The Italian 6 Pack
Six Italian Style Movies that Everyone Loves
If you love movies chances are you have consumed the following 6 movies with a plate of spaghetti and a glass of red wine. Arguably all flawless in character connection by the actors and masterful script writing the Academy of Motion Pictures rewarded them handsomely with a combined 10 wins. Even before they became Award winners these films needed the audience to buy in to the dangers of Italian stereotype either with violence or humor. Either way if Italian Americans had a thin skin these movies would never had been made. This is not to say that The Godfather didn’t have resistance from the Italian public.
There is no need for me to repeat the story line and plot of each classic movie. If you are reading this article you probably have viewed each movie a couple of hundred times. Here are some thoughts on each one:
The Godfather
Masterful in everyway. Marlon Brando strikes the sense of fear and detailed control without ever raising his voice or uttering a curse word. The Godfather is beautifully cast and richly filmed in it’s dark period piece that transports you into the 1940’s.
The Godfather II
At a time when sequel films were deemed as a “throwaway” to satisfy an unintelligent audience and to make a fast second buck by the actors and studios, Godfather II shatters every stigma of a follow-up film. In fact, critics to this day deem “Part II” as better than the original. Even with the stubbornness of Marlon Brando and his high demands for more salary for a sequel return, director Francis Ford Coppola works around the ornery actor when he uses a Birthday Flashback to include the Vito Corleone character without ever showing Brando or hearing his voice. Brilliant.
There is a good reason why “The Godfather III” is no where to be found on this list; it is horrible! Sorry Francis but you know this to be true as even you tried to revamp the wounded installment with the newest version; “The Godfather Coda-The Death of Michael Corleone”. I tried watching it recently and reminded myself of the disappointment I felt when it was released Christmas Day 1990. Appalled that this was even considered part of the same story. Only Andy Garcia (who played Sonny Corleone’s son in Part III) tried desperately to bring some honor into the injured third installment and was in a class all to himself. Bringing back original characters Kay Adams (Diane Keaton) and Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) felt like they were inserted and propped up only so that you knew it was part of the trilogy in case you wandered down the hallway and didn’t know where you were. Stay away from III and stick with I and II.
Goodfellas
Ray Liotta had only performed in three films at the time Goodfellas was being cast for production. Ray Liotta was one of The only actors Discussed for Henry Hill… But He Had To Work For It!
While Tom Cruise was discussed as a possible actor to play the real-life Henry Hill, Martin Scorsese was particularly partial to Ray Liotta. It was Ray’s own insistence that he play the slithering Henry Hill real-life character that ultimately verified what Scorsese already knew. Liotta was unafraid in any situation and was brash like Hill. Liotta confronted Scorsese in a hotel lobby parting a sea of bodyguards to get to Martin just so he could look him in the eyes and almost demand the role. Also, poking his head in on a private dinner between Goodfellas producer Irwin Winkler and his wife. Respectfully Liotta asked to speak with Winkler privately and pleaded his case to success. Winkler called Scorsese the next day and let him know they had found their “Henry Hill”. The only thing I knew about Ray Liotta was that he played Joey Perrini in the soap opera “Another World” and liked him then and certainly never waivered after viewing the film. Casting perfection!
A Bronx Tale
Chazz Palminteri showed the same toughness in life that his character Sonny showed in the self-written (first aa a one-man play) then a film “A Bronx Tale”. Chazz would not let anyone other than himself play the lead role or have the final say on casting on the story he created. Even turning down thousands of dollars for the rights to his creative work and not having much money of his own, he held out for full control of his words. Well it paid off. Literally! The success of the one man Broadway show starring himself, Chazz Palminteri, turned into a classic film and then reborn into a hit Broadway musical. I had the pleasure of having front row to the musical and it was fantastic!
My Cousin Vinnie
The world will forever remember the phrase; “The two Yutes” proclaimed by legendary actor Joe Pesci as Vincent Gambini while a very southern Alabama judge replied (played by Herman Munster famed actor Fred Gwynne) “The two whaaat”? The awesome exchange was one of many which included actress Marissa Tomei as Mona Lisa Vito for which she one the only Academy Award for this film. The movie was such a classic that there had been conversations about a sequel but the death of Fred Gwynne placed the idea on the back burner until 2017 when a book was written titled, “Back to Brooklyn”, which was a continuation of the story after the characters left Alabama. Unfortunately, neither of the two main stars; Pesci nor Tomei showed interest in reprising their role for another movie.
Every time I pass a convenience store I think about the “Sack of Suds” and will quietly say the words in a southern drawl along with a chuckle.
Donnie Brasco
Just before we lost Johnny Depp to playing a lifelong Pirate and to tabloid television where he rambles endlessly with a British accent, Depp was an outstanding actor. The tension you feel when Depp is almost caught several times as an FBI informant is palpable throughout the movie. The unsung hero in this movie is Anne Heche who plays Brasco’s wife trying to hold down their family and marriage while Brasco (Depp) falls deeper into the mob life. We forget how great Heche was during that time. Of course our old “go-to” Al Pacino is wonderful as the sympathetic mobster who never gets any recognition. This is one of those movies that no matter what channel it is on you cannot help but watch it. Even if there are commercials.
Good Intentions-No Cigar!
There are some movies that didn’t make the cut for the “Italian 6 Pack”; “The Irishman” being one of them. Although an all star cast of Director Martin Scorsese, De Niro, Pacino and Pesci, it fell a little short. The length of the movie (3 hours) didn’t bother me as much as the computer chemical peel with new technology to make men in their 70’s look 20. The only thing it did was make them look freaky. They needed to use a computer program sophisticated enough to make them physically move like men in their 20’s rather than in their 70’s. The one scene where De Niro stomps someone in a fight was pathetic. Even with the camera far away it appeared amateuristic which is a surprising mistake by Scorsese that he did not pick up on this? Although Al Pacino was great I didn’t get the sense he was playing Jimmy Hoffa? I felt like he was playing a crazy Al Pacino. Which is fine on a Tuesday but not in an epic movie where the main character is as polarizing as Hoffa was.
Another movie that missed the mark was “Married to the Mob”. A comedy with good actors Michelle Pfeiffer and Alec Baldwin which had some really entertaining moments within the first 45 minutes. After that it became Matthew Modine’s movie which brought the mood way down after some real comedic exchanges between Pfeiffer and Baldwin. Especially when their 10 year old son gets caught gambling and Michelle Pfeiffer is trying to teach her son between right and wrong among a beautifully furnished house with everything that “fell off a Truck”. Baldwin’s character even laughs when Pfeiffer cry's; “I want a divorce” in a heavy New York accent.
The problem with any kind of list whether it is the top ten sports figures or best actors/actresses of all time is that it is subjective. It is all relative to when you grew up and what was going on in your life and culture. However, I don’t think you can go wrong with this “Italian 6 Pack” and you don’t have to do any sit-ups! Check them out if you haven’t already.
