Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on March
13. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.
GOTTI
In 1973 John Gotti, a Mafia crew
boss is asked by Carlo Gambino, the head of the Gambino crime family to
eliminate the man who killed his nephew. After the hit man given to him kills
the target in public, potentially causing trouble for Gotti, he kills the hit
man without permission. Paul Castellano talks Gambino out of killing Gotti, but
his boss Aniello Dellacroce tells Gotti to never break the rules again. Gotti is sent to jail for three years. When
he gets out Gambino dies and names Paul Catellano as new boss. Gotti and others
don’t like Castellano since he never worked on the street. Gotti’s youngest son
is accidentally killed by a neighbor in a car accident. Even though he
apologizes, he is eventually killed. Then Gotti gets arrested for assault. Some
afterwards Gotti’s associate Angelo
Ruggiero is arrested for drug trafficking, which Castellano had banned as a mob
business. Castellano is worried that the FBI tapes that recorded Angie Gotti
might contain damaging info about him and wants to eliminate Gotti. After
Castellano does not visit the dying Aniello Dellacroce Gotti reaches the end of
his rope and arranges a hit on Catellano. Gotti watches as his men kill
Castellano. Gotti is made the new boss of the Gambino crime family. The victim
in the assault case refuses to identify him in court. The Feds indict Gotti for
RICO violations and on March 13, 1987 [1:14:24 to 1:16:50] Gotti is acquitted
because he bought a juror. Frank DeCicco is blown up as revenge for the murder
of Castellano. Robert DiBernardo is
suspected of involvement in DeCicco’s murder and trying to undercut Gotti and
is killed by. The FBI bugs an apartment that Gotti often uses for meetings.
Gotti is arrested and again charged with violating RICO. Sammy Gravano after hearing the taped
conversations where Gotti said Gravano was too greedy and suspected him of
creating false suspicion about DiBernardo, turns state’s evidence. Gotti is
convicted and sentenced to life without parole.
An interesting biopic. Unlike
some films this one does not try to glamorize the mafia. A very tough and
gritty movie.
A story by Leonard Buder in The
New York Times of March 14, 1987 gives the date of his acquittal.
Producers - Gary Lucchesi and
David Coatsworth
Director - Robert Harmon
Awards – This film won the
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (Assante), Outstanding
Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special, Outstanding Directing for a
Miniseries or a Special and Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special (single camera) Emmys. It was also nominated
for the Oustandinng Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Sound Mixing for
a Drama Miniseries or a Special and the
Outstanding Writing for a a Miniseries or a Special Emmys at the 49th
Primetime Emmy Awards.
Screenplay - Steve Shagan
Runtime – 1 hour 56 minutes
Released - August 17, 1996
Starring –
Armand Assante as John Gotti
William Forsythe as Sammy Gravano
Anthony Quinn as Aniello Dellacroce
Vincent Pastore as Angelo Ruggiero
Frank Vincent as Robert DiBernardo
Richard C. Sarafian as Paul Castellano
Dominic Chianese as Joe Armone
Raymond Serra as Frank Locascio
Tony Sirico as Leonard DiMaria
Al Waxman as Bruce Cutler
Scott Cohen as Gene Gotti
Robert Miranda as Frank DeCicco
Marc Lawrence as Carlo Gambino
Alberta Watson as Victoria Gotti
Tony De Santis as John Favara
Gil Filar as Frank Gotti
Gerry Mendicino as Peter Gotti
Yank Azman as Judge Nickerson
Frank Crudele as Nicholas Scibetta
Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.
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