Welcome back to my blog. Here’s my recommendation of a movie to check out today and hope you punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” OK, let’s go back into the world of crime with “The Valachi Papers” starring Charles Bronson. Here’s a based-on facts film that stinks to high heaven from views of both acting and production.
“The Valachi Papers” is based on a book about interviews with supreme mob “rat” Joseph “Joe” Valachi, who was the man who spilled all the beans on “La Cosa Nostra.” Although factual in many ways, the film isn’t even worthy of being labeled a “TV production” with its awful camera work and the wooden speaking that that is supposed to be taken for acting.
Bronson is nowhere near his best as you would have seen in “The Mechanic” (click here to read my review) and “Death Wish” (click here to read my review) from the same era. It as if the “Monty Python” troupe contrived to show just how bad anyone could produce and act in a film.
“The Valachi Papers” shows Valachi’s career in the underworld to him becoming the most famous informant against the Mafia. He spilled the beans about everything: traditions, family links, why things happened, etc.
However, instead of elevating the title character from “The Valachi Papers,” Bronson fails on all levels. Since he was capable of a much better performance, I don’t know whether to blame him, the producer, the screenwriter or the director – apparently all failed, along with Bronston.
Still, you might consider watching “The Valachi Papers” simply as a jump back in time before computers could clean up everything visual, but not the stupidity or incompetence of filmmakers.
So, I say punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” and watch the “The Valachi Papers.” You’ll have to find a DVD copy, since, as of September 2026, it was not available via any subscription services or streaming platforms. You will thank me later, if you manage to find and watch “The Valachi Papers.”
- CLICK to read … my review of “The Valachi Papers”
- CLICK to find … links to all my movie reviews
- CLICK to find … a chronological list of my reviews
- CLICK to find … all my reviews of sports movies
- CLICK to find … all my reviews of horror movies
- CLICK to find … all my reviews of ‘007’ movies
- CLICK to find … all my reviews of Christmas movies
CLICK TO VIEW MY PHOTO GALLERIES & MOVIE REVIEWS:
My movie reviews | Sunrises | Sunsets | DriveTime1 | DT2 | DT3 | Hurricanes
Idiot Parking | Naples Driving Lessons | License plate game | Contrails | UF Gators
Naples1 | Nap2 | Nap3 | Nap4 | Nap5 | Nap6 | Nap7 | Nap8 | Nap9 | Naples10
Disney1 | Diz2 | Diz3 | Diz4 | Diz5 | Diz6 | Diz7 | Diz8 | Diz9 | Diz10 | Diz11 | Disney12
Diz13 | Diz14 | Diz15 | Diz16 | Diz17 | Diz18 | Diz19 | Diz20 | Diz21 | Diz22 | Disney23
NYC | China | Europe | Miami Dolphins | Halloween Horror Nights | Cruises | D.C.
Actors: Jennifer Aniston | Charles Bronson | Pierce Brosnan | Gary Busey | Michael Caine
Chevy Chase | Sean Connery | Matt Damon | Robert De Niro | Leonardo DiCaprio
Robert Duvall | Clint Eastwood | Gene Hackman | Téa Leoni | Steve Martin | Tim Matheson
Steve McQueen | Roger Moore | Rick Moranis | Eddie Murphy | Chuck Norris | Brad Pitt
Dennis Quaid | Robert Redford | Burt Reynolds | Rene Russo | Arnold Schwarzenegger
Frank Sinatra | Jason Statham | Donald Sutherland | Billy Bob Thornton
Directors: William Friedkin | Sam Peckinpah | Sydney Pollack | Peter Yates
© Chuck Curry and A Gator in Naples, 2026
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without
express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner
is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that
full and clear credit is given to Chuck Curry and A Gator in Naples
with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
