Mickey’s infatuation with Carolina is not easy to comprehend. He has only exchanged a few words with her over three very brief conversations. It is suggested that his feelings for her have something to do with what she represents as a former mob wife who has “seen a lot of life.” But mob wives were not a novelty in New York in those days (1950s). I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Coney Island (where the film takes place) was entirely run by the mob.