Tagarchief: Tony Sirico

R.I.P. Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Vincent Pastore, the Italian-American actor from New York who played the legendary Salvatore ‘Big Pussy’ Bonpensiero in The Sopranos, has died. He was 80 years old.

Pastore was a former club owner in New Rochelle, New York. He became friends with Matt Dillon and Kevin Dillon – two of his regulars – who convinced him to try acting. He was in his forties when he got into the business. He died with nearly 200 film credits to his name (including Flodder in Amerika!).

In 1990, he had a small role in GoodFellas (credited as ‘Man with Coatrack’), one of the greatest gangster films ever made. That year marked the start of the decade of the mob movie, and Pastore appeared in many of them: State of Grace, New Jack City, Carlito’s Way, Sugar Hill, Gotti, The Last Don, A Brooklyn State of Mind, and Witness to the Mob.

In 1999, he was cast in The Sopranos as Big Pussy Bonpensiero, one of Tony Soprano’s crew members. His character’s name was based on a real gangster, apparently – something show creator David Chase had picked up somewhere. In fact, there were two Pussys in the mob: Big Pussy and Little Pussy. This became one of the big mob jokes in the pilot episode:

HESH: I hear Junior wants to whack Pussy Bonpensiero?
TONY: Pussy Malanga.
HESH: Oh, Little Pussy?
TONY: Yeah, Little Pussy. What, you think he’s gonna fuck with Big Pussy? My Pussy?

In the first season, Big Pussy became one of the leading characters. Then, in episode 11, Tony is told by a corrupt cop on his payroll that Pussy is a rat. A heartbroken Tony tells his soldier Paulie to go and check, and after a tense confrontation, Pussy flees.

Later that season, Tony suspects the cop was actually referring to Jimmy Altieri, another “fat fuck with black hair”, and Jimmy is killed on Tony’s orders. Pussy is exonerated, but he remains on the run, fearing his friends want to whack him.

When season one became a phenomenal success, fans wondered what happened to Pussy. David Chase realized he had to bring him back for season two. And so Pussy returns – only for us to quickly discover he’s working with the FBI to get Tony indicted. The way Tony eventually discovers this, and deals with it, leads to my favorite moment in The Sopranos in my favorite television episode of all time, from any show.

He would always remain famous for this role. I remember him coming on the ‘Talking Sopranos’ podcast, telling the story of how he took his grandchildren to the zoo and people recognized him: “Hey, it’s Pussy!”

So, 26 years after his fictional death in Funhouse, now Pussy has joined Tony (James Gandolfini) and Paulie (Tony Sirico) in Tony’s heaven crew.

Rest in peace, my friend.

Read some of Big Pussy’s best lines on The Sopranos here.

Witness to the Mob (1998)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Directed by:
Thaddeus O’Sullivan

Written by:
Stanley Weiser

Cast:
Nicholas Turturro (Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano), Tom Sizemore (John Gotti), Debi Mazar (Deborah Gravano), Michael Imperioli (Louie Milito), Abe Vigoda (Paul Castellano), Frankie Valli (Frank LoCascio), Katherine Narducci (Linda Milito), Arthur J. Nascarella (Bruce Mouw), Frank Vincent (Frankie DeCicco), Vincent Pastore (Mikey De Bat)

Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano is remembered as one of the most notorious informants in mob history. He betrayed the Dapper Don, John Gotti – whom he believed had first betrayed him. Before making that fateful decision, the story flashes back nineteen years to his childhood in Brooklyn. There, he and his best pal Louie (Michael Imperioli) begin their careers in organized crime as part of the powerful Gambino family.

Gravano rises quickly through the ranks. His willingness to follow orders to the letter – and to kill without hesitation – earns him the respect of higher-ups. Before long, he’s made an official member by boss Paul Castellano himself.

Around the same time, John Gotti (Tom Sizemore) is on the rise as well. When Castellano begins to break the mob’s code of honor, Gravano and Gotti conspire to take him out and seize control. Gotti becomes boss, while Gravano becomes his second-in-command. But Gotti’s flashy lifestyle draws unwanted attention from the press, the public, and the FBI – setting the stage for a conflict that will bring everything crashing down.

This made-for-TV film was released just two years after HBO’s Gotti. Both screenplays are based on the real Gravano–Gotti saga, and the similarities are striking – not only in story but also in style. Several familiar faces from The Sopranos and Goodfellas (Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent, Vincent Pastore) appear in both films. The key difference is perspective: Witness to the Mob is told through Gravano’s eyes, while Gotti presents Gotti’s side of the story.

Still, there’s something about Witness to the Mob that doesn’t quite ring true. Despite the strong ensemble, the interactions don’t always feel believable. Nicholas Turturro (brother of John) lacks the presence and charisma needed to carry Gravano’s role, and most of the actors have delivered stronger mob performances elsewhere. That said, fans of mob movie clichés – the talk, the mannerisms, the hits – may still enjoy Witness to the Mob. It has plenty of all that, even if it never quite rises above the familiar.

Rating:

Quote:
JOHN GOTTI: “So the boss of bosses is dead?”
SAMMY GRAVANO: “He lived a long life. His maid is gonna miss him.”
JOHN GOTTI: “His wife won’t.”

Trivia:
Arthur J. Nascarella plays FBI special agent Bruce Mouw, who is in charge of breaking up the Gambino family. In The Sopranos, his character Carlo Gervasi eventually betrays mob boss Tony Soprano.

