The Silver Screen Oasis

Does anyone know what happened to her restaurant after she died? I have only vague recollections of the book. I seem to remember it closing after a short time, but maybe that's my imagination? The business partner, West, I think his name was, seemed awfully suspicious to me.

There were a few characters around Thelma that were suspicious to say the least. I felt she was naive on the cusp of this shadow world but no one is sure what she did to deserve such brutal end. Such a deft comedienne, one wonders what movies she would have made if she'd have lived.

For those fascinated by The Outfit, renown Chicago hit man, Frank Calabrese, Sr., died on Christmas day in prison, put there in large part based on his son's wearing of a wire.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1723 ... stody.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... 0334.story

Fascinating stuff, ChiO. Seems as if the most vicious of the mob enforcers came from one of my favorite cities. Besides Calabrese, there were also the sadistic Sam "Mad Sam" DeStafano, a loan shark who actually preferred if a debtor didn't pay on his loan: He had a specially-built torture chamber constructed in his basement where he would settle all accounts, and Tony Spilotro (the model for Joe Pesci's CASINO character) to name just two other brutal psychopaths. Their deeds almost make Capone's boys seem like boy scouts in comparison.

Interesting how it reads Calabrese tried to make his peace with God in his final years. Guess he saw it as his only way out.

Well, Tony Accardo always carried a small bible with him.

Rather disturbing replies under those obits.

I agree, Wendy. Like my pet peeve Amazon, wish sometimes these comments were not allowed.

Don't want to post it because it is disturbing but the SunTimes also printed a list of this scumbag's murder victims and the manner in which they were dispatched. Yet some comments are almost weirdly in favor of this guy.

Like the old Joey Bishop joke about Sinatra: "And now Frank's going to talk about some of the good things the Mafia is doing."

I hear you, WG.

That's what makes being here so refreshing, we like all the comments.

I can never understand why some of these killer achieve an almost folk hero status. I can with some of the Dustbowl Desperados, who if they did kill it was an accident or an act of sheer necessity (can't believe I've written that, but I guess I mean if their life was threatened and it was kill or be killed) but like you say, some of these guys seemed to really enjoy killing.

I believe we had one of those guys last week. Something about "Doing what I do best. Killing." Lord help us.

Yes, I think there's a difference when someone takes to robbery because of hard times, and then maybe is forced into circumstances beyond their control. Mob killers don't make me immediately cheer, but I guess some of the dolts who write comments on news items actually believe that ratting out a cold blooded, sick minded murderer is worse than actually pulling the trigger. And as long as that's the case, we'll have these horror stories. Would those people be writing their disgusting views if Calabrese's victims had all been children? Where's your code of honor about that?

Well, don't forget the movie GOODFELLAS, based pretty factually on Henry Hill's life, does make mob life look pretty darn attractive - until the end: Heck, money, respect, power and influence. Prior to his world collapsing you get over two hours of Henry's "good life". Sometimes I think these stories should start at the end and work their way backwards.

It's terrifying that there are so-called humans among us, like that whacko last week who admitted he enjoys killing and that school shooting that I'm still having problems comprehending; the movie theater massacre of summer. Homeland terrorism.

Too damn much violence in the world. Desensitization courtesy of many factors ranging from permissive television where sadism and the results of violent crimes are graphically shown under the labelof "entertainment", music advocating violence - from rape to murder, video games with graphics SO real you actually can believe you're destroying another human being.

Like the Beatles siong goes: "Now I long for yesterday". And I DO!!!

There was a psychiatrist who just spoke out, he said that as long as there are incompetent workers in the mental health field, and those who are afraid to actually diagnose someone with schizophrenia or psychoses because the parents will get upset, or the schools won't 'mainstream' them, there will be more and more of these horrendous problems.

To which I cannot add "Amen".

You hit the nail on the head about violence Western Guy, it's what I feel down to a tee. What a world. No wonder we prize our old movies and simpler times.

I think that has a lot to do with it.