Donnie Brasco (1997)

Director:

Mike Newell

Writers (WGA):

Joseph D. Pistone (book) and
Richard Woodley (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Donnie Brasco. Based On A True Story.

Plot:

An FBI undercover agent infilitrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life to the expense of his regular one.

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | FBI | Undercover | FBI Agent | Mole

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero
Johnny Depp	...	Donnie Brasco / Joseph D. 'Joe' Pistone
Michael Madsen	...	Sonny Black
Bruno Kirby	...	Nicky
James Russo	...	Paulie
Anne Heche	...	Maggie Pistone
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Tim Curley
Gerry Becker	...	Agent Dean Blandford FBI
Robert Miano	...	Sonny Red
Brian Tarantina	...	Bruno
Rocco Sisto	...	Richard 'Richie' Gazzo
Zach Grenier	...	Dr. Berger
Walt MacPherson	...	Sheriff
Ronnie Farer	...	Annette Ruggiero
Terry Serpico	...	Strip Club Owner
Gretchen Mol	...	Sonny's Girlfriend
Tony Lip	...	Philly Lucky
George Angelica	...	Big Trin
Val Avery	...	Trafficante
Madison Arnold	...	Jilly
Delanie Fitzpatrick	...	Daughter Amanda Pistone
Katie Sagona	...	Daughter Jessica Pistone
Sara Gold	...	Daughter
Larry Romano	...	Tommy Ruggiero
Tim Blake Nelson	...	FBI Technician
Paul Giamatti	...	FBI Technician
James McCauley	...	FBI Agent (as James Michael McCauley)
James Bulleit	...	U.S. Attorney (as Jim Bulleit)
Andrew Parks	...	U.S. Attorney Hollman
Keenan Shimizu	...	Japanese Maitre D'
Rocco Musacchia	...	Trafficante's Man
Joe Francis	...	Trafficante's Man
Sal Jenco	...	Mare Chiaro Bartender
Billy Capucilli	...	Communion Party Man
Laura Cahill	...	Communion Party Woman
Doreen Murphy	...	Mob Girlfriend
Elle Alexander	...	Mob Girlfriend
Denise Faye	...	Mob Girlfriend
Elaine del Valle	...	Mob Girlfriend (as Elaine Del Valle)
John Horton	...	FBI Director
Dan Brennan	...	FBI Photographer
LaJuan Carter	...	Singer
Sandy Barber	...	Singer
Joyce Stovall	...	Singer
Frank Pesce	...	Wiseguy
Randy Jurgensen	...	Wiseguy
John Di Benedetto	...	Wiseguy (as John DiBenedetto)
Richard Zavaglia	...	Wiseguy
Tony Ray Rossi	...	Wiseguy
Edward Black	...	Wiseguy
Gaetano LoGiudice	...	Wiseguy
Carmelo Musacchia	...	Wiseguy
Pat Vecchio	...	Wiseguy
Caleb	...	The Lion
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Bonsangue	...	Sonny Red's Crew (uncredited)
Christopher Del Gaudio	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Barry Hirschberg	...	Background (uncredited)
Jim Lavin	...	Arresting FBI Officer (uncredited)
Jeff Millstein	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Lisa Marie Panagos	...	Sonny Black's Girl (uncredited)
Garry Pastore	...	Carmine Galante's Bodyguard (uncredited)
Larry Tobias	...	Man in Bar (uncredited)
Edward Williams	...	Guest at Club / Florida Location (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Newell

Writing credits (WGA)
Joseph D. Pistone		(book "Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia") and
Richard Woodley		(book "Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia")
Paul Attanasio		(screenplay)

Produced by
Louis DiGiaimo	....	producer
Alan Greenspan	....	executive producer
Mark Johnson	....	producer
Barry Levinson	....	producer
Patrick McCormick	....	executive producer
Gail Mutrux	....	producer

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle

Cinematography by
Peter Sova		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jon Gregory

