Mobsters (1991)

Director:

Michael Karbelnikoff

Writers (WGA):

Michael Mahern (story)
Michael Mahern (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

They rose from nothing to rule everything.

Plot:

The story of a group of friends in turn of the century New York, from their early days as street hoods to their rise in the world of organized crime...

Plot Keywords:

Death | Revenge | Mafia | Italian American | Betrayal

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Christian Slater	...	Charlie 'Lucky' Luciano
Costas Mandylor	...	Frank Costello
Richard Grieco	...	Bugsy Siegel
Jeremy Schoenberg	...	Crapshooter
Miles Perlich	...	Crapshooter
Alan Charof	...	Rabbi
Patrick Dempsey	...	Meyer Lansky
Anto Nolan	...	Irish Cop
Rodney Eastman	...	Joey
Andy Romano	...	Antonio Luciano
Bianca Rossini	...	Rosalie Luciano
Stevie Restivo	...	Little Brother
Caroline Gillette	...	Little Sister
Robert Z'Dar	...	Rocco
Michael Gambon	...	Don Salvatore Faranzano
Tracy Swenson	...	Joey's Mother
Anthony Quinn	...	Don Giuseppe 'Joe the Boss' Masseria
Sean Blackman	...	Another Italian
Bryan Law	...	Irish Thug
Clark Heathcliffe Brolly	...	Mike Shane
Trish Steele	...	Costello's Mother
Leonard Termo	...	Joe Palermo
Emile Nicolaou	...	Kid
Chris Penn	...	Tommy Reina (as Christopher Penn)
F. Murray Abraham	...	Arnold Rothstein
Fyvush Finkel	...	Tailor
Russell Curry	...	Black Gangster
Carmen Twillie	...	Blues Singer
Don Brockett	...	Irish Politician
Leslie Bega	...	Anna Lansky
Seymour Cassel	...	Father Bonotto
Anya Longwell	...	Showgirl
Monique Noel	...	Showgirl (as Monique Noel Lovelace)
Karen Russell	...	Showgirl
Nicholas Sadler	...	Mad Dog Coll
Jennifer Gatti	...	Secretary
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Mara Motes
Frank Collison	...	Sonny Catania
Joe Viterelli	...	Joe Profaci
Lynette Walden	...	Cute Debutante
James Michael	...	Tony No Nose
Steve Picerni	...	Luciano's Driver
Jim Wilkey	...	Coll's Driver
Ron Marquette	...	Maitre d'
Linda Fontanette	...	Maid
Russ Fega	...	Nathan Citron
Anna Berger	...	Mrs. Greene
Jan Solomita	...	Wedding Guest
Sharmagne Leland-St. John	...	Wedding Guest
Elizabeth Graham	...	Cute Girl
Ava Fabian	...	Cute Girl
Stan Barry	...	Card Player
Billy Bastiani	...	Short Stick (as Bill Bastiani)
John Chappoulis	...	Joe Bonnano
J.P. Romano	...	Goon
Erik Degn	...	Goon
Titus Welliver	...	Al Capone
Richard Garneau	...	Room Service Waiter
Willie Garson	...	Telephone Operator (as Willy Garson)
Chuck Picerni Jr.	...	Bodyguard (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Nick Dimitri	...	Bodyguard
Theresa Berquist	...	Dancer
Kerry Brennan	...	Dancer
Lada Boder	...	Dancer (as Lada Buder)
Janice Cronkhite	...	Dancer
Melissa Dorf	...	Dancer
Suzie Hardy	...	Dancer
Melissa Hurley	...	Dancer
Shannon Maloney	...	Dancer
Trish Pamish	...	Dancer
Rachel Parker	...	Dancer
Anna Villa	...	Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sabrina Bertaccini	...	Chorus girl (uncredited)
Lora Lyn Peterson	...	(uncredited)
Daisy Alexandra Sylbert-Torres	...	Wedding Guest, Street urchin (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Karbelnikoff

