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Why did Paulie point the gun at Donnie in the car?

posted 9 years ago by jimbrown257
10 replies | jump to latest

I asked this question a few years ago but I never got a satisfactory answer so I thought I'd try again.

Donnie waits in the car while Sonny's gang ambushes the guys who were planning on killing them. The whole time, Donnie is wondering if they are planning on killing him. After they kill the guys, Paulie (the other mob guy with Sonny's group) goes to get Donnie, who is sitting in the front sear of the car. Paulie gets in the car and says nothing for a while. Then he points his gun at Donnie and says "Get the fck out!" and takes him into the house by gun point. But then when they get in the house, Paulie just puts the gun away and they start chopping up the bodies.

Why did Paulie do that? It seems like the only thing that the only thing that might happen is that Donnie might think Paulie really was going to kill him and try to fight back.

[–] micirisi 9 years ago

I wondered about the same. Might have been a "test" of sorts but more likely a plot device to add suspense. Remember the film mostly fiction based on fact.

He killed sixteen Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator.

[–] jimbrown257 9 years ago

but more likely a plot device to add suspense. Remember the film mostly fiction based on fact.

I don't know if that would make sense. In fiction, unlike real life, the characters have to have reasons and motivations for what they do. The long, drawn-out wait in the car was to add suspense, but there was a reason for that. There had to be a reason for the gun-pointing that had to do with the story.

I thought about it some more today and I considered this: they were so secretive, even within their group, that even Paulie didn't know who the (alleged) rat was that they were planning on killing (at that point, only Sonny and Lefty knew it was Ritchie). So when Paulie went to get Donnie, he thought that it was to bring him in to get shot. Then when Lefty shot Ritchie, both Paulie and Donnie found out it as Ritchie who was (believed to be) the rat.

[–] mikeyg24 9 years ago

So when Paulie went to get Donnie, he thought that it was to bring him in to get shot. Then when Lefty shot Ritchie, both Paulie and Donnie found out it as Ritchie who was (believed to be) the rat.

I think you hit the nail straight on the head. In the scene I always felt Paulie seemed a little disconnected from reality, like he was one step away from losing it. When he says 'What?' to Donnie he came across as if he didn't really know where he was or what he was doing, like he was confused as to what to do next. I know these were cold blooded killers but they just whacked out the entire upper echelon. I always read his reaction as if to say 'Wait did Sonny want me to get Donnie or 'get' Donnie? If he is the rat I better be tough with him'.

I've had a lot of sobering thoughts in my time Del Boy, it's them that started me drinking!

[–] tonganprince (578) 5 years ago

I came to ask this very question. The whole scene makes no sense to me.

Why was he told to wait in the car? Once they killed Sonny Red and crew, he says, go get Donnie.

Then Paulie pulls a gun on him and makes him get out of the car.

Scorcese doesn't do stupid shit like this.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Scorcese filmed a 90 years old DeNiro beating up a 30 years old character.

[–] BillySlater (4126) 4 years ago

I agree, seemed like a cheap excuse to make the scene more intense but not realistic at all. That said, Michael Franzese said, Donnie Brasco is the most realistic Mafia film he´s ever seen. Upon rewatching, I think Paulie may have been in shock.

[–] Rolltide (964) 3 years ago

Agree totally. Paulie took part in a blood bath he is expected to be intense.

[–] Rolltide (964) 3 years ago

For dramatic effect. No other explanation. So the audience thinks that Donnie might be in danger.

Paulie was never hostile to Donnie. He was a true believer even after the FBI guys said Donnie was one of them. I think Paulie was obviously on edge after what just happened and he certainly is not going to give orders gently. But pointing the gun makes no sense.

[–] millsey72 (9755) 3 years ago

Its a plot hole

[–] NGMI (1184) 3 years ago

He doesnt really point the gun at him. It's more like the gun is locked in his hand (he doesnt wanna put it away) and leans over the front seat with the gun on the side of Donnie's head. Paulie needed to clear his head, which is why he doesnt answer, and says "what?" He's not really focused on Donnie, but Donnie is paranoid and thinks he is (unreliable narrator), so it seems that way.