For the Mafia, it was the beginning of the end. The case shattered the myth of omertà. If a guy like —who seemed so authentically "made"—could be a cop, then no one could trust anyone. The paranoia sown by Pistone’s operation accelerated the decline of the Five Families, opening the door for federal RICO convictions in the 1980s and 1990s.
The success of the operation came at a permanent cost. Joseph Pistone and his family have been in witness protection for over four decades. A $500,000 contract was reportedly put on his head by the Gambino family, a debt that never expires. He does not receive mail at his home. He uses pseudonyms to fly. He has not attended a funeral or a wedding without an FBI security detail since 1981. Donnie Brasco
In conclusion, Donnie Brasco transcends the typical crime thriller by emphasizing the moral crisis and psychological conflicts of its characters over the visceral thrills of organized crime. Al Pacino as Gangster, A Guy Who's Not Wise For the Mafia, it was the beginning of the end
Perhaps the most crucial decision was casting Al Pacino as Benjamin "Lefty Guns" Ruggiero. In a traditional mob movie, Pacino would have played the Kingpin—the Michael Corleone or Tony Montana. But in Donnie Brasco , he plays a broke, aging hitman who can’t pay his bar tab. The paranoia sown by Pistone’s operation accelerated the
For the Mafia, it was the beginning of the end. The case shattered the myth of omertà. If a guy like —who seemed so authentically "made"—could be a cop, then no one could trust anyone. The paranoia sown by Pistone’s operation accelerated the decline of the Five Families, opening the door for federal RICO convictions in the 1980s and 1990s.
The success of the operation came at a permanent cost. Joseph Pistone and his family have been in witness protection for over four decades. A $500,000 contract was reportedly put on his head by the Gambino family, a debt that never expires. He does not receive mail at his home. He uses pseudonyms to fly. He has not attended a funeral or a wedding without an FBI security detail since 1981.
In conclusion, Donnie Brasco transcends the typical crime thriller by emphasizing the moral crisis and psychological conflicts of its characters over the visceral thrills of organized crime. Al Pacino as Gangster, A Guy Who's Not Wise
Perhaps the most crucial decision was casting Al Pacino as Benjamin "Lefty Guns" Ruggiero. In a traditional mob movie, Pacino would have played the Kingpin—the Michael Corleone or Tony Montana. But in Donnie Brasco , he plays a broke, aging hitman who can’t pay his bar tab.