MOVIE NEWS – Mafia movies have built a legacy on their gritty, raw portrayals of the underworld, but let’s be honest—some get the details right, while others lean into the Hollywood fantasy. And when it comes to the mob genre, few films are as legendary as The Godfather. Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece crafted an intricate web of crime, betrayal, and power struggles, drawing loose inspiration from real-life figures. But for all its brilliance, does it really capture the reality of organized crime? Former mobster Anthony Ruggiano Jr. is here to set the record straight.

The 1972 crime epic redefined cinema, telling the tragic tale of Vito and Michael Corleone—a father and son locked in an unavoidable descent into the dark world of the mafia. Universally regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, The Godfather left an impact so profound that only its own sequel, The Godfather Part II, could match its legacy.

But how accurate was it? Ruggiano, who was once a key figure in New York’s infamous Gambino crime family, knows the reality of mafia life better than most. Speaking to Insider, he took a critical look at some of Hollywood’s most famous gangster movies, including The Irishman, Goodfellas, and of course, The Godfather.

While he acknowledges its cinematic brilliance, Ruggiano points out a particularly unrealistic moment—the infamous restaurant assassination where Michael Corleone kills Virgil Sollozzo and Captain McCluskey after retrieving a hidden gun from a restroom:

“I’m not saying something like that couldn’t happen, but a gun stashed behind a toilet? That’s a bit much. In reality, the mafia had expert carpenters who built hidden compartments—real pro work. They’d rig places to stash weapons so well that even cops searching the area wouldn’t find them.

It was an incredible scene, don’t get me wrong—it really elevated the film. But in real life? Nah. Killing a police captain? Almost unheard of. Corruption was rampant back then—New York’s cops were practically all on the take. If a hit was planned, it was quick—no dramatic table conversation, no drawn-out suspense. You walked in, pulled the trigger, and left. That was it.

And leaving the murder weapon behind? Never. Guns were untraceable because they were either stolen or bought down south and smuggled into the city. Plus, guys always wrapped the grip in tape to avoid fingerprints. DNA wasn’t even a thing back then, so if you left a weapon, at least it wouldn’t have any prints on it.

If I had to rate The Godfather for realism, I’d give it a seven out of ten. It’s an amazing film, but yeah, a lot of it was pure Hollywood.”

So, What’s the Most Accurate Mafia Movie?

Ruggiano didn’t stop there—he also shared his insights on other crime films, rating them based on their authenticity. According to him, The Irishman, Killing Them Softly, and even The Sopranos and The Simpsons capture mafia life surprisingly well. He also gives the 2018 Gotti movie, starring John Travolta, an eight out of ten for accuracy—unsurprising, given his firsthand experience working with the real John Gotti.

Source: MovieWeb