It’s fun to watch Robert De Niro times 2. Respect for his taking on the challenge of playing, not one, but two historic 1950’s NYC mob bosses in this film. Al Pacino was considered for one of the roles, but when De Niro thought about playing both, he ultimately asked, “Why Not?” It was a chance to do something he’d never done before. How did he do it? He rehearsed with a scene partner and they would switch roles acting out scenes together.
De Niro has worked with Director Barry Levinson on 5 films, including (Rain Man, Wag the Dog, Bugsy) and with Writer Nicholas Pileggi who comes by this script rightly, with credits as long as a mob strong arm. (Goodfellas, The Irishman, American Gangster, Casino). He uses actual archival footage, photos and news items and creates Production Design of the City and it’s mid-century buildings along with wardrobe and makeup that is on- the-money for the Fedora wearing gangsters and their women of that era.
The film starts with a shooting outside an elevator. It takes a little while to separate De Niro’s two gangsters, especially when they are talking to each other. They were boyhood friends, but as men, they were in competition for who was head of the mob. They often met as a social club named The Alto Knights. Jealousy and betrayal decided who would run the streets.
De Niro as Vito Genovese, became the right-hand man of legendary mob boss Charles “Lucky” Luciano, but when Lucky’s luck ran out and got pinched for prostitution, It became the Genovese crime family. De Niro also plays Frank Costello, “Prime Minister of the Underworld” who knew how to get what he wanted from politicians and businessmen. He narrates the film. Costello took over after Genovese had to go on the lamb to avoid getting slammed with a double homicide. Genovese thought he’d come back and take over from Frank. That’s where they go head to head to decide who would be the boss of all bosses.
We found their wives even more fascinating. Debra Messing in a very different role plays Frank’s Jewish wife, Bobbie, with her accent and lots of high-end jewelry with minks to match her little toy-dogs. She gives quite the characterization. Even more over-the-top is Kathrine Narducci as Anna Genovese, a strip club bar owner who has a volatile relationship with her husband. Her accent is even more broad and in a outrageously chaotic courtroom scene testifying against her husband to female judge, played by Abi Van Andel, who tries to put a damper on her expletive laced outbursts throughout the proceedings.
The film culminates in an upstate New York meeting of mob bosses from all over the country when the police, who were tipped off, show up as the mafia’s supposedly impervious veil of secrecy is ripped off. Last but not least is a somewhat comical, but long drawn out sequence as tough mob guys scramble to the field filled with their vintage cars spinning in the mud trying to get away.
Hats off to De Niro for accepting the dual role. Levinson makes it more a procedural loosely based on fact. This is a beautifully detailed era film, looking better than the story. But it’s worth seeing all those incredible vintage cars.
Warner Bros. 2 hours 3 minutes R
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