I think most of us will agree to Goodfellas and Donnie Brasco, which it's kind of obvious. Mean Streets also.

But to make an interesting discussion I will also mention The Godfather "Part II" as giving a pretty authentic portrayal of organized crime in the 1950s. Also, Lucky Luciano (1973), which is probably one of the most genuine portrayals of first generation Italian-American criminals, besides being an extremely boring film for the most part.

"Goodfellas" and "Donnie Brasco" were accurate portrayals of the grungy, low-rent aspects of US Mafia life--attest the scene in "Brasco" when your namesake's crew are reduced to busting open parking meters. I see "Mean Streets" as less a Mafia movie than a film (a masterpiece) about friendship and responsibility. Likewise, the Godfather Trilogy is less a series about the Mafia, than a family saga with the Mafia as the defining milieu--just as "Gone With the Wind" was not a US Civil War movie--it was about a family with the war as a defining milieu. That said, GFII was very prescient in showing the Mafia's influence in Nevada and Cuba. The depiction of Havana on the eve of Castro's takeover was so authentic that professors of Latin American history advise their students to view it.

"Casino" gives an excellent, highly detailed look at Mafia penetration of Las Vegas. A low-budget (but very good) movie, "Honor Thy Father," is very engrossing in its depiction of the "Banana War" of the Bonanno Family.

"A Bronx Tale" would be high on the list.

Agreed, SC.

I know I've posted this a thousand times, but as someone who grew up in that area during that time period, I thought it was a dead-on portrayal of life in the neighborhood at that time. 95 percent of the people who lived in Belmont were honest and hard working, but EVERYONE knew who the players were. From the little kids to the old ladies. So the small moments---like when Phil the Peddler gave Calogero a piece of fruit for his mother, or when the young kids were imitating Frankie Coffee Cake and Jimmy Whispers---really struck home for me. Stickball, open fire hydrants, "I Wonder Why," it all brought me back to my childhood.

My one bone of contention with the film was that it wasn't filmed on-location, save for the City Island bus trip scene. Most of the "Arthur Avenue" area exteriors were filmed on 30th Avenue in Astoria. But I'm just nit-picking; I understand how difficult it would have been to film in such a congested area (Neighborhood shopping, Fordham University, etc.)

A Bronx Tale is also a very good one, how could I forget. And I thought about Casino, but while it gives an pretty accurate presentation of the mob in Vegas, it doesn't really show the usual daily activities of mobsters like you see in Goodfellas. And Mean Streets isn't a real "mobster" film, but it does show the mob's environment extremely realistic.

Casino, Donnie Brasco, Goodfellas, Godfather series (some parts), and of course A Bronx Tale.

Eeey... Those movies are NOTHING in comparison to this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQSD1VK9Ag

Donnie Brasco, bar none

A Bronx Tale is a very powerful film.

I agree, although I'm embarassed to say I've never seen A Bronx Tale

although back to what pizzaboy was saying regarding neighborhood location nitpicking - in Brasco they'd show overhead and exterior shots of Knickerbocker Village where Lefty (and a lot of those guys) lived in real life , but they'd also show a little exterior of Mulberry Street before cutting to Lefty's apartment. I think in the movie lefty also mentions something about being from mulberry...but knick village is further downtown, almost like a mile away which is a lot in manhattan terms. Also Brasco being a part of the 3 capos hit - we all know that didnt happen

but portraying them as middle class hustlers constantly looking for a score.. I buy that totally

Godfather 1 and 2 (dont even wanna mention 3 in the same breath) are obviously great, classic, greatest of all time movies ... but I consider them too "epic" for a realistic mob movie if that makes any sense

I didn't know that until a while after originally seeing the movie. Though due to SOP for an undercover it doesn't surprise me that once he entered the basement where the 3 were already dead he raised no objections. Though I'm curious to think what Pistone would have done if they trusted him enough to be in the room while it happened (which they obviously never asked him to be a part of it). His quote of risking his life to save the life of a civilian vs. no objection on potentially being involved or witnessing the killing of a wiseguy is definitely an admirable thinking of life.



Easily, by far my favorite part of the movie. That's why I think it was so good. Those New York style town homes made of brick that are above the garage --- not Tony Soprano/Corleone-esque mansions and compounds.

A Bronx Tale, is an extremely sentimental movie for me. I've grown up my whole life in Southern California, but the Italian-American way of life and living that I saw in that movie when I first saw it on cable TV in elementary school, has always given me ethnic identity in a place that I feel more physically and mentally like a Mexican.

Once Upon a Time in America (uncut version) did a very good job of portraying the lower east side during pre-prohibition and prohibition im my opinion. In fact, I think thats one of the most underrated and excellent "gangster" films ever made (again uncut version).

Goodfellas is the more accurate description of the mafia now and how it has always been, regardless of era. The mafia has always consisted of uneduated, poor, moral weaklings that barely scrape by economically. These members are ruled by mean, ruthless sociopathic killers who are more conniving, ruthless and mean than their members, and take the bulk of the money. No glorified life, just death, jail, murder, sadness, and ruined families.

and also that lefty didn't go to the meeting and die. sonny black gave his jewelry and watches to his fav bartender and went knewing he was going to be whacked.

I think Goodfellas just because it portrays all sides of what the life is like or could be. Anyway, George Anastasia and Glen Macnow just wrote a book on the best mafia movies. I think theres a list of almost a 100 but they rank em and talk about them. I haven't read it but heard its ok.

Most accurate Mob movie has to be either Donnie Brasco or HBO's "Gotti"

gotti and brasco had some tall tales in them both.

It's not about "historical accuracy" but how the mob is portrayed in those films.

Exactly.