Momo: The Sam Giancana Story (2011) Movie Review

***Reader-Submitted Review***

By: Rick
(New York)


Directed by: Dimitri Logothetis
Written by:
Nicholas Celozzi
Dimitri Logothetis
Starring:
Nicholas Celozzi - Himself
Robert M. Lombardo - Himself
Francine Giancana - Herself
Bonnie Giancana - Herself
Juliette Celozzi - Herself
John Binder - Himself
Arthur J. Lurigio - Himself (as Dr. Arthur J. Lurigio)
Ross Rice - Himself

Momo "The Sam Giancana Story" Documentary

I was pleasantly surprised by this film at the 2012 Philadelphia film festival. It's the story of infamous Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana, as told by a gripping narration and two of Sam's loving daughters, now both in their sixties.

Sam ran the Chicago Outfit from the late 50's to the early sixties. He raised three daughters, and had a long standing relationship with famous All American singer, Phyllis McGuire, from the McGuire Sisters. He was also best friends with Frank Sinatra.

This is not your run of the mill documentary as the story is truly fascinating. I came to find out that Giancana not only helped JFK get elected President by swinging several Midwest and eastern states, but he was hired by the CIA to assassinate Fidel Castro.

Sam's daughters loved their father, who was one of the most cold hearted bosses ever to run Chicago. The narration is balance by the FBI, and a Chicago Outfit soldier who says, "Sam was two French fries short of a happy meal."

The director is Dimitri Logothetis whose other documentary was the award winning, and highly successful Champions Forever about Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier and the other heavy weights of that era.

I give "Momo" a must see, as the story telling is truly fascinating.