Just when you thought Martin Scorsese had prduced everything he could on the topic of organized crime and had retired to making AT&T Public Service Announcments about silencing cell phones, it is announced that, yes, he will be making one more.
“I Heard You Paint Houses” published in 2005, a True Crime hit authored by attorney Charles Brandt about the confessions of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, the alleged killer of Jimmy Hoffa. The movie will follow Frank’s story, Frank being played by the indomitable Robert DeNiro.
The title, “I Heard You Paint Houses” comes from Jimmy Hoffa’s first words to Frank Sheeran, “painting houses” being mob-speak for splattering blood in contract killings. Hoffa and Sheeran were friends before Sheeran came to work for legendary boss Russell Bufalino, who allegedly assigned him the Hoffa job.
This, of course, will be DeNiro and Scorsese’s, like, 9,000th movie together. Also, working on the script, is the renowned Steve Zaillian, who wrote “American Gangster,” “Gangs of New York,” and “Schindler’s List.” Three all-stars doing what they do best. Expectations will be high, and they just might spark some interest in the book, so check the stacks!
-David