Movies

The True Story Behind Robert De Niro’s Dual Mob Bosses in The Alto Knights

BBG News

As a passionate film connoisseur, I’m thrilled about “The Alto Knights,” hitting theaters on March 21st. This film marks Robert DeNiro’s return to the captivating world of mob movies, and what makes it even more intriguing is that he’ll be portraying two distinct characters! The script for this masterpiece is penned by Nicholas Pileggi, who brought us the legendary “Goodfellas.”

“The Alto Knights” is inspired by a true tale of rivalry between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, two heavyweights in New York City’s organized crime scene during the mid-20th century. DeNiro will breathe life into both these iconic figures. The title “Alto Knights” refers to an actual social club in New York City’s Little Italy neighborhood where mafiosos could discreetly discuss their affairs.

Let’s explore how “The Alto Knights” narrates the gripping tale of Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. TIME consulted two authorities on these mobsters: Tony DeStefano, author of “The Deadly Don: Vito Genovese, Mafia Boss” and “Top Hoodlum: Frank Costello, Prime Minister of The Mafia”, and Geoff Schumacher, the vice president of exhibits and programs at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas.

How Frank Costello and Vito Genovese became influential

“It can be summed up in one word: prohibition,” says Schumacher.

During the Prohibition period spanning 1920 to 1933, when the production, distribution, and transportation of alcohol were outlawed in the United States, a thriving illegal market for alcohol emerged. Costello and Genovese rose to prominence as key players in “rum running” – transporting high-quality liquor into the U.S. from Canada, the Caribbean, or Europe, and “bootlegging” – illegally producing and selling alcohol domestically.

According to DeStefano, they were essentially competitors, each excelling in their own unique ways. In the book “The Alto Knights”, Genovese portrays this competition through a conversation between Costello and another character, where Costello says, “If you want to be a diplomat, that’s your choice. I, on the other hand, am a gangster.

Genovese was notorious for his street-level crimes and use of violence to achieve his goals. As Schumacher puts it, “He leaned more towards thuggery within organized crime.” He served as an underboss to Lucky Luciano, who gained power over the American mafia in 1931 following the murder of New York boss Joe Masseria.

Instead, Costello primarily wielded power within New York City politics, devoting less attention to street violence and instead concentrating on influencing elections and managing judges and law enforcement officials. For decades, numerous political figures in the city were under his control due to bribes, according to Schumacher.

Costello had a hand in the world of gambling too; he brought slot machines to New York City and New Orleans. In fact, his influence was so significant that he graced the cover of Time Magazine in 1949.

The film is set in 1957, where Genovese harbors jealousy towards Costello’s authority and dominance, aiming to overthrow him as the New York’s top boss. The movie begins with an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Costello, although it wasn’t Genovese who pulled the trigger, Schumacher suggests he was orchestrating the attempt.

According to the film, it’s depicted that Costello consents to retire and let Genovese assume control. The scenes suggest that Costello enjoys a luxurious lifestyle on Central Park West, strolling dogs adorned with tiny mink coats, even a pomeranian in a fur hat.

How The Alto Knights depicts the Apalachin Meeting

Genovese’s takeover culminates in one of The Alto Knights‘s most thrilling sequences, where the film portrays law enforcement officers in upstate New York disrupting a conference of crime bosses driving Cadillacs in the same region. This event—which legitimized Genovese as the dominant mob figure nationwide—actually occurred on November 14, 1957, and is famously known as the “Apalachin Meeting.” As depicted in the film, the attendees of this meeting attempted to evade police by fleeing into the woods, and their cars became stuck in mud while they attempted to speed away.

Costello is on his way to the event, but fails to arrive as he keeps pausing at various roadside sights and shops throughout his journey.

The film suggests a hypothesis where Costello might have informed the local police about a gathering of suspicious individuals, perhaps as retaliation for Genovese’s attempted assassination on him.

According to DeStefano, it’s uncertain whether or not Costello actually took that journey. There’s no concrete evidence to support the claim that he attended that gathering. However, it would certainly add drama to the movie.

What happened to Frank Costello and Vito Genovese

Vito Genovese managed to make it through the meeting, but that marked the start of his downfall. In 1959, he was arrested for narcotics trading and received a 15-year sentence. Unfortunately, he passed away due to heart issues while imprisoned in 1969 at the age of 71.

Costello spent time in prison for disobeying Congress and avoiding taxes, yet he was fortunate enough to spend the remainder of his life at home, primarily tending to his garden and exhibiting his flowers at gardening events. He passed away in 1973 at the age of 82.

1970 saw a significant shift in the power dynamics as I witnessed the decline of the mafia’s grip. The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO for brevity, was enforced, giving federal prosecutors the tools to take down mobsters across the nation.

Modern organized crime is still a significant issue today. Although the “Five Families” are still present, they no longer hold the same level of power as they once did. Today’s organized crime has evolved to become more anonymous and global in nature. It is primarily driven by Mexican drug cartels, Russian and Albanian criminal networks, and there has been an increase in wildlife trafficking and gun-running activities.

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2025-03-21 00:06

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