Casting by
Louis DiGiaimo
Brett Goldstein

Production Design by
Donald Graham Burt

Art Direction by
Jefferson Sage

Set Decoration by
Leslie A. Pope		(as Leslie Pope)

Costume Design by
Aude Bronson-Howard
David C. Robinson		(as David Robinson)

Makeup Department
Margot Boccia	....	makeup artist
Milton Buras	....	key hair stylist
Nathan J. Busch II	....	hair stylist (as Nathan Busch II)
John Caglione Jr.	....	key makeup artist
Derek Becker	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Jay Cannistraci	....	makeup artist: Florida (uncredited)
Sharon Kalb	....	makeup artist: Miami (uncredited)

Production Management
Richard Baratta	....	unit production manager
Michael Saxton	....	post-production supervisor
Chantal Feghali	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Henriquez	....	dga trainee
Sam Hoffman	....	second assistant director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	first assistant director (as Joseph Reidy)
Danielle Rigby	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
James Bono	....	assistant property master
Jon Copley	....	art department coordinator
Frank DeCurtis	....	set dresser
Claudette Didul	....	set dresser
Deborah Dreyer	....	set dresser
Bruce Lee Gross	....	leadman
Vinny Mazzarella	....	assistant property master
James Mazzola	....	property master
Jeff Mazzola	....	assistant property master
Jeffrey D. McDonald	....	assistant art director (as Jeffrey McDonald)
Deborah Moses	....	set dresser
Raymond M. Samitz	....	construction coordinator (as Ray Samitz)
Steve Swanson	....	set dresser
Alan Trumpler	....	chargeman scenic artist
Tom Warren	....	assistant art director (as Thomas Warren)
Denis Zack	....	set dresser (as Dennis Zack)
Michael Zansky	....	chargeman scenic artist
Jerry Eller	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Rod England	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Gerard J. Furey	....	shop craft foreman (uncredited)
Charles Guanci Jr.	....	props (uncredited)
Claire Kirk	....	construction accountant (uncredited)
Richard E. Kruder	....	set dresser: Florida (uncredited)
Nicholas Lundy	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Todd MacNicholl	....	key construction grip (uncredited)
Christine Mayer	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Mick Rossman	....	scenic (uncredited)

Sound Department
Philip Alton	....	foley editor
Sue Baker	....	dialogue editor
Tim Cavagin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Graham Farrow	....	assistant sound editor
Ian Fuller	....	supervising sound editor
Derek Holding	....	adr editor
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ian Macbeth	....	assistant sound editor
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound mixer
Christine Newell	....	assistant sound editor
Victor Nunes	....	assistant sound editor
T.J. O'Mara	....	boom operator (as Terence O'Mara)
Grahame Peters	....	sound effects editor
Michael Redfern	....	assistant sound editor
Joel Holland	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ron Ottesen	....	special effects supervisor (as Ronald Ottesen Jr.)

