In Donnie Brasco (1997), we see Pacino return to the organized-crime genre that made him so famous. Nothing here is as it seems: the jewel is a fake, Lefty isn't a made man and the guy giving him advice, expert jewel thief Donnie Brasco, is in truth . In November 1982, Ruggiero was sentenced to 15 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy; he was released in April 1993 before his death from cancer. We also had former Mafia captain Michael Franzese who was making between $5 million to $8 million a week (yes a week) back in the 80s. "[10] Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average rating of 76 out of 100, based on 21 critics, reports the film has "generally favorable reviews". Mafia soldier She points out that the book was much more accurate than the movie as she actually sat down directly with Al Pacino and asked him to portray Lefty correctly (she definitely has balls). Pistone is asked by his FBI supervisor to incorporate Miami-based undercover FBI Agent Richie Gazzo into the Donnie Brasco operation. ", "F.B.I. Times were tough even for the Mob, which Pistone and the FBI exploited. More recently, his film credits include roles in 'Piranhaconda' and 'I'm in Love with a Church Girl,' and he guest starred on 'Hawaii Five-0' and lent his voice to the animated series 'Axe Cop. Then:Al Pacino, best known for roles in classic films like 'The Godfather' and 'Scarface,' played Lefty Ruggiero, a low-level mob hitman who befriends Donnie Brasco. He was played by Al Pacino, who also portrayed Michael Corleone in the Godfather film series, John Milton in The Devil's Advocate, Big Boy in Dick Tracy, Tony Montana in Scarface, David Fisk in Righteous Kill, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Richard III in Looking for Richard, Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, Walter Burke in The Recruit, Willy Bank in Ocean's Thirteen, Roy Cohn in Angels in America, and Wilhelm Zuchs in Hunters. [3] Pistone was an FBI agent for 17 years, from 1969 until he resigned in 1986. Thus younger mobsters wanted to dissociate themselves from Mustache Petes (who had big mustaches), and did so by outlawing mustaches altogether. [4] Ruggiero joined the Bonanno family organization as a young man, serving as a street soldier under caporegime Michael Sabella. Both were set to appear in court until the FBI intervened and had the trials shutdown as Black still had a bigger part to play in Pistones undercover operation. Their captain had been demoted in the wake of the Milwaukee debacle and they now reported to Dominick Sonny Black Napolitano. An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one. MurderRacketeering He was bitter about Pistone infiltration. 1982)", "Tight-hit Family Close Cuz Chosen to Kill 'Brasco' Wiseguy", "Family Ties Made It Easy to Whack Cuz: Mob Thug", "After 20 years, ex-agent applauds mob bust", "6 Get Jail Terms in Rackets Case Tied to Mobsters", "Fact file: Who is Joe Pistone a.k.a. Wikimedia commons Undercover agent Joseph Pistone as Donnie Brasco, with the lowlevel wiseguy who took him under his wing, Benjamin "Lefty Guns" Ruggiero. Despite Pistones pleas to remain undercover until he was a made man, the FBI decided it was too much of risk and in late June 1981, they ordered the operation shut down. Pistone was a consultant on Donnie Brasco to add authenticity to the fictionalized portrayals and settings. Since he had to have a profession in criminal activity that did not involve violence, a jewel thief was perfect. Why did Sonny Red sabotage the Florida operation? Insulted, Lefty takes Donnie to the man and demands an explanation. Donnie is brought in to help clean up and dispose of the bodies. An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one.An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one.An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one. Police officials and witnesses said four men pulled up in a car and opened fire with automatic weapons and shotguns. Banks.' [5][1], Pistone worked his way into becoming an associate in Jilly Greca's crew from the Colombo family that was primarily involved in hijackings and robberies. However, his character here (Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero) is a stark contrast from his earlier gangster roles. With that, Lefty and the others rise to the leadership of their mafia family. He also starred on the miniseries 'The Capture of the Green River Killer' and 'Hatfields and McCoys,' and reunited with Depp again in 2009 for 'Public Enemies.' The Bonannos blamed Black and Ruggiero for letting an informant into their ranks. [15] In his print review, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it three and a half stars out of four: the film had one of Pacino's best performances, and, according to Ebert, Donnie Brasco was rare in depicting "two men who grow to love each other, within the framework of a teacher-student relationship. See production, box office & company info, (book "Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia"), Siskel & Ebert: The Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition/When We Were Kings/Blood & Wine/Lost Highway/Margaret's Museum. He got the nickname "Two Guns" because when he went out on a hit, he liked to use two guns. In the aughts, he appeared in 'The Recruit,' 'Ocean's Thirteen' and Christopher Nolan's 'Insomnia.' Wikimedia commonsUndercover agent Joseph Pistone as Donnie Brasco, with the lowlevel wiseguy who took him under his wing, Benjamin Lefty Guns Ruggiero. Based on a true story, 'Donnie Brasco' was a huge hit and continues to be hailed as one of the best contemporary crime films. This was a big mistake for Pistone, one that potentially carried the penalty of death. He features prominently in episode 1 "Stayin' Alive in the '70s" and is the main focus of episode 2, "Operation Donnie Brasco". However, Ruggiero was soon dropped from the partnership because he was unable to provide the initial required investment of $25,000. [5], In the spring of 1976, Pistone volunteered to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family, a job for which his fluency in Italian, Sicilian heritage, and the knowledge of mafia idiosyncrasies gleaned from his Paterson background were well suited. It was also the basis for the short-lived 2000 television series Falcone, starring Jason Gedrick as Pistone (whose mob alias was changed from "Donnie Brasco" to "Joe Falcone" for legal reasons). Pistone, Joseph D.; & Brandt, Charles (2007). His body was found with his trademark cigar still clenched between his teeth. Evil-doer Metacritic Reviews. It's also unlikely he would steal his wife's diamond ring and sell it for money, unless he was that broke, otherwise she'd likely sell it herself. At the same time, Ruggiero and Brasco started a bookmaking operation out of the store. [1][6], The operation was given the code name "Sun-Apple" after the locations of its two simultaneous operations: Miami ("Sunny Miami") and New York City ("The Big Apple"). After the truth about Donnie is finally uncovered, Lefty realizes he will be killed for letting Donnie into the gang and leaves his valuables behind for his wife before going to face his death with dignity, with his fate not being shown. