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Customer Reviews of Family Enforcer

He used to live in a hotel on Central Park West that I would go to. At the same time Cortese the star of this movie, also happened to be staying there as well.

I recognized Cortese from the movie. I saw it when it was playing. Cortese was very surprised that I was actually one of the few that saw it (that's the way he put it), any way I saw Pesci and told him I saw this movie and that Cortese was staying in the hotel. I did not remember Pesci from that movie at the time.

Pesci is a very small guy, but he is tough guy. He used to spar with Roberto Duran who also spent time in the hotel when in NY.

Pesci told me on the set he and Cortese had a argument that led to a fist fight. Cortese is not a small guy, but I found him to be a friendly guy. They both were, but not with each other. Pesci told me he beat up Cortese in that fight.

That is straight from Pesci. I did not ask Cortese about it. I wonder what his version would have been?

I never saw both of these guys at the same time at the hotel. I guess they were not "Friends."

Great early groundbreaker
This movie is also called "Family Enforcer", but "death Collector"is the original title. Re-released after Joe Pesci's rise to fame a'la "Goodfellas" et al, this movie set the stage for all those to follow, including that film. Pesci's character is a minor role in this film. It follows the career of an italian guy "in the know" (not pesci) as he becomes, by steps, a mob collector, and believe me he enjoys his work. As the film progresses, he seeks to collect a debt from a deadbeat "made guy", and he makes no exception. This of course leads to feuds and an eventual contract on his head, which is enforced. In a way (thought I don't want to spoil it) the film starts at the end. This movie has a great shoot out at the end also. Great vintage 70's imagery. Truly a lost gem. I would recommend it as "homework" if you like goodfellas, casino, heat, et al. You will recognize more than just Pesci, by the way. Stands on it's own as a very good film, and a slice of another era, the fab 70's. I particularly love when they "whack" the guy on the toilet!

Pesci's greatest performance
This story revolves around Joe Pesci's character. He is in the mob and his friend is also in the mob. He is a hot head and starts a war with another mob over an unpaid $400.00 loan. Soon revenge attacks in response to revenge attacks, etc. etc. is too much for the mob boss to tolerate because he originally advised that Joe Pesci's friend just keep the peace. In the end, the mob boss has his own guy killed because he is tired of disobeyed orders causing conflicts with rival previously on friendly terms mobs. Pesci is already dead also at this time as he always gets taken out near the end in all his mob films. That is the Pesci formula if you haven't noticed.

I hear rumors that this is Pesci's first film. Also look for cameos by Robert DeNiro, Harvey Keitel, and Al Pacino. Look for them but you won't find them anywhere in the film. They are not there. That's because Pesci carried this one on his own. Go Joe!