MovieChat Forums > Billy Bathgate (1991) Discussion > Did Billy stay a gangster?

Did Billy stay a gangster?

posted 12 years ago by Clams
8 replies | jump to latest

I recently read the book by E.L. Doctorow, which is much better than the movie, as is always the case. The movie was (mostly) faithful, but it just was not a patch on the book. Anyway, at the end of the book, Billy, who narrates, says he must keep his current life a secret because he has a certain "renown" but he also says he went to high school and on to an Ivy League college and fought in WW2. I find it highly unlikely in that case, whether he says so or not, that he followed in the Dutchman's footsteps after all. You guys think he stayed a gangster after the end or what?

[–] arvid00013 12 years ago

Having not read the book, but seen the movie a number of times, my guess would be Billy would stay in the gray zone. Never doing anything illegal except maybe violating prohibition; maybe some illegal gambling. He would skirt the law to make a lot of money

He saw what happen to Dutch. Otto advised him to develope a new set of skills; different from Dutch.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] wlandolfi-1 12 years ago

I have watched BILLY BATHGATE a bunch of times and have the movie in my DVD collection. Now to the question, "Did Billy stay a gangster?" I am not sure. As arvid0013 pointed out, Otto did advise Billy to get a new set of skills in a sense. Otto also fired Billy after Dutch was murdered. In fact, Otto kind of tolerated Billy because Dutch Schultz hired him. However, Otto all along felt that Billy was too nosy and asked too many questions. Hence, he did not like him. One also has to remember that after Dutch was murdered, Billy was beat up pretty bad. What happened to Billy afterward? If I remember right, he returns to his old neighborhood. Now that I think about it, I don't know what Billy would end up doing but he even admitted in the beginning there were not too many opportunities for him. That's why it was a big thing for him when Dutch first noticed him.

[–] arvid00013 12 years ago

As arvid0013 pointed out,

I always feel like its a complement when someone quote me and agrees with me. Thank you, wlandolfi.

Otto also fired Billy after Dutch was murdered.

I think you miswrote because Otto fired Billy before Dutch, Otto, and the bodyguards were gunned down.

In fact, Otto kind of tolerated Billy because Dutch Schultz hired him. However, Otto all along felt that Billy was too nosy and asked too many questions. Hence, he did not like him.

I disagree. I think Otto liked him very much. That's why he fired him. After Billy left, Otto says, "Now there goes a kid with luck." Otto knew Dutch and co were in a sinking ship. Everyone of them knew too much except Billy. He was the only one who could get away and be allowed to live.

BTW, I do think Otto was annoyed by Billy's constant questions.

What happened to Billy afterward? If I remember right, he returns to his old neighborhood. Now that I think about it, I don't know what Billy would end up doing but he even admitted in the beginning there were not too many opportunities for him. That's why it was a big thing for him when Dutch first noticed him.

I would argue Billy went on to have some success in life.

WWII is around the corner (6 years) and that is one of the biggest times of social mobility. Billy will be in his early 20s. He can join the war and eventually recieve the GI benefits or stay home and do a lot of in demand jobs. Either way, Billy is in a good position.

Remeber what Lucky Luciano said to Billy at the end, "You've got brains, you've got guts, what am I going to do with you?"

Billy leaves with a good deal of cash.

[–] Clams 11 years ago

I don't wanna give too much of the book away but the book gave off the indication that once Billy was in Dutch and Otto's gang, he started looking at Dutch differently than he did when he only read about the guy in the papers and heard about him through the grapevine and the book kind of gives off the implication that he doesn't want to be a gangster anymore after he saw Dutch and Otto and Lulu and Irving killed. The movie kind of gives off the indication too but in a much more vague way. Billy's life takes a direction in the book after Dutch is killed that a gangster-in-training's life wouldn't normally take and it pretty much implies that he went on to live a respectable life after all.

And also, Billy narrates in the book and the adult version of him in there is one articulate dude for a street thug from the Bronx!

[–] !!!deleted!!! (5308671) 10 years ago

I say Billy went and found Mrs. Preston and pounded her into submission, thereby becoming a bangster.

[–] maveltre-566-900040 10 years ago

I wouldn't call helping to throw a man with his feet in concrete to his death by drowning not doing anything illegal. Nor is delivering money he knows is for payoffs. It's called aiding and abetting.

[–] wallacesawyer 7 years ago

I think Billy took that $17,000 and started over. He stood by Dutch despite all the murders, but once he and his other cronies were killed, Billy probably lost interest. I find it hard to believe he would go crawling back to Lucky for a job. He couldn't go to the police without implicating himself in several crimes, not to mention Lucky putting a hit out on his mother and friends.

Going straight would be his best option.

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