Tagarchief: Gangster Films

Mafioso: The Father, the Son (2004)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘Kill or be killed’

Directed by:
Anthony Caldarella

Written by:
Sal Mazzotta
Leo Rossi
Tony DiGerolamo

Cast:
Sal Mazzotta (Frank Paradiso), Leo Rossi (Vito Lupo), Freddie Ganno (Vince Lupo), Robert Costanzo (Antonio Paradiso), Johnny Williams (Danny Defino), Tamela D’Amico (Gina Paradiso), Susan Priver (Lisa Paradiso), Ken Lerner (Sid Freeman), Tony Devon (Louie Eggs), Frank Adonis (Luca Veneri)

This low budget Mafia film revolves around an Italian crime family in Philadelphia. The leader, Antonio Paradiso is a man of old tradition. Antonio’s son Frank is like his father in many ways. He is ready to succeed his father as the new leader of the family. The times are changing however, and other gangs are waiting to move in on the family business. When members of the Paradiso family are being hit, Frank has to fight to survive, protect his family and find the ones responsible.

Standard and cliché modern day mob movie. It deals with some of the same themes as HBO Series The Sopranos, but doesn’t even come remotely close to touching that level. It does contain a fair amount of mob violence and action but most of it comes across as cheap exploitation.

The screenplay is of an acceptable quality, but offers nothing new or surprising. Most of the actors do reasonable, only leading man Sal Mazzotta doesn’t convince as the boring, monotone Frank.

The art-direction of this film should have definitely been better. Some of the murders just don’t look good at all. There are some familiar faces from mob films, Leo Rossi from Analyze This, Johnny Williams (Johnny Roastbeaf) from GoodFellas, and Frank Adonis (Anthony Stabile), also from GoodFellas.

This film is what it is, a direct to DVD mob flick. Not recommended for those that want thrills other than a man having his nuts roasted.

Rating:

Quote:
FRANK PARADISO: “You want the hitter? Fine. But I want the heart of the one that paid him.”

Trivia:
Screenplay writers Sal Mazzotta and Leo Rossi collaborated again for the short sci-fi thriller Frankie the Squirrel in 2007.

Prizzi’s Honor (1985)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘Hired killers by day. Devoted lovers by night. Until they found their next assignment was each other.’

Directed by:
John Huston

Written by:
Richard Condon (also novel)
Janet Roach (screenplay)

Cast
Jack Nicholson (Charley Partanna), Kathleen Turner (Irene Walker), Robert Loggia (Eduardo Prizzi), John Randolph (Angelo ‘Pop’ Partanna), William Hickey (Don Corrado Prizzi), Lee Richardson (Dominic Prizzi), Anjelica Huston (Maerose Prizzi), Michael Lombard (Filargi ‘Finlay’), George Santopietro (Plumber), Lawrence Tierney (Lt. Hanley)

Don Corrado Prizzi is the old but powerful boss of Chicago’s biggest mob family. Charley Partanna (Jack Nicholson) is one of his most trusted soldiers. During the wedding of the Don’s granddaughter, Charley is struck by the only non-Italian woman at the party.

After the wedding, Charley tracks her down. Her name is Irene, and they hit it off immediately. It isn’t long before they marry. Only after a while does Charley discover that Irene is not who she claims to be. Meanwhile, certain members of the Prizzi family have agendas of their own. A complex web of intrigue begins to unfold, and Charley is forced to choose between Irene and the family he swore to protect.

This late film by John Huston is not nearly as effective as his earlier crime work. Its biggest problem is that it never commits to a main genre: it lacks the joke density of a comedy, the tension of a thriller, and the atmosphere of a mob film. The slightly bizarre and somewhat confusing story remains entertaining, but one has to wonder what the point of it all is.
Is this a film about family, loyalty, blood, and betrayal? If so, it must be said that it never quite finds the right tone, except during its excellent opening minutes.

Luckily, there is Jack Nicholson, who once again shows what a magnificent actor he is. Playing an Italian wiseguy may not be his specialty, but he certainly knows how to pull it off. The supporting cast delivers strong performances as well, which ultimately saves the film from failure. Huston has done much better, but it’s still worth checking out.

Rating:

Quote:
DON PRIZZI: “This drip of blood symbolises your birth into our family. We are one until death. We protect you, so that you protect the Prizzi honor. You swear it?”
CHARLEY: “Yeah.”

Trivia:
Anjelica Huston (Maerose Prizzi) is the daughter of director John Huston.

