USA: AL PACINO AND JOHNNY DEPP ATTEND THE PREMIERE OF THEIR NEW FILM 'DONNIE BRASCO'

Record ID: 687602

  • Title: USA: AL PACINO AND JOHNNY DEPP ATTEND THE PREMIERE OF THEIR NEW FILM 'DONNIE BRASCO'
  • Date: 24th February 1997
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA (FEBRUARY 24, 1997) (REUTERS) MICHAEL MADSEN ARRIVES MADSEN SAYS HAVING MIKE NEWELL DIRECT MADE IT DIFFERENT FROM THE TYPICAL GANGSTER MOVIE (ENGLISH) MIKE NEWELL ARRIVES NEWELL SAYS THE FILM IS NOT A GENRE FILM OR SCRIPT (ENGLISH) ROBIN WILLIAMS ARRIVES CAMERAS ROBIN WILLIAMS DOES HIS IMPERSONATION OF A MOBSTER SAYNG WHAT ARE TALKING ABOUT? (ENGLISH)
  • Embargoed: 11th March 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA AND FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABOJVN8DT7WH0QE6J4XMOWJG44
  • Story Text: Johnny Depp teams up with Oscar winner Al Pacino for the new gangster drama "Donnie Brasco", a real-life story about an American FBI agent who gets trapped undercover trying to expose the mafia.
    Depp plays Joe Pistone, a man who leaves his family behind and takes on the persona of a gangster known as the "jewel man" Donnie Brasco. Through hard work and patience, Pistone is able to prove his absolute loyalty and willingness to commit crimes to be accepted into a mob family.
    To gain greater access to inner workings of the family operations, Pistone manoeuvres his way into the confidence of Lefty Ruggiero, played by Al Pacino, a cynical, ageing hit-man who never made it into the big time and sees a new future for himself with this smart, young jeweller.
    As Pistone gets deeper undercover, he finds himself torn between his long-suffering wife, played by Anne Heche, his professional duty as an FBI agent and his growing affection for the tragic figure of Lefty Rugiero.
    Also in the cast are Michael Madsen as Sonny, Lefty's fellow mobster who is promoted over Lefty and Bruno Kirby, who plays Nicky, another member of the gang who uses his humour to keep him both in and out of trouble.
    "Donnie Brasco" is based on the 1989 book "Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia" by the real-life Joe Pistone. It details how he was able to bring down a significant portion of New York's infamous Bonanno crime family in the 1970's. To this day, the now-weakened-mafia maintains a half-a-million dollar reward on Pistone's head.
    The film was directed by Englishman Mike Newell, who was taking his first crack at directing a uniquely American film genre: the mobster movie. He's better known for the lush, lyrical and funny movies set primarily in England and Ireland, such as "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Enchanted April", and "Into the West".
    Depp's credits include the films "Edward Scissorhands", "Ed Wood", "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?", and "Don Juan De Marco" opposite Marlon Brando.
    In addition to his numerous roles, including all three Godfather films, Pacino won an Oscar for his role in "Scent of a Woman."
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