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The Alto Knights is a biographical crime drama film releasing on March 21, 2025. The film stars Robert De Niro in a dual role, portraying two notorious mafia bosses, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. The movie, directed by Barry Levinson and written by Nicholas Pileggi, will give viewers a peek into Genovese and Costello's infamous conflict during the 1950s.
The movie aims to portray the dangerous territory of systematic crime. Warner Bros. Pictures will show it in movie theatres all around the United States.
The film is inspired by the real-life power struggle between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, two prominent figures of the mafia during the 20th century. The film’s events and characters are rooted in real historical facts, providing a glimpse into one of the most violent and intense feuds in organized crime history.
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The true story of The Alto Knights
Frank Costello and Vito Genovese's turbulent relationship forms the focus of The Alto Knights. Both men actively participated in the rise of the mafia in New York City and had great cooperation under crime boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano.
Their divergent objectives and methods of operation deepened their conflict. Genovese reportedly supported intimidation and violence, while Costello supported diplomatic relations with politicians. Their strife peaked in the 1950s, setting the stage for the movie's plot.
Costello and Genovese worked closely under Luciano in the early 1930s, but their paths started to stray. Genovese fled to Italy in 1937 to avoid murder charges, allowing Costello to take over the Luciano crime family. Genovese's 1940s power grab led to his 1957 attempt to kill Costello. This changed their rivalry and retired Costello.
The assassination attempt and its fallout
On May 2, 1957, Vito Genovese's ally, Vincent Gigante, attempted to kill Frank Costello in New York City. Costello survived a scalp bullet. A key event in The Alto Knights is Genovese's failed assassination attempt, which will showcase his ruthlessness for power. Although Costello did not retire, his wounds weakened him in the mafia, allowing Genovese to rise.
The struggles after the attempt
Following the assassination attempt, Costello’s influence waned, and he eventually retired from active involvement in the mafia. Genovese's triumph, on the other hand, was fleeting.
Soon after starting a significant campaign on organized crime, the U.S. government made several arrests. Genovese's authority was called into more doubt when he participated in a 1957 failed mob conference. His criminal enterprise started to fall apart, leading to his incarceration in the early 1960s for heroin trafficking.
The plot of The Alto Knights
The Alto Knights explores the dramatic and violent struggle between Costello and Genovese for control of the mafia. Set in the 1950s, the plot showcases the dangerous and often bloody conflict between the two powerful men.
De Niro's dual presentation of both mafia leaders offers an original viewpoint on their personalities and the events that shaped their lives. While juggling the impending threat presented by Genovese, the film centers on Costello's survival following the assassination attempt and his attempts to negotiate the dangerous realm of Mafia politics.
The struggle for control inside the Mafia forms The Alto Knights' main focus. The movie emphasizes the ruthlessness and guile that defined Genovese and Costello alike.
While Costello's approach was more strategic and grounded on relationships with influential people, Genovese relied on violence and intimidation. This difference in approaches is evident as a basic element of the conflict since every man's approach irreversibly destroys the empire of the other.
The Alto Knights also provides a window into the complex dynamics of mafia leadership, illustrating how power struggles, alliances, and betrayals define the mafia world.
The movie will help viewers better grasp organized crime's inner dynamics and highlight the difficulties mob leaders encounter in trying to keep control and unite power.
The Alto Knights will be released in the US on March 21, 2025.