Capone (1975)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘The man who made the twenties roar! Now, after 45 years, his true story can be told!

Directed by:
Steve Carver

Written by:
Howard Browne

Cast:
Ben Gazzara (Al Capone), Harry Guardino (Johnny Torrio), Sylvester Stallone (Frank Nitti), Susan Blakely (Iris Crawford), John Cassavetes (Frankie Yale), Frank Campanella (Big Jim Colosimo), John D. Chandler (Earl ‘Hymie’ Weiss), Peter Maloney (Jake Guzik), Royal Dano (Anton J. Cermak), Dick Miller (Deputy Sherrif Joe Pryor)

Alphonse Capone wasn’t Mafia strictly speaking. But his outfit in Chicago was much more powerful and feared than the many mob families in the US. In this biography, we follow him as he rises from the streets of Brooklyn to the top of the Chicago underworld.

His mentor was Johnny Torrio (Harry Guardino) , a business oriented gangster who saw major opportunities in the upcoming prohibition and potential in the thuggish Al Capone. When Torrio moves to Chicago to profit from the opened-up illegal booze market, he brings Capone along as his second man. After ridding themselves of a local big shot, they quickly build a vast empire that generates millions of dollars monthly. The roaring twenties have begun.

But North Side gangsters, such as Hymie Weiss, Dion O’Bannion and George ‘Bugs’ Moran oppose the rising power and a gang war ensues. Torrio, who doesn’t have a stomach for blood, leaves Chicago after a failed assassination attempt and Capone inherits the business. This results in more bloodshed, right until the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and the demise of Capone along with the end of the prohibition.

This movie contains a lot of Tommy gun action, tit shots and fist fights, making it little more than an exploitation flick. No wonder, since Roger Corman, King of the B’s, is the producer. The cast is pretty B too and the acting no more than okay. Gazzara’s portrayal of Capone relies too much on yelling and tough guy talk, while the then unknown Sylvester Stallone shows little promise here. Only Guardino is excellent as Torrio.

Capone starts promising, but for a biography, it remains way too shallow to really captivate the viewer. We just don’t get to know Capone. All we really see is that he is a hothead with a big mouth and a Tommy gun. Also the historic accuracy of this film should be taken with a big grain of salt.

Rating:

Quote:
JOHNNY TORRIO: “Chicago is a beer drinking town. No law can change that.”

Trivia:
In the film, Capone’s henchman Frank Nitti frames Capone, resulting in his conviction for income tax evasion. He then takes over the outfit. In reality, Nitti was convicted for the same felony and received an 18 months sentence.

The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1967)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Directed by:
Roger Corman

Written by:
Howard Browne

Cast:
Jason Robards (Al Capone), George Segal (Peter Gusenberg), Ralph Meeker (George Clarence ‘Bugs’ Moran), Jean Hale (Myrtle), Clint Ritchie (Jack McGurn), Frank Silvera (Nick Sorello), Joseph Campanella (Albert Wienshank), Richard Bakalyan (John Scalise), David Canary (Frank Gusenberg), Bruce Dern (Johnny May)

Roger Corman’s gangster movies are generally enjoyable. The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre that follows the famous violent event on February 14, 1929 has got to be his most boring one.

On this specific St. Valentine’s Day, Al Capone set a legendary trap for seven men that were working for his opponent Bugs Moran. In the gang war preceding it, Moran tried to kill Capone to take over the bootlegging and gambling profits in Chicago. The movie uses a sort of journalistic approach. A narrator introduces every character involved and covers the events in a newspaper sort of way.

Al Capone, played by Jason Robards, is the unchallenged leader of Chicago’s most powerful underworld organisation. Robards portrays ‘Alphonse’ as an uncontrolled and ruthless hothead. He yells too often, but still turns in a decent performance. All the supporting characters get a detailed background story provided by the narrator. Unfortunately, there are way too many to remember.

If you enjoy technically proficient Tommy Gun action, you may find something to like about this film. Otherwise, the too factual approach and lack of drama will probably leave you as cold as one of the stiffs from the massacre.

Rating:

Quote:
NARRATOR: “In the years following the passage of the National Prohibition Act of 1920, the nation’s underworld rises to power and battles amongst itself just as modern nations and corporations do.”

Trivia:
The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre’ is also an important event in Capone (1975), a gangster film produced by Roger Corman and starring Ben Gazzara as Al Capone.