Gotti (1996 film)

For the 2018 film of the same name, see Gotti (2018 film).

Gotti
DVD cover
Based on	Gotti: Rise and Fall by Jerry Capeci Gene Mustain
Written by	Steve Shagan
Directed by	Robert Harmon
Starring	Armand Assante Anthony Quinn Vincent Pastore
Music by	Mark Isham
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producer	Gary Lucchesi
Producer	David Coatsworth
Cinematography	Alar Kivilo
Editor	Zach Staenberg
Running time	116 minutes
Production company	HBO Pictures
Original release
Network	HBO
Release	August 17, 1996 (1996-08-17)

Gotti is a 1996 American crime drama television film directed by Robert Harmon and written by Steve Shagan. Based primarily on the columns of reporter Jerry Capeci, who also co-wrote the 1996 non-fiction book Gotti: Rise and Fall with Gene Mustain and served as the film's executive producer, the film stars Armand Assante in the title role as infamous Gambino crime family boss John Gotti, along with William Forsythe, and Anthony Quinn. It premiered on HBO on August 17, 1996.

Assante won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for his performance. Assante received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie the same year.

Plot

The film highlights Gotti's association with three fellow mobsters: a father-son like relationship with Gambino underboss Aniello "Neil" Dellacroce, his deep but rocky friendship with Gotti crew member and longtime friend Angelo Ruggiero, and the respect and ultimate frustration that he felt for the man who became his underboss, Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano.

The film details Gotti's rise within the Gambino crime family, as an unofficial soldier (soldato) sent to prison following the murder of James McBratney in 1973, then being promoted to captain (or capo ) after Neil's retirement, and finally becoming boss of the family by arranging a hit on "Big" Paul Castellano in 1985. Following the murder of Castellano, the film concentrates on the legal trials of John Gotti: one for assault and two for racketeering under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statutes.

Gotti's famous personality, trial acquittals, and media attention are all dramatized. The film ends with Gotti's conviction in 1992 and sentencing to life imprisonment at Marion Federal Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois when Gravano turns state's evidence and agrees to testify against Gotti in exchange for witness protection.

Cast

• Armand Assante as John Gotti
• William Forsythe as Sammy Gravano
• Anthony Quinn as Aniello Dellacroce
• Vincent Pastore as Angelo Ruggiero
• Frank Vincent as Robert DiBernardo
• Richard C. Sarafian as Paul Castellano
• Dominic Chianese as Joe Armone
• Raymond Serra as Frank LoCascio
• Tony Sirico as Joe Dimiglia
• Al Waxman as Bruce Cutler
• Scott Cohen as Gene Gotti
• Robert Miranda as Frank DeCicco
• Marc Lawrence as Carlo Gambino
• Alberta Watson as Victoria Gotti
• Tony De Santis as John Favara
• Gil Filar as Frank Gotti
• Gerry Mendicino as Peter Gotti
• Yank Azman as Judge Nickerson
• Frank Crudele as Nicholas Scibetta
• Frank Pellegrino as Carmine Russo

Production

Shooting took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ^[1] Assante put on 35 pounds to play Gotti. ^[2]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 60% rating based on five reviews, with an average rating of 5.20/10. ^[3] Jeremy Girard of Variety called it "a fairly standard-issue gangster flick" that is problematic for its matter-of-fact presentation. ^[4] Caryn James of The New York Times criticized its "docudrama syndrome", in which biographical dramas adhere closely to the historical record to prevent lawsuits despite the need for more characterization. ^[5]

Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times called it "one of the better mob movies of the decade, and surely the best gangster portrait ever made primarily for television". ^[6] TV Guide rated it 2/5 stars and described it as too detailed for casual viewers and too inaccurate for enthusiasts. ^[7]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
1997	American Cinema Editors Awards	Best Edited Two-Hour Movie for Non-Commercial Television	Zach Staenberg	Won	[8]
	American Society of Cinematographers Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movie of the Week or Pilot	Alar Kivilo	Nominated	[9]
	Artios Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Movie of the Week Casting	Avy Kaufman	Nominated	[10]
	Cairo International Film Festival	Golden Pyramid Award	Robert Harmon	Nominated
	Directors Guild of America Awards	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials		Nominated	[11]
	Golden Globe Awards	Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television		Nominated	[12]
		Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Armand Assante	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Anthony Quinn	Nominated
	Golden Reel Awards	Best Sound Editing – Music – Television Movies of the Week, Pilots or Miniseries	Bill Abbott	Nominated	[13]
	Online Film & Television Association Awards	Best Motion Picture Made for Television		Nominated	[14]
		Best Music in a Motion Picture or Miniseries	Mark Isham	Nominated
		Best New Theme Song in a Motion Picture or Miniseries		Nominated
		Best New Titles Sequence in a Motion Picture or Miniseries		Nominated
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Made for Television Movie	Gary Lucchesi, David Coatsworth, and Robert McMinn	Nominated	[15]
		Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special	Armand Assante	Won
		Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Special	Robert Harmon	Nominated
		Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Special	Steve Shagan	Nominated
		Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special	Alar Kivilo	Nominated
		Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special – Single Camera Production	Zach Staenberg	Nominated
		Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Miniseries or a Special	Robert W. Glass Jr., Ezra Dweck, Dan Wallin, and David Lee	Nominated
	Satellite Awards	Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television	Anthony Quinn	Nominated	[16]
	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries	Armand Assante	Nominated	[17]

See also

• Witness to the Mob

References

1. Blumenthal, Ralph (1996-08-11). "Best-Dressed Don Inspires a Drama". The New York Times . Retrieved 2016-01-16.
2. Randle, Nancy Jalasca (1996-08-16). "The Muscle Behind 'Gotti'". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2016-01-16.
3. "Gotti (1996)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 2016-01-16.
4. Gerard, Jeremy (1996-08-12). "Review: 'Gotti'". Variety . Retrieved 2016-01-16.
5. James, Caryn (1996-08-17). "Making and Unmaking Of a Made Man: Gotti". The New York Times . Retrieved 2016-01-16.
6. Rosenberg, Howard (1996-08-17). "Sincerely Sinister". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2016-01-16.
7. "Gotti". TV Guide . Retrieved 2016-01-16.
8. "Nominees/Winners". IMDb . Retrieved April 3, 2019.
9. "The ASC Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography". American Society of Cinematographers. Archived from the original on 2011-08-02.
10. "1997 Artios Awards". Casting Society of America. November 12, 1997. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
11. "49th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards . Retrieved October 30, 2023.
12. "Gotti". Golden Globe Awards . Retrieved October 30, 2023.
13. Variety Staff (March 4, 1997). "Sound editors bow Golden Reel noms". Variety . Retrieved June 20, 2020.
14. "1st Annual TV Awards (1996-97)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
15. "Gotti". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved October 30, 2023.
16. "International Press Academy website – 1997 1st Annual SATELLITE Awards". Archived from the original on February 1, 2008.
17. "The 3rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards . Retrieved October 30, 2023.

External links

• Gotti at IMDb