David O’Russell Up For Buddy Cianci Biopic

In the UK, if you’ve heard of Buddy Cianci at all, it’s because the school Family Guy’s Chris Griffin used to attend is named after him, but in the US, he’s famed for being one of the most colourful politicians around. Now the LA Times reports that David O’Russell has signed on to direct a biopic of the former Providence, Rhode Island mayor.

Just from the title of his memoir, you can get an idea of why Cianci might be worth making a film about, as it’s called, ‘Politics And Pasta: How I Prosecuted Mobsters, Rebuilt A Dying City, Advised A President, Dined With Sinatra, Spent Five Years In A Federally Funded Gated Community And Lived To Tell The Tale’. Cianci was mayor twice, but was forced to resign both times due to charges that led to felony convictions, once for assault and the second time for racketeering conspiracy (running a corrupt criminal enterprise due to the dodgy practices that were tolerated during his mayorship), for which he spent four years in prison.

It’s a slightly Boardwalk Empire type story, with Cianci always thought to be a bit of a wiseguy, corrupt character, but still much loved by the electorate.

Robert De Niro and his producing partner Jane Rosenthal are developing the film via their Tribeca company, with Russell attached to direct and help work on the script. It’ll now go onto O’Russell’s pile, which also includes a Russ Meyer biopic, the comedy drama Old St Louis, and the congressional sting drama American Bullshit.