Gotti (1996)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Directed by:
Robert Harmon

Written by:
Jerry Capeci (book ‘The Last Gangster: Winning the War Against John Gotti and the Mob’)
Gene Mustain (book ‘The Last Gangster: Winning the War Against John Gotti and the Mob’)
Steve Shagan (teleplay)

Cast:
Armand Assante (John Gotti), William Forsythe (Sammy Gravano), Richard C. Sarafian (Paul Castellano), Frank Vincent (Robert DiBernardo), Anthony Quinn (Neil Dellacrose), Dominic Chianese (Joe Armone), Robert Miranda (Frank DeCicco), Scott Cohen (Gene Gotti), Vincent Pastore (Angelo Ruggiero), Tony Sirico (Joe Dimiglia)

John Gotti seemed destined for the Mafia. He was smart, tough, loyal to the code of omertà, never skimmed from the top, and respected the boss’s policy on narcotics. These qualities helped him rise to become boss of the infamous Gambino family in the 1980s. But Gotti also had his flaws: he craved media attention and was too careless about discussing sensitive business in unsecured settings.

Gotti is the biography of one of history’s best-known mobsters. The story begins in 1973, when Gotti first comes to the attention of his crime family, the Gambinos – then the most powerful of New York’s Five Families. Boss of bosses Carlo Gambino asks Gotti for a personal favor, which nearly goes wrong due to the interference from underboss Paul Castellano. The conflict almost dooms Gotti, but his mentor, second underboss Neil Dellacroce (Anthony Quinn), steps in to resolve it.

In the years that follow, Gotti steadily rises through the ranks alongside his close associate and fellow captain Sammy Gravano. When Gambino dies of old age in 1976, he names Castellano as his successor, to the disapproval of Gotti and other top figures. While Gotti was seen as a true man of Cosa Nostra, Castellano was regarded more as a businessman. Tensions eventually culminate in one of the most infamous gangland hits in history: the 1985 assassination of Castellano and his partner outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan.

Now John Gotti is the boss. But, as noted earlier, his weaknesses ensured that his reign would be relatively short-lived (until 1992 to be precise). As a biographical made-for-tv HBO production, Gotti stands out for offering a complete look at the life and times of a legendary mobster. Armand Assante is memorable in the lead. The supporting cast – featuring many future Sopranos actors – is also strong, with Anthony Quinn and William Forsythe delivering standout performances. If you watch only one television production about the mob, make it Gotti .

Rating:

Quote:
JOHN GOTTI: “A Mexican, a Puerto-Rican and a black guy are sitting in a car. Who’s driving? The police.”

Trivia:
According to IMDb, this film was the highest rated original telefilm in HBO history at that time. The success of the film convinced HBO to cast film co-stars, Dominic Chianese, Vincent Pastore and Tony Sirico in a series in development at the time called The Sopranos (1999).

Backtrack (1990)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘When murder is your business, you’d better not fall in love with your work.’

Directed by:
Dennis Hopper

Written by:
Rachel Kronstadt Mann, Ann Louise Bardach

Cast:
Dennis Hopper (Milo), Jodie Foster (Anne Benton), Joe Pesci (Leo Carelli), Dean Stockwell (John Luponi), Vincent Price (Lino Avoca), John Turturro (Pinella), Fred Ward (Pauling), Julie Adams (Martha), Tony Sirico (Greek), Sy Richardson (Capt. Walker)

Alright, so this is quite a strange film by Dennis Hopper. It was originally released as Catchfire, but that version was apparently so bad that Hopper had his name replaced in the credits with the pseudonym Alan Smithee. Backtrack is the 18-minutes-longer cut made for cable TV, with Hopper’s directorial credit restored.

Jodie Foster plays an artist who witnesses a mafia murder. The mob – led by the explosive Leo Carelli (Joe Pesci, in the same year he gave his ultimate mobster performance in GoodFellas) – hires hitman Milo (Dennis Hopper) to silence her.

What makes it puzzling is the sheer amount of talent involved: Jodie Foster, Joe Pesci (uncredited, despite a substantial role), Dean Stockwell, John Turturro, and others. The film also features familiar faces like Charlie Sheen, Bob Dylan (!), and Tony Sirico (Paulie Walnuts from The Sopranos). Yet, despite this very impressive cast, no one is given particularly strong dialogue – not even the two leads.

The bigger problem is that the film never decides what it wants to be. Is it a tense thriller? An arthouse experiment? A romantic gangster film in the vein of Bonnie and Clyde? Or an action movie given that out of nowhere, there’s a helicopter chase? The tone shifts constantly, leaving the viewer wondering: what exactly am I watching? That question is never answered.

It’s also unclear what motivates Hopper’s character, Milo, a saxophone-playing hitman. He suddenly falls in love with his target, but why? And why does she start to reciprocate? Their relationship feels entirely unconvincing.

Originally, Hopper’s cut ran 180 minutes. It’s difficult to imagine what his true vision for the film might have been. The studio, Vestron Pictures, disliked his version and re-edited it without his consent. Hopper was furious and sued, but by then the company had already gone bankrupt.

In short, Backtrack is a curious film for many reasons, but unfortunately the final product simply doesn’t work. It’s a shame, given the remarkable cast, but the movie is proof that without a strong screenplay, even great talent can’t save the day.

Rating:

Quote:
MILO: “There’s something going on here that I really don’t understand. But I like it.”

Trivia:
The movie includes three Oscar winners: Jodie Foster, Joe Pesci and Bob Dylan; and three Oscar nominees: Dennis Hopper, Catherine Keener and Dean Stockwell.