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Mahern		(story)
Michael Mahern		(screenplay) and
Nicholas Kazan		(screenplay)

Produced by
C.O. Erickson	....	executive producer
Stephen J. Roth	....	producer (as Steve Roth)

Original Music by
Michael Small

Cinematography by
Lajos Koltai

Film Editing by
Joe D'Augustine
M. Scott Smith		(as Scott Smith)

Casting by
Nancy Nayor
Bonnie Timmermann

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Peter Landsdown Smith

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Ellen Mirojnick

Makeup Department
Leslie Ann Anderson	....	hair stylist (as Leslie Anne Anderson)
John Blake	....	key prosthetic designer and applicator
Marietta Carter-Narcisse	....	second makeup artist (as Marietta A. Carter)
Tony Gardner	....	makeup effects supervisor
Tammy Kusian	....	second hair stylist
Ronnie Specter	....	makeup artist
Bridget Bergman	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Vance Hartwell	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
C.O. Erickson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albert Cho	....	second assistant director
Sandra Holden	....	dga trainee
Richard Oswald	....	second second assistant director
Albert M. Shapiro	....	first assistant director (as Albert Shapiro)

Art Department
Steven E. Adams	....	set dresser (as Steve Adams)
William A. Barry	....	propmaker gang boss (as William Barry)
Tony Belmonte	....	drapery foreman
Richard Berger	....	set designer
Mark Blumenthal	....	stand-by painter
Mike Cunningham	....	assistant property master
Delbert Diener	....	set dresser
Gene Fukuzawa	....	propmaker gang boss
Stacy Gelb	....	set designer (as Stacy I. Gelb)
David Goldstein	....	paint foreman
Leon Harris	....	illustrator (as Leon R. Harris)
Mentor Huebner	....	primary production illustrator
Bill Iiams	....	general foreman
Roger Irvin	....	construction coordinator
Peter J. Kelly	....	set designer (as Pete Kelly)
Tom Lawson	....	propshop foreman
Sharmagne Leland-St. John	....	assistant to production designer
Tom Lifsey	....	propmaker foreman (as Thomas E. Lifsey)
Alan Lipson	....	research assistant
William S. Maxwell III	....	leadman
William F. McLaughlin	....	assistant property master (as Wm. F. McLaughlin)
Greg Nestor	....	leadman
Jim P. Powell	....	labor foreman
David Price	....	set dresser
Mark Rasmussen	....	carpenter gang boss
Wendy Riva	....	set dressing production assistant
John Robinson	....	paint gang boss
Michael Ross	....	property master (as Michael G. Ross)
John A. Scott III	....	set dresser
Earl W. Shubin	....	set dresser
Robert Sica	....	set dresser
Ron Sica	....	set dresser (as Ronald Sica)
Bennett L. Sperber	....	construction foreman (as Bennett Sperber)
Christopher Sylbert	....	sign supervisor
Mark Sylbert	....	propmaker gang boss
Lance Larson	....	weapons and props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charlie Ajar Jr.	....	sound recordist (as Charlie Ajar)
Petra Bach	....	adr editor
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
Duke Brown	....	foley editor
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Jeff Bushelman	....	sound editor
Michael C. Casper	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Mike Dobie	....	supervising sound editor
Michael Evje	....	sound mixer
Tom Gerard	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Thomas Gerard)
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Shelley Rae Hinton	....	adr editor
William Jacobs	....	foley editor
Jay Kamen	....	adr supervisor (as Uncle J. Kamen)
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Daniel Leahy)
Richard LeGrand Jr.	....	adr editor
Larry Mann	....	supervising sound editor
James M. McCann	....	boom operator
Colin C. Mouat	....	sound editor (as Colin Mouat)
Steve Olson	....	foley editor
Bruce Richardson	....	sound editor
Charles Ewing Smith	....	sound editor (as Charles E. Smith)
Winfred Tennison	....	cable person
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Bill Baldwin	....	assistant adr editor (uncredited)
Jerry Jacobson	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects supervisor
Paul J. Lombardi	....	special effects (as Paul Lombardi)
Roland Tantin	....	special effects
David Domeyer	....	special effects (uncredited)
Carolyn Oros	....	special effects makeup (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jesse Silver	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Bob Arnold	....	stunts
Perry Barndt	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (as Ken Bates)
Ray Bickel	....	stunts
Chino Binamo	....	stunts
Jeff Bornstein	....	stunts
Robert Breeze	....	stunts
Nick Brett	....	stunts
Hank Calia	....	stunts
Mike De Luna	....	stunts (as Mike DeLuna)
Chris Durand	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Frank Ferrara	....	stunts
Cindy Folkerson	....	stunts
David M. Graves	....	stunts (as David Graves)
Stefan Gudju	....	stunts
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Sonia Izzolena	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
Mike Johnson	....	stunts
Maria R. Kelly	....	stunts (as Maria Kelly)
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Kim Robert Koscki	....	stunts (as Kim Koscki)
Paul M. Lane	....	stunts (as Paul Lane)
David LeBell	....	stunts
Scott Leva	....	stunts
Gary Littlejohn	....	stunts
Bill Madden	....	stunts
