Prizzi's Honor 1985

Charley Partanna is a ruthless hitman working for the powerful New York Mafia family led by the esteemed Don Corrado Prizzi. He finds himself caught in a complex web of loyalty and deception. At a grand family wedding, Charley is instantly captivated by a mysterious non-Italian woman, whose identity remains elusive. Adding to the tension, Charley’s former lover, Maerose Prizzi, the estranged daughter of Dominic, still has deep feelings for him. Their past romance complicates things, especially considering Maerose’s estrangement from her father, which stemmed from her sudden departure to pursue another man before her relationship with Charley had truly flourished.

As Charley’s loyalties are tested, his role within the organization takes a dark turn when he is ordered to travel to California to eliminate Marxie Heller, a target who has stolen a large sum of money from a Nevada casino. The twist occurs when Charley discovers that Marxie’s estranged wife, Irene Walker, is the very woman he was enchanted by at the wedding. Their romance blossoms in the shadows of intrigue, as they prepare to marry in a serene Mexican locale. However, Maerose, driven by a need to uncover the truth about Irene’s involvement in the casino heist, travels westward, severing her ties with reality.

Charley confronts his own challenges when his father, Angelo, reveals that Irene may not be the woman she appears to be, hinting that she is a “contractor” like himself, with a reputation for carrying out hits for the organization. This unsettling revelation leads Charley to feel increasingly uneasy, culminating in his disenchantment with Irene.

The Prizzi family’s drama escalates when Dominic, motivated by self-interest, unwittingly commands Charley’s own assassination while he has also tasked Charley to eliminate his brother-in-law. Amid this chaos, Eduardo decides to take control, plotting to remove Dominic from the family’s affairs for good.

As Charley and Irene embark on a risky kidnapping scheme to benefit their criminal enterprise, they unwittingly struggle with local law enforcement, as they target the wife of a police captain. The don grows dissatisfied with Irene’s unauthorized actions in Nevada, demanding restitution. He ultimately presents her with a stark ultimatum: > “She’s gotta go.”

With the atmosphere hanging precariously at boiling point, Charley returns to California in an effort to regain a sense of normalcy amidst the turmoil. However, that facade crumbles as he walks into his bedroom, where he is met with a heart-stopping confrontation with Irene. In a shocking moment of mutual mistrust, both draw their weapons, igniting a cascade of events that will irrevocably change their lives.

The aftermath is devastating as Charley grapples with the loss of Irene, whose untimely and tragic end leaves a profound void in his existence. In his search for comfort, he turns to the compassionate presence of Maerose, who is there for him, providing support during his darkest days. As Charley moves through this new and grief-stricken reality, the ghost of Irene lingers on, their love transformed into a poignant reminder of the harrowing events that have unfolded.