Black Hand

In 1900, Italian-American attorney Roberto Colombo is killed by gangsters as he meets with a police officer to divulge information about an extortion plot. His death exposes the mob's reach in Little Italy and triggers a shift in the family’s fortunes. His widow and son later flee to Italy.

After Roberto's murder, his widow and their son leave New York for Italy. They settle there, where the widow eventually dies, leaving Giovanni to grow up haunted by his father's quest for justice. This departure marks the first major turning point in Giovanni's life.

In 1908, Giovanni Colombo returns to New York determined to wage a vendetta against his father's killers. He reconnects with his childhood friend Isabella Gomboli and police detective Louis Lorelli, who urge caution and a more strategic approach. The trio begins to confront the Black Hand's grip on Little Italy.

Giovanni searches for leads about his father's killers and speaks with a man whose son was kidnapped after refusing to pay protection money to the mob. The encounter shows how the mob uses fear to control neighborhoods. The informant provides limited, troubling insights.

One of the men Giovanni hoped would reveal his father's killers is murdered, underlining the danger of opposing the mob. The threat reinforces Giovanni's resolve to pursue justice despite the risks. The case grows more opaque as intimidation suppresses testimonies.

Giovanni and Isabella mobilize residents against the Black Hand racket, trying to unite Little Italy. The movement is set back when Giovanni is attacked and his leg is broken, forcing him onto the sidelines. He begins a period of recovery that shifts his focus toward law and strategy.

During recovery, Giovanni decides to study law, hoping to honor his father's legacy. Isabella supports him and their relationship deepens, adding personal stakes to the pursuit of justice. The plan blends personal growth with political action.

Detective Lorelli presents evidence uncovered after a bombing of a local store, shifting the group's energy from vengeance to identifying the perpetrators and pursuing the case through legal channels. Giovanni agrees to help track the perpetrators rather than resume direct assaults. The investigation broadens the scope of their fight against the mob.

A court trial comes to nothing when a key witness is intimidated and refuses to testify. Nevertheless, the defendant is deported after Naples identifies him as a fugitive, showing the cross-Atlantic reach of justice. The case underscores the mob's influence and the limits of local prosecution.

Following the deportation, Lorelli travels to Italy to examine photographs of Italian criminals who are at large, hoping to identify other New York gangsters who could be deported. After he mails the results back to Giovanni in New York, he is attacked and killed, cutting off an important line of investigation.

Lorelli is attacked and killed after delivering the list of suspected criminals to Giovanni. His death deprives Giovanni of a critical ally in the international crackdown on the mob. The loss escalates the pressure on Giovanni to act.

In a bid to prevent Lorelli's list from reaching authorities, gangsters kidnap Isabella's young brother. The kidnapping raises the stakes for Giovanni and tests his loyalty and resolve. The mob leverages the boy to force Giovanni's compliance.

Giovanni is captured while attempting to save Isabella's brother and is coerced into revealing the location of Lorelli's list to the gangsters. They threaten to cripple the boy if he doesn't disclose the information. The demand shows how close the confrontation has come to a personal tragedy.

Giovanni escapes his captors and salvages Lorelli's list by igniting a bomb he finds in the gangsters' hideout. The dramatic act protects the list and continues the effort to bring the criminals to justice. The explosion marks a turning point in Giovanni's fight against the Black Hand.