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Based on South Philly...What's the connection?

posted 18 years ago by iceman4454
9 replies | jump to latest

I recently watched 10th and Wolf and was definitely disappointed. I was initially drawn to the movie because it was apparently based on the South Philly mob of the late 80s and early 90s. This movie, however, is not even close...not only does Pittsburg come up way short in its sub for South Philly, the story is so way off it's ridiculous.

To me it seems like the Joey character is loosely based on Michael Ciancaglini or Joey Merlino, the top two members of a faction that consisted of the sons of members Scarfo crew who went to prison following the wars of the 80s. Many if these men were from 10th and Wolf. The felt they were next in line to run the mob in Philly, to pick up where their fathers left off. However, New York saw it differently and selected John Stanfa, a Sicilian, to run the mob in Philly. His crew consisted of leftover members of the Riccobene faction who fought Scarfo during the 80s. Ciancaglin, Merlino and their friends refused to fall in line behind the Sicilian mob boss and started their own crew which became known as the "Young Turks" (Stanfa was responsible for this nicknameas he looked at them as young punks with no respect). To reach a compromise Stanfa inducted to Ciancaglini and Merlino into the mafia, making them made members. Stanfa felt this would ease tensions and bring the Young turk faction under his thumb. Stanfa also appointed Michael's brother Joseph Ciancaglini as his underboss in attempt to form a bridge between his crew and the other. Stanfa's copmpromises were merely attempts to make the rival crew comfortable until attempts would be made to kill them all. You can guess what happenned from this point. Brother against brother, friends betraying friends...

In my opinion 10th and wolf does not even come close to capturing the scope of these events. I understand it's supposed to be loosely based on this but it's disappointing in how everything is toned down. Sure they go into how the Americanized gangsters didn't agree with the Sicilian ones...but there's so mucg character development left out that the movie feels shallow. The history surrounding the South Philly mob is intriguing and gripping once you get into it. From the murder of boss Angelo Bruno to the indictment of Stanfa in 1995, the events give one a good idea of why the mafia in Philadelphia and all over the country is falling apart. I feel like 10th and Wolf misses out on all of this and falls very short in being an effective mafia movie.

[–] saint_icarus 17 years ago

The only things that connect the movie with the true history are the area around 10th & Wolf, although 12th & Wolf is more accurate, and the importance of tapes by investigators. I agree that it doesn't come close to the scope or the violence of those times, starting with Bruno's assassination, then "Chicken Man" Testa getting blown up, the Scarfo era & the all-out war that followed. It didn't tell of the demise of the true LCN life into the dysfunctional mess that was the Philly mob from 1980-2000... There were in my opinion, some of the most brazen mob hits in history during this period - especially Merlino's Schuylkill Expressway attempt on Stanfa - when a van with gun ports pulled alongside Stanfa's car in rush-hour traffic on the 4-lane highway and opened fire with automatics & his uzi Halloween hit on Scarfo Jr. in a crowded restaurant in South Philly... Plus the Ciancaglini brothers storyline - with brothers split on opposing sides in the all-out gang war, one getting killed, one becoming crippled, and one going to prison... How about Natale, head of the family, turning over to the FBI? That's bigger than a capo turning (Sammy the Bull)... There were something like 40+(?) hits over the two decades in this struggle, not to mention the Philly family tumbling from Bruno's rule (think Vito Corleone) to Natale & Merlino (think Tony Soprano)...

I don't think Ribisi's character is at all like Joey Merlino - "Skinny Joe" was much more of a media darling... As for wearing a wire - Previte did it in real life, but he wasn't a childhood friend - he worked his way in with Natale because he could bring him lots of money doing everything from running books, moving drugs, & fencing stolen goods...

Truthfully, though, I'm glad this movie didn't really follow this story - because what really happened is really an intriguing and complex story - and I think (and hope) that it's done right by Hollywood...

[–] rocked-by-rape 17 years ago

Is there any place where I can read about the Philly mob? In the movie description it said it had something to do with Donnie Brasco the undercover FBI agent. When I read the book Donnie Brasco it mentioned the mafia in Philly and Milwaukee. From what you guys are saying the stuff that went down in Philly is even more interesting than what happened in New York. Yet most mob movies focus on the New York setting.

[–] iceman4454 17 years ago

Saint Icarus,

I agree with you about Joey Merlino and Ribisi's character, was just trying hard to make some connection. Joey Merlino was definitly all about the image, little substance though. A police officer friend of mine told me at the time Mike Ciancaglini was killed that Merlino was known for "making alotta snowballs but it was Mike who threw 'em." He felt Ciancaglini was the real muscle behind the Young Turks. Talk about another brazin hit in broad daylight. You can still drive by 6th and Catherine today and see the mob club house exactly as it was back then. The hit attempt on Joey Ciancaglini at the Warfield breakfast and Lunch Express in Greys Ferry was another one, you can actually watch video and hear audio of the hit take place courtesy of surveillance planted by the FBI. The little diner is still there today. They recently released a documentary on National Geographic called the Philly Mob that covers the mob history in Philly from the Bruno murder all the way up until Merlino's indictment. It misses some details and some history which is unfortunate. I've been trying to find a comprehensive history of it, specifically about the Ciancaglini brothers. The Anastasia books are good but I have yet to read one that goes into more details about the three brothers. Do you know of anything I pick up? Look forward to chatting with you more on this as you are very informed on the subject.

Rocked by Rape,

I agree that the Philly mob history is every bit as interesting if not more so than the New York history. If you want to read up more on it check out the George Anastasia books "Goodfella Tape", "Blood and Honor", and the "Last Gangster." You also catch the documetary I mentioned above called the "Philly Mob", you can find out the next time it will be airing by checking out the National Geo website. These stories are intriguing to me because these were all guys from the neighborhood. Some you knew from going to the corner grocer or hanging on the street corner. I'm sure you'll definitely find to be extremely interesting.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] dreadedblackflag 17 years ago

Just watch this flick, awful, Aside from being way off base in the truth. Pittsburgh and South Philly look nothing like it, from the street signs, the septa bus, the way the houses are built, im sorry was the butcher's suppose to be 9th street? WTF!

[–] allmixedup248 17 years ago

yeah ok, can we talk about that. I'm watching the movie for the first time right now and am SOO disappointed at Pittsburgh's whack portrayal of South Philly. you are absolutely right, the houses are all wrong, the buses are all wrong, everything is just wrong. Growing up in South Philly unfortunately, it takes away from the movie for me.

[–] mart201 17 years ago

Yeah, I totally agree; I was so disappointed when I realized they filmed in LA & PITTSBURGH; I wonder why they did that? So many movies have been filmed in Philly; it doesn't make sense to me. Anyway, I was also disappointed to see that Tony Luke was a part of it -- wouldn't you think he'd object to the mockery of trying to pass Pittsburgh off as Philly? I guess money talks...I just hope he made a boatload selling out Philly that way...

[–] bruno5832 16 years ago

This film was a joke and I mean a BIG joke. I do agree with you that Tony luke should of said something. But Tony had one or two lines in this film and had no pull..The acting was good. The director was really poor, I know he won the Oscar for Crash as a writer. But this man could not direct his way out of his own house. Sorry this film overall sucked!!

[–] markd3-2 16 years ago

i liked the movie; solid acting and interesting story. i was not comparing it to the real life situation because i'm not that familiar with it. but for people just going to see a movie without knowing the real life story, and without prior expectations, it's a very well done and captivating movie.