The Real Godfather

Great BBC documentary.

https://vimeo.com/184313161

I've just watched the show entitled The Godfather: Shocking Truth. It attempts to illustrate the real life personages on which Puzo based his novel. Quite interesting. It seems that Puzo was heavily influenced by the life of Frank Costello which is not news, but some confirmation.

I admittedly only watched the first 10 minutes or so of The Shocking Truth, but based on this sample size it seems like they just repurposed material from a previous Costello documentary. They mostly talked about Costello's story, then would occasionally place in how it was portrayed in The Godfather.

Costello was Calabrese, and, as even this show points out, was an Americanized, swanky Manhattan guy who lived in a luxury apartment right above central park. Vito Corleone's Sicilian customs and olive oil background resembles Joe Profaci more than Costello. I think Vito's a composite of the two, yet despite the heavy focus on the links between Costello and Corelone, Profaci's name isn't yet mentioned as of the point I watched to.

And, ugh. The reenactments...These are just horrible. Is it cheaper for them to hire these actors and do this than it is to just buy stock footage of 1930s New York the way the Bill Kurtis docs did?

Yes I agree the actors they hire on the Reelz channel Mob shows are a joke.

I’ve seen the one on Costello/Godfather that ya’ll are talking about. The guy playing Luciano was a red headed Irish looking guy.

There are a couple of Mafia history series that one can watch. I watch them all. However, their information runs from outright falsehood to barely correct.

For example, one of them still insists that Bugsy Siegel named the Flamingo after Virginia Hill. Neither agrees on whether it was Profaci or Genovese behind Anastasia's murder or even mentions the other. They confusedly weave a tale during the 70s and 80s of who ran what family. There are some significant events that are not mentioned at all depending on what series you are watching.

So, I watch them for their entertainment value.

I started watching it. Very interesting