MAFIA PRINCESS
US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Tony Curtis, Susan Lucci, Kathleen Widdoes.
Directed by Robert Collins.
Mafia Princess is an entertaining telemovie based on a true story. It was co written by Antoinette Giancana about her father as well as about herself. Sam Giancana was assassinated in Chicago after many years as the head of the Mafia in that city.
The film is related to The Godfather and other Mafia films. It relates in theme to Prizzi's Honour as well as the more comic style of Married to the Mob.
Susan Lucci portrays Annette Giancana. But the film belongs to Tony Curtis who is quite effective as Sam Giancana, a proud man who cannot express love for his daughter. (Curtis had portrayed the Jewish gangster Lepke in 1973.) Kathleen Widdoes is very good as the wife and mother.
The action is seen from the perspective of Annette, so we don't see a great deal of Mafia business. However, it gives something of a human face to the presence of the Mafia in American cities.
1. Telemovie treatment of the Mafia? Chicago? Based on a true story?
2. Chicago in its period? Hollywood? Musical score ? and echoes of Italian melodies?
3. The introduction to Sam and Annette, their clash, the FBI surveillance, the flashbacks?
4. Annette as a Mafia princess: the day she was born, her father wanting her to be a nun, her mother's joy, the father's joy but his never being able to show it to her? Her growing up, Annette as a little girl, having everything she wanted, clever, opening the door in the hotel and her father's outburst of anger, her breaking the statue and her father hitting her?
5. Her father going away to college and her not knowing what was happening? Her wanting to be her father's daughter but his distance? Her reliance on her mother? Going to boarding school, unwillingness, kicking the nun? Growing up? Her father paying donations to enable her to stay? As an adult, confused values, wanting to go to Hollywood, her poor dramatic skills and the lessons, the executives helping her because of her father, her modelling the swimwear, changing her name to Toni Jordan? In love with the sailor, his sudden departure, her going to Wilmington and his rejection of her because of her father? Meeting the doctor? The abortion? The marriage, Sammy’s attitude towards the sacrilege and divorce? Her drinking, going downhill? Her mother's death and her father blaming her? The FBI surveillance, her anger, yet love for her father? Her 40th birthday and the invitation? The premonition of his death? Her anger at the funeral? The information about the aftermath and her writing the book? The guest spot in the film?
6. Tony Curtis's portrait of Sam Giancana: the senate inquiries, a Mob boss, his ordinary start, work, the birth of his daughter and his friends, his angers towards his daughter? Moonshine and arrest? Jail, the confrontation with the black gang leader with the numbers, the killing plan (and Annette overhearing)? His henchmen, running things from jail, his power? Relationship with his wife, fidelity and infidelity? Pride in his daughter but coldness towards her? Wanting her to be a nun, not wanting her to be an actress? The audience seeing Sam through the eyes of Annette? Paying the school, his wealth, absence, Hollywood personalities and their fear of him and helping his daughter? His wife's death and blaming Annette? The distance between the two, her growing older, at home, the bond with his servant? His reminiscing about his fidelity to the Family and his being shot?
7. The sketch of his wife: love for her husband, as a mother, knowing what was happening, comforting her daughter, the boarding school, meals for the Mob, going to Hollywood, helping her daughter with the swimwear, her outburst of anger and her death?
8. The henchmen, the servant and the close relationship? The background of the Mob, assassinations?
9. Hollywood and his exercising of pressure, on the sailor, on the doctor?
10. The code of the Mafia: business, morality? evil? The victims? The Catholic and Italian backgrounds?
11. The effect of this experience on Annette, her memories, exorcising her memories?
