Movie : Gangs of New York ( 2002 )

Gangs of New York is a movie based on History,crime and Drama. It features the events of New York in 1863. ( IMDB ratings = 7.5 )

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio,Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz. The movie gives the impression of how the character of Capiro ( Amsterdam Vallon ) wants to take revenge for his father's Death. Liam Neeson made a special appearance for the role of Caprio's Father ( Priest Vallon ).

Here is the link for the 10th anniversary trailer of this movie                                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYsS_3zdwmA

This movie is inspired by Herbert Asbury's 1927 non-fiction book. This movie was nominated for numerous awards, including the Academy awards for the Best picture. The movie shows the events of the area of Five points district of Manhattan . The events of the film takes place in 1863 were the civil wars are going on, and in the streets the issue of irish immigrants.

The cast of the movie are as follows :

1. Leonardo DiCaprio as Amsterdam Vallon
2. Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill Cutting " The Butcher "
3. Cameron Diaz as Jenny Everdeane.
4. Jim Broadbent as Boss Tweed.
5. Henry Thomas as Johnny Sirocco.

The Plot ; On February 6, 1846, at Paradise Square in Lower Manhattan's Five Points, a territorial battle of hand-to-hand combat between Bill "the Butcher" Cutting's U.S.-born nativist gang, the Natives, and "Priest" Vallon's Irish Catholic immigrant gang, the Dead Rabbits, concludes when Cutting kills Vallon, witnessed by Vallon's young son, Amsterdam. Cutting declares the Dead Rabbits outlawed but orders that Vallon's body be buried with honor. Amsterdam seizes the knife used to kill his father, races off, and buries it along with a medal his father gave him. He is later raised at Hellgate orphanage.

In late 1862, an adult Amsterdam Vallon returns to Five Points and reunites with an old friend, Johnny Sirocco, who reintroduces Amsterdam anonymously to Cutting. Amsterdam finds many of the former Dead Rabbits are now loyal to Cutting, including "Happy Jack" Mulraney, who has become a corrupt police officer, as well as the racist McGloin. Amsterdam works his way into Cutting's inner circle, and learns that, each year, Cutting celebrates the anniversary of his victory over the Dead Rabbits. Amsterdam plans to avenge his father by killing Cutting during that year's ceremony. Amsterdam becomes more deeply involved with Tammany Hall, the twisted political empire of Boss Tweed, who is heavily manipulated by Cutting.

Soon after Amsterdam and Johnny meet up, they run into Jenny Everdeane, a successful and discreet pickpocket and grifter whom Johnny is clearly enamored of. Jenny later steals the medal that Amsterdam's father had given him long ago. Amsterdam follows Jenny, confronts her, and retrieves his medal. He is clearly attracted to Jenny as well. His sexual interest in her is dampened, however, once he learns she was Cutting's ward and still enjoys his affections.

During a theatrical performance of Uncle Tom's Cabin, Amsterdam thwarts an assassination attempt on Cutting that leaves the latter wounded. Both retire to a brothel, where Jenny nurses Cutting. Amsterdam and Jenny argue and then make love. Later that night, Amsterdam wakes to find Cutting sitting by him, draped in a tattered American flag. Cutting reminisces of how Priest Vallon was the last respectable enemy he ever fought; Vallon even once beat Cutting soundly, letting him live in shame rather than killing him. Cutting now credits the incident with giving him the strength of will to come back strong, and implies that Amsterdam is like the son he never had. Soon after, Johnny, jealous of Jenny and Amsterdam's relationship, exposes Amsterdam's true identity as Vallon's son to Cutting. During a knife-throwing act on the night of the ceremony, Cutting consequently baits Amsterdam by mildly wounding Jenny. Amsterdam hurls a knife at Cutting, which the latter deflects and counters with a knife throw of his own, hitting Amsterdam square in the abdomen, then beating Amsterdam into unconsciousness. Cutting then declares he will let Amsterdam live as a "freak," and burns a hot knife blade into Amsterdam's cheek.

