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IMDbPro

Bonanno: A Godfather's Story

  • TV Movie
  • 19991999
  • 2h 50m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1K
YOUR RATING
Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999)
Home Video Trailer from Artisan
Play trailer1:43
1 Video
9 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
The true life story of mafia boss Joesph Bonanno. The story spans from Bonanno's early beginings in Italy, to his conquests in America.The true life story of mafia boss Joesph Bonanno. The story spans from Bonanno's early beginings in Italy, to his conquests in America.The true life story of mafia boss Joesph Bonanno. The story spans from Bonanno's early beginings in Italy, to his conquests in America.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michel Poulette
  • Writers
    • Bill Bonanno(book "Bound by Honor")
    • Joseph Bonanno(book "A Man of Honor")
    • Sergio Lalli(book "A Man of Honor")
  • Stars
    • Martin Landau
    • Guido Grasso Jr.
    • Bruce Ramsay
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michel Poulette
  • Writers
    • Bill Bonanno(book "Bound by Honor")
    • Joseph Bonanno(book "A Man of Honor")
    • Sergio Lalli(book "A Man of Honor")
  • Stars
    • Martin Landau
    • Guido Grasso Jr.
    • Bruce Ramsay
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 12User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 6 nominations

    Videos1

    Bonanno, A Godfather's Story
    Trailer 1:43
    Bonanno, A Godfather's Story

    Photos9

    Edward James Olmos & Michel Poulette on the set of Bonanno: a godfather's story.
    Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999)
    Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999)
    Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999)
    Martin Landau in Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999)
    Claudia Ferri & Tony Nardi on the set of Bonanno: A Godfather's Story.
    Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999)
    Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Martin Landau
    Martin Landau
    • Joseph Bonanno, Age 94
    Guido Grasso Jr.
    • Peter Maggadino
    Bruce Ramsay
    Bruce Ramsay
    • Joseph Bonanno (Ages 17-27)
    Tony Nardi
    Tony Nardi
    • Joseph Bonanno (Ages 35-61)
    Costas Mandylor
    Costas Mandylor
    • Salvatore Bonanno
    Edward James Olmos
    Edward James Olmos
    • Salvatore Maranzano
    Vito DeFilippo
    • Gaspar DiGregario (Young)
    Domenico Fiore
    • Gaspar DiGregario (Older)
    • (as Dom Fiore)
    Zachary Bennett
    Zachary Bennett
    • Bill Bonanno
    Aldo Tirelli
    Aldo Tirelli
    • Bastiano Buster Domingo
    Frank Pellegrino
    Frank Pellegrino
    • John Tartamella
    Jessica Welch
    • Fanny Labruzzo (Young)
    Claudia Ferri
    Claudia Ferri
    • Fanny Labruzzo (Older)
    Anthonino Maltazza
    • Italian Naval Cadet
    • (as Antonio Maltese)
    Vito Rezza
    • Uncle Frank Labruzzo
    Vince Corazza
    Vince Corazza
    • Charlie 'Lucky' Luciano
    • (as Vincent Corazza)
    Tony Calabretta
    Tony Calabretta
    • Joe Masseria
    Patti LuPone
    Patti LuPone
    • Miss C. Canzinarra
    • Director
      • Michel Poulette
    • Writers
      • Bill Bonanno(book "Bound by Honor")
      • Joseph Bonanno(book "A Man of Honor")
      • Sergio Lalli(book "A Man of Honor")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This 1999 Lifetime made-for-television movie is based on the real-life events of famous Italian-born American mafioso Joseph Charles Bonanno, Sr. (born 18 Jan 1905), who became the boss of the Bonanno crime family.
    • Goofs
      In a scene where Bonanno is reading a newspaper announcing Germany and Italy's declaration of war on the US (December 11, 1941), the back page of the paper announces the results of a Brooklyn Dodgers double-header, and the Yankees, Indians and Tigers wins. The baseball season in 1941 ended on October 6th at Ebbets Field, in the very first "Subway Series", when the Yanks beat the Dodgers 4 games to 1.
    • Quotes

      Charlie 'Lucky' Luciano: You can't make money with a gun in your hand.

    User reviews12

    Review
    Top review
    Great Script + Great Production = Great Movie.
    You could say I'm biased a) because my grandparents were Sicilian and b) because I love the genre. I also have a screenplay about my grandparents' story, and I see sections my own script magnificently produced in many scenes of this movie.

    Some comments are negative because they claim the movie "glorifies" criminals. Personally, I don't agree with that view. In any event, regardless of the value judgments one might pass, this movie is full of merit for many reasons.

    It is a wonderful time piece, taking us from Sicily of the early 1900s to the US of the 1990s. The sets are wonderful, the wardrobe outstanding. And the actors are excellent, except for the man playing Joe Masseria, who I think overacted a bit. Although, perhaps that's what Masseria was like.

    The script, the critical element that truly makes (or breaks) a film, IMO is also very good. In addition to telling the story it has to tell, it includes a bonus. And that is small tidbits of "universal wisdom," if you will.

    • The importance of one's word. The movie evokes a time when that meant a great deal, in contrast to current times.


    • The importance of never forgetting those who have lent you a hand in the past, and expressing gratitude for it by returning the favor when the opportunity arises.


    • Maxims such as "When it's your life that's on the line, you can only trust yourself".


    Perhaps a 10 is a tad too generous, but I'd give it no less than a 9.

    The reason it gets a 10 is as kudos for having produced a great script. Great scripts of all genres need to be produced, and not the garbage that keeps getting cranked out. The saying goes, "you can have a bad movie with a good script, but you can't have a good movie with a bad script." In this case, we have a great script and great production, which equals a great movie.
    helpful•10
    0
    • gardel46
    • Jan 22, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 25, 1999 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Family: The Life and Times of Joseph Bonanno
    • Filming locations
      • Montréal, Québec, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Armeda Ltd.
      • Daniel L. Paulson Productions
      • Les Productions La Fête Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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