Customer Reviews

Biography: Mafia Legends (Bugsy Siegel / Lucky Luciano / Al Capone Scarface)

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Its a four DVD set each go for 45 minutes,very interesting viewing.The fourth disc is about more later times in the 90's,if you're interesed in gangster stories buy it worth it...

This DVD set has some great narration, onscreen speakers, video and photos of American gangster history from the 20s through the 80s. 45 minutes per DVD without commercials is fun to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire set.

Both 2007 A&E "Mobsters" episodes on Lucky Luciano and Bugsy Siegel use duplicate film clips to tell partly overlapping stories.

We learn from the Siegel bio that unlike events in Warren Beatty's feature film, Ben didn't originate the idea of a desert gambling oasis; he co-opted another man's vision. Siegel also wasn't cut down by a hailstorm of lead. A total of seven bullets were fired; the first killing shot blew Bugsy's eye across the room. Of the six remaining, one slug shattered his other orb and five missed completely.

The downfall of Salvatore Lucania (aka Lucky Luciano) was a racket he wasn't overly involved in: prostitution. NY special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey relentlessly pursued the elusive Lucky until a convicting witness was found. Dewey then had Luciano arrested at an Arkansas spa and extradited back to New York; his trial resulted in a lengthy prison sentence. This term was cut short after Lucky's willing assistance against German dock infiltration in WWII. Now-Governor Dewey signed release papers but also made certain that Luciano was deported to Italy, a place he hadn't seen since early childhood. In later years, Lucky ran a hugely profitable heroin importing operation that was based in both Italy and a Cuban location. He was never allowed to enter the U.S. again, and died at age 64 of a massive coronary while waiting for someone at the Naples airport.

Haven't seen the Capone disc.

MOB HITMEN is from the Bill Kurtis hosted hour-length TV show, American Justice. It examines two gang wars that occurred in Philadelphia between 1980 and '95. When the dust had finally settled, 29 of 50 "made" mobsters were either dead or in prison. Interviewees include former hitmen, a Don forced into retirement by the murder of his brother, other gang-connected individuals, reporters and justice officials. It's a most interesting hour, one that ends with the observation that in today's turf battles, families are considered legitimate targets, something that would've been unthinkable just a generation earlier.

Very fast shipping, of a new product, far below the retail. I couldn't be happier!

This Biography series is one of the greatest of all time. Their ways to tell the character life results in an proper even academic biography. Perfect to travel to Al Capone's universe.