Visual Effects by
Martin Body	....	optical cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator (as George Aguilar)
Victor Chan	....	stunts
Peter Bove	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeffrey Lee Gibson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steve Hart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brian Smyj	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Anderson	....	best boy electric (as Thomas Anderson)
David E. Baron	....	second assistant camera (as David Baron)
Michael Green	....	first assistant camera
Richard Guinness Jr.	....	key grip
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer
Kevin Janicelli	....	rigging gaffer
Sal Lanza	....	best boy grip
Patrick McGrath	....	dolly grip
Dick Mingalone	....	camera operator
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera
Kevin Murphy	....	chief lighting technician
Peter Norman	....	additional photographer
Ronald Plant	....	rigging grip
Andrew Priestley	....	second assistant camera
Nils Johnson	....	24 frame video operator (uncredited)
Ondrej Kubicek	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Vincent Lanza	....	grip (uncredited)
Wayne Paull	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
James M. Reeves	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Fleet Emerson	....	extras casting
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting
Mark Byrne	....	casting assistant: Sylvia Fay casting (uncredited)
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Dumais	....	wardrobe supervisor: men
Mary Gierczak	....	costumer
Lauren Press	....	assistant costume designer
Lawrence Tarzy	....	costumer
Susan J. Wright	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Susan Wright)
Joanna Brett	....	assistant to costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Sam Adelman	....	first assistant editor: USA
John Dicker	....	third assistant editor: USA
Valentina Giambanco	....	second assistant editor: UK
Marianne Gray	....	post-production coordinator (as Marianne Pettersson Gray)
Christopher Holmes	....	extended edition
Sorin Ariel Iarovici	....	second assistant editor: USA (as Sorin Iarovici)
Kezia Martin	....	third assistant editor: UK
Ian Seymour	....	first assistant editor: UK
John Stanborough	....	color timer
Mike Fraser	....	negative cutter (uncredited)
Kurt Mattila	....	editor: title sequence (uncredited)
Mark Neale	....	trainee assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Budd Carr	....	executive music producer
Robin Clarke	....	music editor
Paul Hulme	....	scoring mixer
Allan Mason	....	executive music producer
Sylvia Nestor	....	music coordinator
Roy Prendergast	....	music editor
Maggie Rodford	....	music score producer
Curt Sobel	....	music consultant
John Bell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Richard Holston	....	transportation captain
Michael Hyde	....	transportation coordinator
Mike Easter	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Chris Allies	....	end title graphics
Michael Bederman	....	assistant accountant
Laura Berning	....	assistant location manager
Nathaniel Bonini	....	assistant location manager
Jeanne Brennan	....	production office coordinator
Cynthia Carriere	....	production assistant
Aryn Chapman	....	production assistant
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer: main titles
Bruce Corkham	....	assistant: Mr. Depp (as Bruce Corkum)
Lou Crisa	....	assistant: Mr. Pacino
Robin Cross	....	assistant accountant
Christi Dembrowski	....	assistant: Mr. Depp
Lisa Diamond	....	assistant: Mr. Newell
Lou DiGiaimo Jr.	....	assistant: Mr. DiGiaimo
Timothy Donohue	....	production assistant
Tink Ten Eyck	....	production accountant
Michelle Guastello	....	assistant: Mr. Madsen
Chandra Joy Hagopian	....	production secretary
Scott Hornbacher	....	location manager
Melvin James	....	production assistant (as Melvin Anderson)
Jon Johnson Sr.	....	production assistant
Tish Johnson	....	assistant accountant
Susann Jones	....	assistant: Mr. Johnson
Tim Judge	....	assistant: Mr. Pacino
Beverly Jusi	....	assistant accountant (as Beverly Meade)
Lisa Katcher	....	script supervisor
Danielle Katz	....	production assistant
Kate Kelly	....	assistant production office coordinator
Claire Kirk	....	production assistant
Amy Leigh Johnson	....	unit publicist (as Amy Johnson)
Steve McAuliff	....	animal trainer
Steven W. McKinney	....	assistant: Mr. McCormick
Hector Mesa Jr.	....	production assistant
Doug Moreno	....	assistant accountant
Jamie Mullins	....	production assistant
Alexandra Newman	....	animal trainer (as Alex Newman)
Michael Nickodem	....	assistant location manager
Maria Poulathas	....	production assistant
Chris Rossman	....	production assistant
Shea Rowan	....	production assistant
Charlie Sammut	....	animal trainer (as Charle Sammut)
Jamie Sheridan	....	production assistant (as James Sheridan)
Niki Strippoli	....	production assistant
David Tain	....	production assistant
Shawnna Thibodeau	....	production assistant
Gilbert S. Williams	....	production assistant (as Gil Williams)
H. Leah Amir	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Nigel Arscott	....	assistant location manager: Florida (uncredited)
Robert Cahoon	....	production secretary: second unit (uncredited)
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Jeff Chena	....	stand-in: Mr. Depp (uncredited)
Stefan Ashton Frank	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Ryan R. Johnson	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Elayne Keratsis	....	production coordinator: Florida (uncredited)
Ian MacGregor	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Kurt Mattila	....	title designer (uncredited)
Emily Samantha Sherman	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sherrill Smith	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Leah Sokolowsky	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Frank Venegas	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Rick Washburn	....	weapons coordinator (uncredited)
Pamela Lyn Weiss	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)
Tim Wilson	....	utility stand-in (uncredited)
Joseph Zolfo	....	location assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
James Flamberg	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Mandalay Entertainment (presents)
• Baltimore Pictures (co-production)
• Mark Johnson Productions (co-production)

