FIND ME GUILTY

 

 

I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of movies that glorify the mob (which is why I wasn't a fan of the "classic" film The Godfather, although I did enjoy reading the book mainly because I'm a fan of author the late Mario Puzo's writing). And the mob don't get much more "glorified" than in Find Me Guilty which stars--and, no, I'm NOT making this up!--Vin Diesel in his first--and, hopefully, LAST--"dramatic" film role. In this film, Diesel plays real life "gangster" Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio--hairpiece and all!--who was on trial with dozen of his other fellow "gangsters" in what was reportedly the longest criminal trial in American history where "Jackie Dee" acted as his own attorney. The movie ends with Vin giving the jury an impassioned plea to--that's right!--find him guilty, which they do, and "Jackie Dee" returns to prison to a virtual standing-ovation from the other inmates. Then the film ends with a close-up of Diesel's grinning mug. (For me, the scene before that was even more obnoxious as the brutal newly-freed "gangsters" take to the street and thank the jurors personally as they're leaving the courthouse. Cue audience applause here!) This movie was one of the last films made by legendary film director Sidney Lumet who's directed countless "classic" films (The Wiz notwithstanding!). Why he chose to direct this particular film, and why he cast Vin Diesel in the lead role (was Al Pacino not returning his calls?), is beyond me. As for Vin Diesel's, uh-hum, performance in this film, some prominent film critics actually praised his, uh-hum, performance, including this blog's namesake Roger Ebert. Personally, and frankly, I think Vin Diesel is at his, for lack of a better word, best when he's doing B-movie-esque action films (XXX notwithstanding!). But, come to think of it, maybe--just maybe!--I'm being a bit too harsh on Mr. Diesel. Maybe--just maybe!--I was too distracted by Vin's hairpiece. You think? A sidenote: Giacomo "Jackie Dee" DiNorscio actually died during the making of his biopic. Maybe--just maybe!--he felt a sense of embarrassment both at being a shameless brutal "gangster" and having Vin Diesel portray him in said biopic. Again, you think?