The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight is a 1969 novel written by Jimmy Breslin and a film of the same name based on the book and released in 1971 starring Robert De Niro. The novel is a roman à clef of the life of Joey Gallo whose fictional counterpart, Kid Sally Palumbo, is played by Jerry Orbach in the film. Orbach later met Gallo by accident, and though Gallo was a bit frosty at first, eventually the two and their wives became close friends. In fact, the Orbachs had dinner with the Gallos earlier in the evening the night Joey was murdered. The Mafia comedy also features a young Robert... De Niro as a member of an Italian cycling team who stays behind illegally in New York after the cancellation of the race for which he had come to America. For money, he masquerades as a priest and cons Mafia bosses into giving donations to a nonexistent charity along with being an adept thief. This film is one of De Niro's earliest. Originally, Al Pacino signed up to play the part of Mario Trantino, but this was later given to De Niro when Pacino was given the part of Michael Corleone in The Godfather.
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| Author: | Jimmy Breslin |
| Genre: | Novel |
| Year published: | 1969 |
| Number of editions: | 4 |