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical) (a Sony Pictures Entertainment company)
• TriPictures (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Concorde Film (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Vitória Filmes (1997) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Lider Films (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Toho-Towa (1997) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1997) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Intersonic (1997) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (1997) (Finland) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (????) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1997) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Gativideo (1998) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (2000) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Nelonen (2001) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paris Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paris Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Animal Actors  animal provided by
• Astoria Films  production services
• Broward County Office of Economic Development  special thanks (as Broward, Florida Economic Development Council Inc.)
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering
• Cop Shop Miami  police cars (uncredited)
• DLT Entertainment  "Three's Company" clip provided courtesy of
• Florida Motion Picture and Television Bureau, The  special thanks
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post-production facilities (as Goldcrest Post Production)
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack available on
• Imaginary Forces  main title sequence
• Mike Fraser  negative cutting
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Peerless Camera Company  optical effects (as Peerless Camera Co.)
• Reeltime Creative  trailer music
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Technicolor  color
• Twickenham Studios  sound facilities (as Twickenham Film Studios)

Also Known As:

"Fake" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some strong graphic violence, pervasive strong language and brief nudity and sexuality

Runtime:

127 min | 147 min (extended cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | Japanese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KT | Canada:18A (video rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (bw) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #34334) | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Peru:18

Filming Locations:

59th Street Bridge, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mandalay Entertainment

Trivia:

During a two day break in filming, Michael Madsen impulsively proposed to and married DeAnna Madsen. According to Madsen, when he told Al Pacino, Pacino was disgusted with Madsen's impulsiveness, but the Madsens have now been married for almost 15 years.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Brasco is attempting to call his wife and she had the number disconnected, we see he is dialing area code 212, which is a Manhattan area code. But according to the story Pistone lives in New Jersey and the area code for Clifton New Jersey at the time was 973.

Quotes:

Lefty:And listen to me, if Donnie calls... , tell him... if it was gonna be anyone, I'm glad it was him. All right?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Robert De Niro/Destiny's Child (#30.8)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Dance with Me

Superb mafia drama. Deeper, and rings truer than most.

First rate mafia drama connects on a deeper level than most. Its cinematography may not have the moody, noirish atmosphere that makes The Godfather so appealing, but despite its slick Hollywood look, it seems to attain such penetrating truth (this, perhaps, has a little to do with its being based on a book by the real life main character). The central situation of the aging mafia man taking under his confidence and vouching for an undercover FBI agent, and that a bond forms between the two men is a great one. The performances are absolutely superb. Particularly the two men who the story centres on, Joe Pistone, a.k.a Donnie Brasco (Johnny Depp, going for realism in this role, is incredible. It begins and ends with a closeup of his eyes - this movie would be nothing without him) and mafia man "Lefty" (Pacino, who gives us one of his finest characterisations - best bit, his close-up after Donnie is asked to shake hands by a certain character on a certain boat). The vividness of the characters in this movie seems to owe a great deal to the superb screenplay (again, credit to the real-life source material). Recurring catch-phrases make it easy for us to get to know characters, and wonderful little touches give the story such a resonance, and make it ring true: like Lefty's smoking inside the car when driving with Brasco and accusing Brasco of trying to kill him with the draft when he opens a window to let some smoke out, and the portrait of Lefty, the opposite of how we imagine a mafia veteran, as a vulnerable, often emotional man.

Deserves at least four stars. Recommended to anyone (except, obviously kids, for a few scenes unsuitable to them).