Mike Marasco	....	stunts
Ben Marino	....	stunts
Denver Mattson	....	stunts
Bill McIntosh	....	stunts
Joyce McNeal	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunts
Michael Papajohn	....	stunts
Victor Paul	....	stunt coordinator
John Phillip	....	stunts
Denney Pierce	....	stunts
Walter Robles	....	stunts (as Walt Robles)
George Robotham	....	stunts
Philip Romano	....	stunts (as Phil Romano)
George Marshall Ruge	....	stunts
Jeff Smolek	....	stunts
Jerry Spicer	....	stunts
Erik Stabenau	....	stunts
Paul G. Stalone	....	stunts (as Paul Stalone)
Jerry Summers	....	stunts
Neil Summers	....	stunts
Stagg Summers	....	stunts
Martin Valinsky	....	stunts
Lee Waddell	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunts
Brian J. Williams	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Lance Turner	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Adcock	....	second assistant camera (as Steve G. Adcock)
Manny Angulo	....	electrician
Dustin Ault	....	grip
Herb Ault	....	key grip (as Herbert L. Ault)
James D. Ault	....	rigging grip (as J.D. Ault)
Rick A. Benedetto	....	electrician (as Rick Benedetto)
Malcolm Brown	....	first assistant camera
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera (as Clyde Bryan)
John J. Ellingwood	....	second assistant camera (as Jack Ellingwood)
Steven W. Gage	....	second assistant camera
Kurt Grossi	....	grip
Jason D. Hodges	....	rigging grip (as Jason Hodges)
Mike Hodges	....	key rigging grip
John Holmes	....	film loader
Robert Jason	....	chief lighting technician
Danny Jimenez	....	dolly grip (as Daniel Jimenez)
Horace Jordan	....	first assistant camera
Kenny King	....	best boy grip (as Ken King)
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Larry McCarron	....	grip
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assistant technician (as Dan Moore)
David W. Nims	....	rigging grip
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator
Randy Nolen	....	camera operator
Angelo Pacifici	....	camera operator
Jeffrey W. Petersen	....	best boy electric (as Jeff Petersen)
Patrick G. Ralston	....	rigging gaffer (as Patrick Ralston)
Calmar Roberts	....	first assistant camera (as Cal Roberts)
Rod Robertson	....	electrician
David St. Onge	....	electrician
Nick Taylor	....	camera operator
Donald E. Thorin Jr.	....	first assistant camera (as Don Thorin Jr.)
Pernell Youngblood Tyus	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Jeff Block	....	casting associate
Debbie DeRango	....	casting assistant
Felicia Fasano	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cheryl Beasley Blackwell	....	costumer
Leah Brown	....	costumer (as Leah P. Brown)
Brenda Cooper	....	costumer
Tom Culver	....	set costumer (as Thomas L. Culver)
Jesse Fields	....	costumer (as Jesse J. Fields)
Jay Floyd	....	costume production assistant
Barry Kellogg	....	costumer
Ruby K. Manis	....	costume supervisor
Joseph Markham	....	costumer (as Joseph R. Markham)
Marilyn Matthews	....	associate costume designer
Dan Moore	....	costume supervisor
Bernadette O'Brien	....	costumer
Anthony J. Scarano	....	costumer (as Anthony James Scarano)
Cheryl Scarano	....	costumer (as Cheryl Perkins Scarano)
Ivette Silberman	....	set costumer
Melissa Antablin	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Alderete	....	first assistant editor
Sandy Brundage	....	negative cutter
Matthew Cassel	....	apprentice editor
Lin Coleman	....	assistant editor
Allen Ferro	....	montage editor
Pablo Ferro	....	montage
Craig Kitson	....	assistant editor
Katie Mack	....	apprentice editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Alan Deane	....	musician: Ellis Island Orchestra Klezmer Band
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Christopher Dedrick	....	orchestrator
Dennis Dreith	....	music supervisor
Barry Fisher	....	musician: Ellis Island Orchestra Klezmer Band
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Boris Legun	....	musician: Ellis Island Orchestra Klezmer Band
Michael Rosen	....	musician: Ellis Island Orchestra Klezmer Band
Tanya Rust	....	musician: Ellis Island Orchestra Klezmer Band
Aaron Shifrin	....	musician: Ellis Island Orchestra Klezmer Band
Armin Steiner	....	scoring mixer
Christine Cholvin	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor (uncredited)
Curtis Roush	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Anthony Ardito	....	driver: set dressing department
Sheridan Ross Batson	....	driver (as Sheridan R. Batson)
Bud Belyeu	....	picture car mechanic
Robert D. Benton	....	driver: construction department (as Robert Benton)
E.O. Brown	....	driver
Ronald Brown	....	picture car (as Ron Brown)
Gene Carr	....	driver
Robert C. Cawley	....	driver
James D. D'Amico	....	driver (as Jim D'Amico)
Howard Brady Davidson	....	transportation coordinator (as Howard Davidson)
Sharon Davidson	....	driver
William Esparza	....	driver
Larry Hardman	....	driver: honeywagon
Gary Hellerstein	....	picture car coordinator
Benson Jones	....	driver
Edward O'Neal	....	driver: construction department
Gary Paulsen	....	transportation captain (as Gary D. Paulsen)
Ted Reed	....	driver
Christopher Rigby	....	driver: set dressing department (as Chris Rigby)
Dan Riportella	....	driver: construction department
Jerry Shore Jr.	....	driver: production van
Stan Sydel	....	driver
Tom Winchester	....	driver

