A power dispute between mobsters

Despite being one of the best known and most brilliant actors of its generation, it has never been considered a «Fascinating Human Being» And refuses to see your own movies. He says he falls asleep each time he tries to do it. He decided early that he wanted to be an actor and not a celebrity, and one of the things that most fall in his work is that he could live the lives of others without having to pay a price. «Talent is in the choices» and «There is time to rest when you are dead»defends. Perhaps that is why, at the age of 81, Robert de Niro is back on the big screen and double dose.

In The Alto Knights – Biographical film made by Barry Levinson who premiered on March 20 in Portuguese theaters – the legendary American actor gives life not to one, but to two characters: Vito Genovee and Frank Costello, two iconic New York mafia figures of the 1950s. “Best friends in childhood have grown together from Italian-American families. Competitors, Costello and Genovese have very different temperaments and ideas on how to manage their business. While Frank Costello is benevolent and looks for a different life despite his fraudulent schemes, Vito Genovese is the typical short -wick gangster who trusts very few people. A series of distrust, betrayal, and jealousy, distance them both, putting them in a deadly collision »describes the synopsis.

The return to mafia movies

«I thought I would never make a movie about gangsters after the Irishmanin 2019 »confided from Niro in an interview by Zoom to Globe. «But when they sent me the argument written by Nicholas Pileggi – All good boys1990, or Casinofive years later – with Barry Levinson, I was interested. We have done many things together over the years »complemented.

According to the same publication, the idea of ​​putting Niro as Frank and Vito came from the head of Irwin Winkler, legendary Hollywood producer who signs the two-hour feature film. Al Pacino’s name was on the table to play one of the mobsters. However, Winkler wanted to risk it. «He asked me, ‘And if you interpret both?’ I thought and said, ‘Okay!’ This also justifies the fact that you make a movie about the mafia again »Robert De Niro revealed.

However, with a requirement: in the scenes that add Vito and Frank, the artist wanted to play with a true actor and not with a «Any person» that just gave you the leaves. «I was worried and said, ‘I need another actor!’ We had others climbing for the papers of mafia members, met some of them and saw which one would be the best. I chose Joe Bacino, who learned the two roles. I needed to interact with someone »he said. When Niro was Vito, Bacino was Frank; When Niro was Frank, Bacino was Vito.

The protagonist of the film said that he worked the lines with his colleague for several weeks and, without surprise, that the fact that he brought to life two characters was a big challenge. «The idea of ​​interpreting two different characters was intriguing… they are two different sides of the same coin. One is more rational, more diplomatic. This is the character Costello. The character Genovese is more erratic, more impulsive »described to Wrap. For the director, Levinson, this division of personalities offers «A true dramatic substance to the film». «The secret to this is: to make the dialogues look natural and reliable and not mechanical»commented.

Only when the movie was ready could Niro finally watch the dialogues with oneself. «I was not sure how it would work, how well it would work or if it would not work»admitted.

The idea of ​​making this movie first came in the 70’s, shortly after Frank Costello, known as «The Prime Minister of the Underworld»having died at the age of 82. However, the story has been in the drawer so far.

Costello and Genovese began their criminal careers alongside Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano, chief of the Sicilian gang of Manhattan, still in the 1920s. When Charles founded the powerful Luciano family in 1931, it was Genovee chosen for sub -chief, while Costello was designated his reliable advisor.

The dispute between the two friends began after Charles’ arrest in 1936. Genovese took command of the organization, but fled to Italy the following year to escape a murder accusation. During his absence, Costello became the new boss, a situation that aroused the desire for revenge in Genovee when he returned to the US. Willing to resume control, he commissioned his friend’s death in 1957. However, he failed.