Prizzi’s Honor | richard-condon

There have been many stories about the Mafia, and many more about love. But no one has ever combined both, certainly not in a novel of the power, the distinction and the sheer human comedy of Prizzi’s Honor.

Charley Partanna is the sottocapo of the powerful Prizzis, a “Prince of Murderers” who made his bones at the age of thirteen with his first hit. Irene Walker, ex-prostitute, ex-mob courier, is now a beautiful Los Angeles “tax consultant” whose desk and ledgers hide her true identity as a freelancer of the deadliest kind.

Charley and Irene meet. He falls helplessly in love with her, and she with him. Together, caught in the intensely brutal, intensely “moral” world of the Mafia, they make love and war, until Charley’s betrayal of “Prizzi honor” leads him inexorably to the ultimate betrayal.

In this remarkable novel of the Mafia way of life, Condon returns with vigor, displaying ingenious storytelling, inventive use of language, and a particular comic vision. To these Condon hallmarks he has added a memorable portrait of the underworld families and a truly touching love story to create a modern-day Romeo and Juliet that won’t soon be forgotton.

This became a very successful film in 1985 directed by John Huston, starring Jack Nicolson and Kathleen Turner as two highly skilled mob assassins who, after falling in love, are hired to kill each other. Richard Condon co-wrote the screenplay for which he won the BAFTA and was nominated for an Oscar.

The film's supporting cast includes Angelica Huston and William Hickey. Stanley Tucci appears in a minor role in his film debut. It was the last of John Huston's films to be released during his lifetime and was nominated for eight oscars in total. His daughter Angelica securing the only win for her role as Maerose Prizzi.