Other crew
Gregory Alpert	....	set production assistant
Toni Basil	....	choreographer
Steve Battaglia	....	assistant: Mr. Karbelnikoff
John W. Bergin	....	production assistant
Marcy Bolotin	....	unit publicist
Carla Bowen	....	production secretary (as Carla D. Bowen)
Steve Buhai	....	key set production assistant (as Steven Buhai)
Paul A. Calabria	....	wild animal handler (as Paul Calabria)
Steve Cowie	....	key set production assistant
Frank Michael D'Angelo	....	assistant: Mr. Karbelnikoff
Karin Dew	....	dog trainer (as Karen Dew)
Robert Easton	....	dialect coach
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer: main title sequence
Robert Gluck	....	assistant location manager (as Robert P. Gluck)
Susan J. Hellmann	....	set production assistant
Kathryn Loraine Hibbs	....	production accountant (as Kathryn L. Hibbs)
Sidney James	....	sideline contractor
Daniel S. Kudart	....	office production assistant (as Daniel S. Kurdart)
Elaine Lipton	....	location manager (as Elaine S. Lipton)
Alexis Magagni-Seely	....	assistant: Mr. Karbelnikoff (as Alexis Magagni)
James McCabe	....	location supervisor (as Jim McCabe)
Heather Mills	....	production coordinator (as Heather A. Mills)
Anthony L. Paquet	....	set nurse (as Tony Paquet RN)
Bridget Pickering	....	assistant: Mr. Timmerman
Stephen Ricci	....	assistant: Mr. Roth
Michelle Schluter-Ford	....	assistant production coordinator (as Michelle L. Schluter)
Joshua Silverman	....	assistant location manager (as Josh Silverman)
Bernadette Tanchauco	....	assistant production accountant (as Bernadette 'Berni' Tanchauco)
Craig Titley	....	office production assistant
Ted Tobin	....	assistant: Mr. Karbelnikoff
Judi Townsend	....	script supervisor
Steve Zukowski	....	craft service (as Steven Zukowski)
Ian Abercrombie	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Nick Conti	....	voice looping (uncredited)
Lev Mailer	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Liz Probst	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Phillip Schenkler	....	estimator (uncredited)
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator (uncredited)
Branko Wohlfahrt	....	weapon specialist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1991-1992) (Non-USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1991) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1991) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1991) (Argentina) (VHS)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1992) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1992) (UK) (theatrical)
• MCA Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars

