Summary
- Dive deep into the truth behind American mafia glamour with these documentaries - a real, gritty look at organized crime and its impact.
- Learn about the rise and fall of notorious figures from the mafia world, including Al Capone, John Gotti, and Whitey Bulger in these docu-series.
- Explore the hidden dark underbelly of mafia life and the law enforcement bringing these criminals to justice in these informative and gripping films.
The best mafia documentaries paint both a vivid picture of the American Mafia and tell the story of how these criminal organizations have negatively affected the world around them. The American mafia has been a huge part of cinema since the early days of motion pictures, with movies such as Scarface and The Public Enemy both glamorizing the criminals and showing the tragedy that often befalls these mobsters and the people around them. With so many gangster movies showing how these criminals can become cult heroes to the downtrodden, the documentaries show the real lives behind the public personas.
With The Godfather and dramatizing real stories of mafia figures, it's important for mafia documentaries to show what the life of crime truly looks like. They not only rely on accurate s from those who were involved but also use real-life footage that helps tell a story as close to the truth as possible. With so much fascination with this subject matter, there are so mafia documentaries available across streaming platforms. However, only a few of them stand out as true historical tales of both the glamour and tragedy of American mafia families.
The 10 Best Mafia Movies Of All Time, According To IMDb
From The Godfather to Goodfellas, mafia movies have been accredited as some of the most memorable stories on screen.
20 The Mafia With Trevor McDonald (2015)
1 Season, 2 Episodes
Sir Trevor McDonald is a Trinidadian-British newsman best known for his work as a news presenter for ITN. After that career ended, he ed up with BBC Radio as a producer and began working as a general reporter for the network as their first Black reporter.
In 1999, he was knighted for his journalism career and remains a highly respected journalist. In 2015, McDonald set off for New York City to do an exposé on the American mafia, and it ended up as a two-part documentary feature.
The documentary shows two very different outlooks on mafia life.
In this mafia documentary, which originally aired on ITN, Trevor McDonald speaks to two figures from the mafia: Michael DiLeonardo, who agreed to testify against the mafia for the FBI, and former hitman, John Alite. The documentary shows two very different outlooks on mafia life, as DiLeonardo shows remorse for testifying against his mafia allies. At the same time, Alite seems more at ease since that is all behind him, and he can develop a real relationship with his son.
19 Our Godfather (2019)
The Story Of Tommaso Buscetta
Tommaso Buscetta was a high-ranking Italian mobster who was part of the Sicilian Mafia. However, he is now best known for turning informant and testifying against the Italian mafia and the United States arm of the same family. He worked for the mafia in the United States, Italy, and Brazil and was extradited when he was arrested. Thanks to the murder of several of his family , Buscetta grew disillusioned with the mafia, and that is what caused him to testify against them as an informant.
Tommaso Buscetta was the highest-ranking Mafia figure to ever turn informant.
This documentary was released in 2019 and features interviews with his third wife and his surviving children, all of whom remain in hiding under assumed identities out of fear of reprisal from the mafia. Buscetta lived to the age of 71 before dying of cancer, but he was living in hiding up until the time of his death. As the highest-ranking Mafia figure to ever turn informant, hearing his story from his family makes for some intriguing and fascinating footage of life in the world of organized crime.
18 Dirty Money (2018)
The Netflix True-Crime Documentary Series
The Netflix true-crime documentary series Dirty Money is about a lot more than organized crime. There are several episodes about white-collar crime, with names like Scott Ticker, Donald Trump, and Jared Kushner having their stories told. However, for fans who want to see more in the form of mafia documentary features, there are also episodes about the Sinaloa Cartel.
The episode about Valeant Pharmaceuticals ("Drug Short") is also one with ties to the American mafia. There is a lot more to Dirty Money than the American mafia, but almost every story has ties to organized crime in one way or another.
Critics praised the series, giving it a perfect 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as the reviews praised the documentary's non-flinching approach to exposing corporate greed and how those with money can often find ways of escaping justice at the expense of regular people. Its only award recognition came at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards with one nomination.
