Although both Raf Vallone and Joseph Bologna register well as father&son Mafia duo of Joe and Bill Bonanno and the source of this film is Gay Talese's account of Bill Bonanno's life up to that point, it does not really tell the story certainly from the point of view of those trying to bring them down. Read the Wikipedia article on the Bonannos. There was a certain resentment of the son by some of the close associates of Joe Bonanno of the nepotism there. And Bill Bonanno was hardly the reluctant don himself.
Interesting this came out in 1973 between the release of both Godfather films. The 70s because of the great popularity of The Godfather in both book and film there was a glut of these on the market. It seemed for awhile back then that every other film was a gangster story.
I liked what Brenda Vaccaro did with her portrayal of Rosalie Profaci Bonanno, wife of Joseph Bologna. Back in the day this was considered the great Mafia marriage, in their world like Charles and Diana. But Diana had more free will than Rosalie did. As a dutiful Mafia wife who grew up in that world she certainly knew never to ask questions about her husband's business.
Also note Richard Castellano in a portrayal similar to what he did as Clemenza in The Godfather.
This is the Bonanno version of their internal wars within their crime family. But the Corleones prove more interesting.