Also Known As:

Gangsters (USA) (working title)
The Evil Empire
Das teuflische Imperium (Germany) [de]
Die wahren Bosse (Germany) [de]
El imperio del crimen (Argentina) [es]
El imperio del mal (Spain) [es]
I aftokratoria tou eglimatos (Greece) [el]
Império do Crime (Brazil) [pt]
L'impero del crimine (Italy) [it]
Mafijasi (Serbia) (TV title) [sr]
Mobsters - mot maktens höjder (Sweden) [sv]
O Império do Mal (Portugal) [pt]
Pahuuden valtakunta (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

104 min | Brazil:121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:R (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M (cable rating) | Finland:K-18 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

160 San Rafael Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Lara Flynn Boyle's character of Mara is loosely based on the real-life Gay Orlova, a chorus girl and escort whom Lucky Luciano dated while in New York.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The other boss prominent in the 'Castellammarese War', was Salvatore Maranzano. However, in the movie his name has been changed to Salvatore Faranzano played by Michael Gambon as a mob boss who had terrorized Luciano's neighbourhood for over 15 years. The real Maranzano was only 34 years old when he was shot and stabbed to death. The movie depicts the fictional 'Farenzano' is a much older man who was thrown from an upper story window to his death.

Quotes:

Lucky: [talking business] ... We have a problem.
Mad Dog Coll: Name him. He's dead!
Lucky: Our problem is *you*.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Men Named Milo, Women Named Greta (2000)

The story of 'Lucky' Luciano!

I have always been very interested in the mob from early 1900 to the 50's. This film didn't disappoint me, probably because I wasn't expecting much. I knew this film was just made in order to get 4 young rising actors on screen together. Those actors being Christian Slater whom would later go to star in Brocken Arrow with John Trovolta. Patrick Dempsey who plays Meyer Lansky, Richard Grieco who plays Bugsy Siegel (The man who made Las Vegas) and Costas Mandylor as Frank Costello.

The film feels very rushed and it seems the producers were more interested in the action rather than story which is interesting on its own. THe characters arnt developed very well but as someone who has read up on all of them I felt as if I already knew them. Christian Slater does the best but looks nothing like the real Luciano. The film was too short running in at around 105 minutes. I think the director's and writers should have sat down and watched GOODFELLAS which was made the year before.