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Katz's Delicatessen - 205 East Houston Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. Initially, Pistone planned on spending six months inside the Mafia, but it took more than six months just to be introduced to mobsters. While Donnie puts his life at risk, his real life crumbles as he never sees his wife or children. Lefty Ruggiero in my mind was the ultimate wiseguy. Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero is the deuteragonist of the 1997 crime film Donnie Brasco, based on the real life memoirs of undercover FBI special agent Joseph Pistone. [5][1] After extensive preparation including FBI gemology courses, he went undercover as a jewel thief. November 24, 1994, is the most commonly cited death date, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, "Long mob war over jewelry collection likely to leave 'Mob Wives' star less than bedazzled", "TIGHT-HIT FAMILY CLOSE CUZ CHOSEN TO KILL 'BRASCO' WISEGUY", "FAMILY TIES MADE IT EASY TO WHACK CUZ: MOB THUG", "United States v. Napolitano, 552 F. Supp. Now:Nelson caught his big break a few years later in the Coen brothers' 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?,' and he starred in 'The Good Girl,' 'Minority Report,' 'Wonderland' and 'The Incredible Hulk.' Pistone would later write a book titled Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia about his exploits, which was then turned into the film Donnie Brasco that starred Johnny Depp as the undercover agent. Why did FBI show mob at the end that Donnie was an agent. Mirra told Bonanno bosses that he deserved a cut of Pistones earnings because he had introduced him to the Mob. He was betting and losing heavily on horse races. Ruggiero developed a close friendship with Brasco, which caused friction with his old friend Mirra, who had originally introduced Brasco to Ruggiero. It took a while but eventually, he calmed down. He was described by the real Joseph Pistone as a 24/7 gangster. The end title cards state that the evidence collected by Pistone in the Donnie Brasco operation led to over 200 indictments and over 100 convictions. Pistone, then traveled to Milwaukee to meet Balistrieri. On Sunday, July 24, 1981, Pistone left the Kings Court for the final time. It is an adaptation of the story of FBI Agent Joseph D. Pistone and his work as an undercover agent infiltrating the Bonanno family, one of the five most important mafia families in New York. The scene implies he is going to his death for letting Donnie aka (Joseph Pistone) an FBI agent into the mob.In real life Lefty was never killed. Since then, he appeared in tons of films, including 'Sideways,' 'Shoot 'Em Up,' 'Fred Claus,' 'Rock of Ages' and 'Cosmopolis.' But in January 1981, on the night of the Las Vegas function, the police raided Knights Court. Lefty: Bullshit. What is a skipper, wiseguy and connected guy? Joe is subsequently given a medal and $500 for his work. The film was a box office success, earning $124.9 million against its $35 million budget, and received positive reviews from critics. Powers / Skills Ruggiero's granddaughter Ramona Rizzo appeared on the TV show Mob Wives on VH-1.[13]. You know how this works? As the crew runs a series of successful shakedowns and hijackings in the city, Pistone exploits his position as Lefty's associate to gather information for the FBI via wiretap recordings. FBI agents visit Sonny Black's hangout and reveal Donnie's true identity to the crew. ', Now:Madsen reunited with his 'Reservoir Dogs' director Quentin Tarantino for both 'Kill Bill' films, and appeared in 'Sin City.' Benjamin Ruggiero What was the significance of the matchbook Sonny gives Lefty just before the boat scene? He's taken under the wing of aging, low-level soldier Lefty ( Al Pacino ). He also ends up forming a genuine bond with Lefty, who is struggling with family issues and a lifetime of debt. Donnie Brasco 1997 R 2h 7m IMDb RATING 7.7 /10 315K YOUR RATING Rate POPULARITY 1,916 658 Play trailer 0:37 1 Video 99+ Photos Biography Crime Drama An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one. [5][6] DiGiaimo brought it to Levinson's Baltimore Pictures, as well as producers Mark Johnson and Gail Mutrux, who then turned to Paul Attanasio to write the script. Pacino also starred in crime films like 'Carlito's Way' and 'Heat.'. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph D. Pistone, who Ruggiero knew as Donnie Brasco. Pistones life was in jeopardy. 1982)", "6 GET JAIL TERMS IN RACKETS CASE TIED TO MOBSTERS", UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. BENJAMIN RUGGIERO, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lefty_Ruggiero&oldid=1152492513, "Lefty", "Lefty Guns", "Mister Violence", "Hefty Lefty", "Horse Cock" and "Lefty Two Guns", Pistone, Joseph D.; & Woodley, Richard (1999). [2] Ruggiero was arrested by the FBI on August 29, 1981. Hobby Who wouldn't want to be a wiseguy? Pistone convinced Ruggiero to form a business arrangement with Frank Balistrieri, the head of the Mob in Milwaukee. The next day the FBI visited Black in New York. Heche was a a rising star at the time, and was previously known for roles on the TV series 'Another World' and in films like 'Milk Money. Ruggiero and Cersani were lookouts and were sent in after to clean up the massacre and dispose of the bodies, along with Napolitano, James Episcopia and Robert Caposio.
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