Review by arthurclay

I first saw this movie as part of a collection entitled "Great Mafia Movies" and they were right about this one it is great. This film is one of the very few movies that accurately and unromantically portrays real life in the Mafia and the inherent danger that is present in it(the others being Goodfellas and WTTM). Right off the bat you are thrown into the violent and not so secretive world of the Bonnano family as the public and police know as much or even more than the mobsters. You can literally feel the danger and impending doom that hangs around each member especially Bill and Joe Bonnano. They are fighting for their lives in every frame of the picture. You feel bad when their friends are killed and that they have to struggle just to survive each day. This movie is pro-Bonnano but in my mind that is not such a bad thing since its being told from the son's perspective just as Gotti is told from John's perspective. Even if Joe Bonnano was wrong and at fault for what happened in real life its hard to muster any compassion or sympathy for his enemies as treacherous and vicious as they are. I loved the scene with the commission I would have liked to see Carlo Gambino have a bigger role but that wasn't central to the plot. My only problem with this movie is that it really doesn't end with a definite sense of finality like it's like there's a whole other saga waiting to be told but given the circumstances I don't suppose it could have ended any other way. In any case Honor Thy Father is a goldmine of information on the mob and a real treat to view as well.