Epic drama a throwback

Based on Charles Brandt’s 2004 book I Hear You Paint Houses, Scorsese’s 26th feature follows Frank, from his early days delivering carcasses, through his reputation for creating them, to his latter-day regrets.

The frame-tale within the frame-tale is his and pint-sized crime lord Russell Bufalino’s (a temporarily un-retired Joe Pesci) 1975 trip from Philadelphia to Detroit for the wedding of Russell’s cousin and Frank’s lawyer Bill Bufalino (Ray Romano).

The three-day journey, punctuated by cigarette breaks (for their wives) and ‘‘business’’ breaks, proved to be pivotal in Frank’s life.

It was Bill, after getting Frank out of a tight spot, who introduced him to Russell.

While quickly realising that Russell was no ‘‘truck mechanic from Canada Dry’’, he had no idea that all of Philly’s roads led directly to him.

Russell was never directly connected to anything, but he was the man you went to when money needed disappearing, judges or juries needed bribing, or business rivals needed taking care of.

And when an error of judgment puts Frank in the sights of the King of Philadelphia Angelo Bruno, it’s Russell who bails him out – at a price.

A new, frontline role sees Frank come into the orbit of Teamsters Union boss Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino).

A charismatic figure, the sundae-loving, punctualityobsessed Hoffa takes a shine to Frank and his family, promoting him to the head of his own union chapter.

However, Hoffa’s feuds are many (including with the then