster # 2 thinks that # 1 is in love with this friend.
How far will gangster # 2 go to torture the friend of gangster # 1 so that he will come back and save his friend?
If gangster # 1 comes back , gangster # 2 will kill him for stealing the money.
Where are the limits? What did he do to the girlfriend? What did he do to her children? The only limit is murder because dead she is no use to gangster # 2. Although, gangster #1 has partners, what are they doing?????
What are her options?
How long does it last?
How does it end?

Will give you my thoughts tomorrow, in the meantime, I need to watch one of your recommended movies!!!

It is evident that you are miles ahead of me on this subject, I am a business woman who decided to leave finance and study creative writing. I have a lot to learn.
When I referred to the "no rules" approach of the Mafia, I should have also said no limits.

In our world there are world there are rules, in the Mafia, there are none. Yet, within each criminal organization the one non-negociatable rule is loyalty.
An example:
I moved to a city which I thought was safe, much to my surprise it was controlled by the largest Mafia family in the world. Over the last five years various groups within the family have stolen large amounts of money from each other, the result, arrests, murders, bombing and intrigue.
The big question, where is all the money?
When a gangster, for lack of a better word, steals money from another gangster, he has a long-term plan. The best way to launder the money is take it into the straight world, but there has to be a transition point and that is a straight person.
This is the story, which can be very complicated. Gangster rules inflicted on a straight, unexpecting person. You can only write this if you know the story and you will never write it because you know the rules.
Do you get my point yet?

I agree with everything you said but that was still not my point. I am talking about a specific situation in the "gangster genre", will write back with an example.
I should learn how to explain myself or go back to investment banking...

I am aware that the movie is not set today, that was not the point of my comment. I was trying to respond to the statement that today's audience prefers the gangster against gangster theme, one wrong over another wrong.
I believe that is what Mr. McKee stated in his answer. It is my opinion that an audience may enjoy seeing good win over evil, just a thought.

The mafia in The Godfather is not today’s Mafia; it is an exciting movie to watch but not a realistic representation of organized crime in 2011.
Every day honest businessmen and women go to the office unaware that someone who resembles them may throw their lives into chaos.
These gangsters have MBA’s and wear Armani suits; they are still criminals who need to launder “proceeds of crime”. They look like you and me, not a character out of The Godfather. We are their victims.

Thanks!