MovieChat Forums > Donnie Brasco (1997) Discussion > I clearly missed something....

I clearly missed something....

posted 10 years ago by zdenko-galic
4 replies | jump to latest

After the FBI agent showed the mobsters the pictures how Donnie was an FBi agent, why they didn't whacked Lefty because he vouched for Donnie?

[–] micirisi 10 years ago

In the film they initially didn't believe the FBI. Later once reality sunk in they did call for Lefty. (Remember him leaving his apartment at night and leaving his valuables.) So you did not see Lefty get whacked but can assume it happened.

In real life Sonny got called for and was whacked. Lefty got arrested before the mob could get to him. After his arrest Lefty refused to talk and was given a "pass" for his misdeed.

He killed sixteen Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator.

[–] rgarjr 9 years ago

My questions is, why did the Feds show the mobsters the photos? Why rat him out to them?

[–] kjones1067 9 years ago

To show the 'bad guys' that Donnie Brasco was with the FBI the whole time. ie: We got the goods on ya, might want to cooperate with us, maybe lighten your sentence a bit, witness protection etc...

Of course, I doubt it happened like that in real life.

[–] cabal24 9 years ago

Of course, I doubt it happened like that in real life.

Actually thats exactly how it happened in real life. The FBI took a picture of Joe and several agents showing their badges. Included in that photo was an agent that Sonny knew personally.

In addition to what you said (which is 100% accurate) there were 2 more reasons for doing this.

1) They had to make sure that the mob knew Pistone was an agent an not just an informant. Typically, you dont go after an agent (other than some specific cases). But they will kill an informant any chance they get. The stakes are much higher when organized crime is going after agent because you face the wrath of the FBI if you get one of theirs. They care much less about informants.
2) The most important reason though was to get them talking. The wiretaps were all in place and the mob gossips like a bunch of old women. When news of this hit, the next step was for mobsters to get their story straight so TONS of calls got made and they were all recorded. In the book Pistone mentions how they got almost as much stuff from those pull out taps as they did while he was undercover.