Robert De Niro to Play Dual Roles in ‘The Alto Knights’?

In his most recent crime drama, ‘The Alto Knights’, Robert De Niro took on a singular task by portraying not one, but two prominent parts.  The film, which was directed by De Niro's frequent partner Barry Levinson, depicts the heated animosity between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, two once-close New York mob bosses, in real life.  Envy and power struggles caused their friendship to turn lethal, paving the way for a devastating confrontation.

 For the first time in his career, De Niro plays both roles, each of whom has a unique personality.  Costello comes out as more methodical, analytical, and businesslike in his approach to leadership, whereas Genovese is described by Levinson as impetuous and violent.  This disparity, in Levinson's opinion, made for an interesting plot point worth pursuing.

Image Courtesy: People

Early on in the process, there was a fleeting thought of having Al Pacino play one of the characters, but in the end, it was decided that De Niro would play both.  "It felt like an interesting opportunity and a challenge I couldn't pass up," De Niro said simply, with his trademark confidence, when asked why he chose to play two personas despite the apparent hurdles.

De Niro attributes the process's enjoyment to a talented creative team.  He felt encouraged and creatively at home after working with Levinson on several movies, such as ‘Sleepers’ and ‘The Wizard of Lies’, as well as with screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote ‘Casino’ and ‘Goodfellas’, and producer Irwin Winkler, who worked with De Niro on ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘The Irishman’.  De Niro remarked that their lengthy collaboration had given them confidence and ease, particularly as they took on more difficult assignments later in their careers.

Image Courtesy: IMDb

De Niro was commended by Levinson for his commitment to fully inhabiting his roles, which allowed him to be impromptu while filming.  He pointed out that it's not easy to play two different characters in a single film, but De Niro tackled the task with originality and genuineness, which made the performances seem intriguing and organic rather than robotic.

The actual events involving Genovese and Costello are faithfully portrayed in the movie.  Costello took over after Genovese, Charles "Lucky" Luciano's right-hand man, left the country to escape being prosecuted.  Tensions erupted once Genovese returned because he anticipated to regain his position. This culminated in a botched murder attempt and the historic 1951 Senate hearing on organized crime, where Costello's testimony became a turning point in history.

 The movie stays loyal to reality without resorting to exaggeration because Levinson feels that the actual events were dramatic enough on their own.  ‘The Alto Knights’, which opens in theatres on 21st March, puts this fierce and intriguing mafia feud on the big screen.

–Farheen Ali