After Silence, director Martin Scorsese will be returning to his mob roots with his next film, The Irishman. The film, which is based on the book, I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt, will look into the life of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, who was an assassin for the mafia. He is alleged to be the person who killed former International Brotherhood of Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa. The film, purchased by Netflix in February of this year, is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated films coming soon. What we can expect from the film is really something of a treat.
The Irishman is bringing back some top talent that haven’t worked together in quite some time. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel will all star in the film. De Niro will be portraying Sheeran with Pacino as Hoffa. Pesci is rumored to be playing Russell Bufalino and Keitel as Angelo Bruno. It seems Bobby Cannavale, who has worked with Scorsese on Boardwalk Empire, will be in the film too, potentially as Joe Gallo. All these characters are a part of the overall mob environment during Hoffa’s time.
Russell Bufalino served as the head of the Northeastern Pennsylvania mafia crime family. Angelo Bruno served as the head of the Philadelphia mafia crime family until he was assassinated. The effects of the mafia have been felt in who has been affected by either the drugs or alcohol they moved. Some of the mobsters themselves may have even needed a dual diagnosis rehab. Since both of these men were in established positions of power within the mafia, it makes sense they might be the ones who ordered Sheeran to kill Hoffa. What’s interesting in the inclusion of Joe Gallo, who operated as an enforcer for the Profaci mafia crime family in New York City. He was not someone in the mid-Atlantic areas of Pennsylvania. With Hoffa being a Michigan man for most of his life, this brings the whole story of Sheeran’s into question.
What is generally believed is that Hoffa was taken by two Detroit-area mafia leaders: Anthony Giacalone and Anthony Provenzano, who he was meeting with at the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Township, Michigan on July 30, 1975. He is believed to have been killed on the leaders’ orders, as were big mafia figures in Detroit. His 1974 Pontiac Grand Ville had its doors left open but no sign of Hoffa. The latest attempt to find Hoffa’s body was in 2013 when the FBI searched an Oakland Township property owned by Jack Tocco, a mob boss in Detroit. A gangster in Detroit, Tony Zerilli, believed Hoffa was buried there.
However, the mystery continues. Whether or not The Irishman might be the definitive account of what actually happened to Hoffa, the world may never know, but if any of them abused the very alcohol or drugs they moved, they could have used a dual diagnosis rehab. Yet, this is the chance for people to find out more about who Hoffa is and the environment that he navigated each day of his life.
About the author: Tommy Zimmer is a writer whose work has appeared online and in print. His work covers a variety of topics, including politics, economics, health and wellness, addiction and recovery and the entertainment industry.