17 Excellent Cadavers (2005)
Based On Giovanni Falcone's Fight With The Mafia
Excellent Cadavers is a 2005 mafia documentary about Italian magistrate Giovanni Falcone's battle against the Sicilian Mafia, which he struggled with thanks to the organization's reach all the way to the United States mafia community. The term "excellent cadavers" refers to the high-profile victims that the Mafia kills, such as politicians, judges, and police chiefs, and Falcone set out to bring this mafia organization down despite knowing the dangers he faced.
The Sicilian Mafia assassinated magistrate Giovanni Falcone on May 23, 1992.
The book the documentary was based on was also made into a narrative movie in 1999, with Chazz Palminteri starring as Falcone and F. Murray Abraham starring as Tommaso Buscetta, the highest-ranking mafia member ever to turn informant. Marco Turco directed the documentary as both an adaptation of the book and an update, with many things that happened after its publication added to the story. Sadly, it was Falcone's assassination that finally brought the organization down.
16 Inside The Criminal Mind (2017-2018)
A Netflix Documentary About Criminal Psychology
Much like another Netflix documentary, Dirty Money, the true-crime documentary Inside the Criminal Mind also focuses on several different types of criminals and not just the American mafia. There is a darkness to this documentary, as it doesn't want to retell dire stories of terrible crimes and murders as much as it wants to understand why the criminals do what they do. This documentary series examines the killers and wants to know what created them and pushed them to their crimes.
The people showcased in this episode are big names: John Gotti, Pablo Escobar, El Chapo, and Al Capone.
The first three episodes are about serial killers, kidnappers, and cult leaders. While those are all interesting in their own right, the one that should attract people interested in the American mafia is the fourth episode, titled "Crime Lords." This goes into depth about what caused these people to set out to become mafia dons and organized crime bosses and why the public loves them. The people showcased in this episode are big names: John Gotti, Pablo Escobar, El Chapo, and Al Capone.
15 The Real Sopranos (2006)
The Real Mafia Bosses The Show Was Based On
The Real Sopranos is a short but very entertaining documentary about the mob family that influenced Tony Soprano and his family on HBO's hit series. It tells the story of the rise and fall of New Jersey’s DeCavalcante crime family. While Tony Soprano seemed like a pretty major player in the TV show's focus, the family his organization was based on was not.
They were mostly smaller players, and as the documentary explains, the major crime families referred to them as "farmers." However, something happened when larger families began to break down. The DeCavalcante crime family grew in strength, took over, and finally reached the position of power they always desired.
Sadly, they fell thanks to an informant on the inside who wore a wire and helped the government put together a case against them. This documentary shows the rise and fall of the family, and for anyone who loves The Sopranos, there is a lot of information here that might sound familiar.
14 Inside The American Mob (2013)
A National Geographic Documentary
Inside the American Mob
- Release Date
- 2013 - 2013-00-00
- Network
- National Geographic
Cast
Salvatore PolisiSonny Franzese-
Kenneth CarrellaJohn
-
Michael MessinaMob Underboxx
WHERE TO WATCH
Inside the American Mob is a 2013 documentary series that delves into the inner workings of the notorious American Mafia. Through interviews with former mobsters, law enforcement officials, and insiders, the series explores the history, rise, and fall of organized crime families in cities like New York and Chicago, providing an in-depth look at the strategies and conflicts that defined the mob's influence in America.
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Banks Tarver, Ken Druckerman
Inside the American Mob is a National Geographic documentary series released in 2013 that went inside the mafia from different perspectives. The series largely focuses on the notorious time in organized crime from the 1960s to the 1990s in New York City where several high-profile figures rose up and took prominence in this world. While there have been countless movies and shows that offer fictionalized looks at the lives of these people, this docies gives a much more informative and in-depth look.
Inside the American Mob interviews former mobsters and law officials, as well as historians, breaking down the Mafia's influence on American culture.
