Crazy Joe

"Crazy Joe" is pretty good but it could have been so much better. The cast is top-notch with standout work from a never better Fred Williamson. It's just that the script needed to be tighter. It sometimes seems to need more focus. "Crazy Joe" may not be a gangster classic but it certainly worth checking out.

I recently viewed Crazy Joe (1974) on Tubi. The film delves into the real-life story of the gangster "Crazy" Joey Gallo, portraying his strategic and aggressive ascent through the mafia ranks, ultimately leading to his downfall.

Directed by Carlo Lizzani (The Violent Four) and featuring a cast including Peter Boyle (Monster's Ball), Paula Prentiss (The Stepford Wives), Fred Williamson (From Dusk till Dawn), Rip Torn (Men in Black) and Henry Winkler (Happy Days).

While it may not be the pinnacle of gangster movies, Peter Boyle's performance is undeniably enjoyable. He delivers a tremendous portrayal of a character that's easy to root for and engaging to follow. The entire cast delivers solid performances, and the shootouts, while very '70s in style, are entertaining. The story's twists and turns may be somewhat predictable, but they remain fun to watch unfold, and the conclusion is executed perfectly.

In conclusion, while Crazy Joe may not reach Scorsese levels, Peter Boyle's presence alone makes it a must-watch, and it's still a worthwhile addition to the gangster genre. I would rate this a 7/10 and strongly recommend it.

My name is Luigi 'Good Looking Lu' DiMatti. I was a made man in the Gambino Crime family. I took the oath in 1956. I was in the crew of Alfred Eppolito, until he got demoted and drunk himself to death, then I went briefly in to Paul Castellano's crew. Under Alfred I was dealing H, under Paul that was impossible so i eventually moved to Jimmy 'the Clam''s crew and when he got whacked to Aniello's crew in Queens. I got 50 years in 1980, got out 2015, which is why you may not recognise my name and why I don't have a Wikipedia page. I was more of a keep my head down kinda guy, kept in the shadows, narcotics, gambling, shylocking, gambling etc. I'm 80 now and long retired, living in Florida now.

Anyway the reason for my comment is, this is the first time I saw this movie! I was not in the Columbo family, but I knew Joe Gallo, Gennaro Ciprio, all those guys.. I wrote a comment because practically everything in this film happened in real life! I remember those days very well. The names are changed, but the guy 'Jelly' I think was a real guy called, Joey Gioeli. I realise most people know this is about Joey Gallo, but I was surprised how accurate it was!

As a film, it looks very low budget. Peter Boyle is kind of one dimensional, but Torn is good, it has a lively script and it is excitingly directed.

I'm just sharing my thoughts as this movie brought back some old memories. I was in my thirties back then, we controlled New York! A lot of good guys died during that war. More I believe died in the nineties one, but I was in jail then

A great little period piece from the mid 70's. It follows the story of "Crazy" Joe Gallo. Peter Boyle is fabulous as Joe and the film also has Eli Wallach,Fred Williamson and Paula Prentiss. Eli Wallach plays a crime boss and steals every scene(as usual)that he is a part of. I think the film is not a "Godfather" ripoff as some have suggested,this film has a totally different feel to it. This is a gritty,hip almost an exploitation feel to it and not just because it has Fred Williamson in a supporting role. Great cars,music,clothes and a great look at the wonderful,colorful time that was the 70's. If you haven't seen this flick,be sure to check it out. Playing now(8-22-09)on Crackle,it is worth a couple hours of your time. If you are a fan of gangster films,70's exploitation films or just good old drama and action,this is one film that you may not have heard of that definitely is worth a look. Peace.

Very trendy c. '74 cast-Eli Wallach, Peter Boyle, Rip Torn, Paula Prentiss, etc. Even has the Fonz as a mob guy. An obvious takeoff of the Godfather, though nowheres near as good. The cast certainly brings this up a notch-Boyle and Wallach especially. I always enjoy seeing Fred 'Blaxploitation film' Williamson in a flick too.

Very dated-check out the boat cars, bellbottems, very '70s '50's fixation-tunes, etc-but worth yer while. Has an interesting run of things it touches on-Attica, Italian 'anti-defamation leagues', etc.

**1/2, see this with 'Donnie Brasco' or 'Friends of Eddie Coyle' to get a better idea of what's what.