November 9, 1990
DONNIE BRASCO
Screenplay by Paul Attanasio, based on the book by Joseph D. Pistone with Richard Woodley
Synopsis by Brian Aldrich
In a Little Italy restaurant, 1978, LEFTY, SONNY BLACK, NICKY, and BOOBIE are four "wiseguys" (made guys in the Mafia). A guy nicknamed DON THE JEWELER comes in for coffee. Lefty shows him a five-carat diamond ring and asks for an appraisal. Donnie tells him that it is a phony. They have an argument. Lefty goes to a jeweler who confirms that the ring is a phony. Lefty checks Donnie out and gets a good report. Lefty enlists Donnie to work for him. They go to receive payments and raise a little hell. Lefty promises Donnie that someday he'll become a made guy. Lefty "borrows" three hundred from Donnie.
It turns out Donnie is an FBI agent. He meets with his superiors PHIL BERADA and CLARENCE LEBOW. Donnie continues to work for Lefty. Donnie calls his real wife, MAGGIE, who has had enough of his going undercover and ignoring his family. Lefty has Donnie over for Christmas and borrows another couple of hundred.
The BOSS gets whacked and Lefty is called to a meeting with Sonny Black. Lefty is afraid of getting whacked himself. It turns out Sonny Black has been promoted to skipper and wants to reward Lefty for taking care of his kids while Black was in prison. Black gives Lefty a caged lion as a present. Donnie, in order to set up Lefty, Black and the others, gets them involved in buying a night club in Florida. The group goes down and checks it out. They are eager to have their own club where they will have illegal gambling. However, they have to meet the local Don, SANTO TRAFFICANTE, to get his permission. Donnie gets a yacht from the FBI to impress Santo with. Sonny Black is beginning to like Donnie more than Lefty. Lefty is pissed. Black introduces Donnie to Santo which angers Lefty even more. The deal is made and the club opens. Meanwhile, Donnie is having more problems with his wife and with the bureaucracy of the FBI. The club is busted and all are arrested. Black suspects one of the group is an informer, but in reality, the bust was engineered by SONNY RED, a rival NY boss. Black kills Boobie, thinking he was the snitch. Later, Red calls for a meeting with Black, Nicky and Lefty. It is supposed to be a hit, but Black, Nicky and Lefty turn the tables and kill Red and his associates.
At this point, the FBI are concerned that Donnie may have gone over to the other side. In fact, Donnie is confused and worried about his "friends". Donnie tries to convince Lefty to leave the country. Also, Donnie is eager to be the first FBI agent who becomes a made guy in the mob. Before this can happen, Donnie is pulled out and the guys are arrested.
Donnie and his family go to live under and assumed name in an undisclosed location. Nicky goes to prison. Black and Lefty are murdered.
Summary Criticism: While the themes of the story are fresh and involving, the characters and plotting are all too familiar.
Donnie Brasco (1997) - imdb
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