The first season features names like the real Donnie Brasco (played in the fictional biopic movie by Johnny Depp), Little Nicky Scarfo, and John Gotti. The second season goes into luminaries like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. Inside the American Mob interviews former mobsters and law officials, as well as historians, breaking down the Mafia's influence on American culture.
Inside The American Mob is available to stream on Hulu.
13 The Irish Mob (2008)
How The Irish Mob Got Their Stranglehold
The Irish Mob is a 2008 documentary series that examines the history and influence of Irish-American organized crime. Through interviews, archival footage, and expert analysis, the series highlights key figures, events, and socio-political contexts that shaped the trajectory of Irish mobsters in America from their rise in the early 20th century to their eventual decline.
- Seasons
- 2
While the Italian mob has been the focus of the majority of mob movies and in pop culture, the Irish mafia certainly made its mark on organized crime and featured some very notable crime figures through the decades. The Irish Mob focuses on the Irish mafia as they moved into America and created some of the most powerful families in the country. Like similar docies about the American mafia, this focuses on a different member of the mob in each episode.
The six episodes all cap off with one of the most infamous, Frank Sheeran, the man who reportedly killed Jimmy Hoffa, as seen in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman. The series also tracks the rise and fall of Whitey Bulger, the Dillinger Gang, Mickey Spillane, and The West End Gang. The difference between this mafia documentary and others is that it mostly traces how these Irish mobsters rose from poverty to a stronghold on American crime.
12 Deep Undercover (2016)
Undercover Law Enforcement Officers In The Mafia
Deep Undercover
- Release Date
- October 5, 2016
- Directors
- Jesse Rivkin, Michael Mallick
Cast
-
Dave B. MitchellBiagio DiGiacomo
-
Damon O'DanielUncredited
-
Judy Ho
-
Michael Fleeman
Deep Undercover is a documentary television series that delves into real-life undercover operations conducted by law enforcement agencies. Released in 2016, the show features firsthand s from officers who infiltrate criminal organizations, offering an inside look at the dangers and challenges they face. Each episode explores a different case, providing a detailed narrative of the investigative techniques and strategic maneuvers employed to bring criminals to justice.
- Seasons
- 1
Some of the most fascinating stories surrounding the mafia are not about the criminals themselves but rather the law enforcement agents who helped bring them in Deep Undercover takes a very different look at the American mafia. Following the lead of the movie Donnie Brasco, former FBI agent Joe Pistone hosts the unique mafia documentary that focuses on the undercover law enforcement officers who bring criminal organizations down from within.
Pistone, the agent who himself went undercover as Donnie Brasco, helps narrate stories about undercover operations all over the country. This isn't just about mafia organizations, as one episode even deals with an undercover agent exposing corruption in the Cook County court system. However, there were major mafia stories here, including one about Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski, one of the most infamous mob hitmen of all time.
11 Crime Inc (1984)
A Classic Documentary
Crime Inc. is a documentary series from 1984 that explores the inner workings of organized crime. The show takes an in-depth look at criminal activities, such as drug trafficking and money laundering, providing insights into how syndicates operate both nationally and internationally. Featuring interviews with law enforcement officials and reformed criminals, the series aims to demystify the shadowy world of organized crime.
- Seasons
- 1
Crime Inc. first aired in the United Kingdom in 1984 and picked up a BAFTA nomination for Best Factual Series. It has also been praised as offering what might be the most thorough look at organized criminal corruption in the United States. What makes this series different from others is that it doesn't really care so much about the bigger-than-life personalities in the American mafia families, but about the tactics that they employed to become so powerful.
It shows the violence and life-altering situations that this way of life entails.
This series also doesn't glamorize the mafia, like many others do. Instead, it shows the violence and life-altering situations that this way of life entails. Crime Inc. interviews some very scary people involved and shows the dark underbelly of the mafia. It is a dark and compelling side of the evil that can sometimes be forgotten at the center of these engrossing stories.
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