Afterwards, in hiding, Jenny nurses Amsterdam back to health, and implores him to leave New York for California with her. They are visited by Walter "Monk" McGinn, who was a mercenary for Vallon in the Five Points battle. Monk gives Amsterdam an old token of his father, inspiring Amsterdam to rise again. Amsterdam places a dead rabbit on a fence in Paradise Square as a threatening sign for Cutting, who demands that the corrupt Happy Jack find Amsterdam. Happy Jack, however, is soon outmaneuvered by Amsterdam, who strangles him and hangs his body in the Square. In retaliation, Cutting beats Johnny, runs him through with an iron pike, and likewise hangs him in the Square; Amsterdam is forced to perform a mercy killing.

Tweed, unhappy with Cutting's methods, approaches Amsterdam with a plan to neutralize Cutting: Tweed will back the candidacy of "Monk" McGinn for local sheriff in return for the Irish vote. On election day, both Cutting and Amsterdam's sides use voter fraud and violent coercion to get citizens to vote, resulting in an impossible landslide victory for Monk. Cutting responds by murdering Monk publicly in cold blood. During Monk's funeral, Amsterdam challenges Cutting to a traditional gang fight, which Cutting accepts. Jenny books passage for California, believing Amsterdam will soon die.

The New York City draft riots break out, and many upper-class citizens and African-Americans are attacked by the rioters. Union soldiers enter the city to put down the riots. As the gangs meet, they are hit by cannon fire from naval ships in the harbor; most of the gang members are killed or dispersed. An enormous cloud of dust and debris covers the area, allowing Cutting to strike Amsterdam, though the two are thrown to the ground by another shell blast. When the smoke clears, Cutting discovers he has been hit by a piece of shrapnel, and says, "Thank God, I die a true American." Amsterdam passionately stabs Cutting to death, their hands locked together.

Cutting is buried in Brooklyn next to Priest Vallon's grave, which Amsterdam and Jenny visit before they leave together. Amsterdam narrates that New York would be rebuilt, but they are no longer remembered, as if "we were never here". The scene then shifts, in a series of dissolves, as modern New York City is built, from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Empire State Building to the World Trade Center, while the graves of Cutting and Vallon gradually become overgrown.

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Alright this movie is a real entertainer. Some of the Oldies might remember a few situation like the ones in the movie to their real life experiences. Caprio is like always at his best ( Yeah!! I am a DiCaprio fan ). The fight ,the cutting, the plotting everything was in place. This movie had everything drama, love, sex, fight, blood, war, politics, hatred. 

Well we all know how one is attached towards to its family and thats whats get to see in the movie. The character of Caprio came back to Five points after years the first thing he does is to go back to the cave where he and his father used to live. There hidden in the cave is the barber's blade which his father gave to him along with a locket. The scene is quite touching as to all. Now Vallons remembers all the major characters from his childhood. He is burning inside to take revenge for his father's death. He is also quite shocked as to how some his father's friend or followers blended with the Butcher. He joins the Butchers gang. While working with Butcher he finds out that Butcher has a lot of respect for his father. Some of Butchers principles of life even got Vallon to respect the Butcher.

The End scene where Vallon buries the dead body of Butcher is also very touching as there buries two great men of their time. Now Vallon was also right that they all will be forgotten and the city got rebuild over all of them.

Some scenes which will come to our mind when hear the name of these movie.

1. The Opening fight Scene where one woman from the Irish group bites off the ears of a man.  ( Really disgusting )

2. The Butcher teaching Amsterdam how to kill. ( You know how awkward situation that would be. Learning how to kill from a man who killed your father. Learning from the man whom you plan to kill . )

3. After Vallon makes love to Jenny , he wakes up in the middle of the night to find The Butcher sitting next to them . ( You know that's a real chilling moment. The reputation of the Butcher is compelling enough for anyone to fear at that moment . )

4. Butcher killing the Monk. ( Monk really had a reputation and Butcher publically killed the person who won the election for sheriff. Really cold. It shows the power of the Butcher. )

5. The Principles of life for the three men of this movie becomes same. Butcher and Amsterdam learnt a lot from Priest Vallon , Amsterdam later learnt many things from the Butcher . This three men had respect among each others. Even after being enemies they had a lot of respect.


At the end we will only say that its the respect that you have actually earned in your lifespan on earth that mattes , not the wealth. 

(Note 1 : We do not mean any disrespect. Have no intentions to Offend anyone.)

(Note 2 : Plot summary is provided through WIKIPEDIA.)