The Valachi Papers

A mob associate and enforcer whose ties to Genovese complicate Valachi's world. His relationship with Valachi becomes strained as the Mafia's code and personal ambitions collide; he is involved in brutal measures that heighten tensions within the organization. Valachi ultimately shoots Petrilli to end his suffering after a brutal order targets him.

The aging prisoner who becomes an informant after a series of pressures and realizations. He narrates his life in flashbacks, revealing how he rose through the Mafia and why he chooses to cooperate with federal investigators. His transformation anchors the film’s exploration of loyalty, crime, and consequence.

Daughter of Gaetano Reina, she becomes the object of Valachi’s affection. Her marriage to Valachi connects him to Reina’s family and deepens his ties to the old guard of the Mafia. She represents personal loyalty and family before the violent disruption of the underworld.

A Mafia boss who initiates Valachi into the Mafia and orchestrates early power structures within the organization. He serves as a symbol of the old guard and the codes that define Mafia life. His influence helps shape Valachi’s path and the Castellammarese War dynamics.

Valachi’s early boss and a central figure in his rise within the mob. Reina’s murder during the Castellammare War triggers Valachi’s displacement and forces him to navigate a dangerous new landscape. Reina’s legacy looms over Valachi’s decisions.

Valachi’s capo who exerts brutal discipline over the group. He orders the castration of Valachi’s business partner Dominick Petrilli for offending Genovese’s wife, illustrating the brutal code of the Mafia. His actions contribute to Valachi’s growing sense of peril and moral conflict.

A powerful boss who is imprisoned alongside Valachi and remains wary of Valachi as a potential informant. He embodies the paranoia and control of Mafia leadership, and the infamous 'kiss of death' moment underscores the personal danger of rivalries.

One of the major bosses involved in the Castellammare War, whose actions help shape the Mafia’s mid-20th century power balance. His influence represents the external forces and rival factions that Valachi navigates throughout his rise.

Letizia Reina, the widow of Gaetano Reina, provides a stabilizing influence and ultimately blesses Valachi’s marriage to Maria. She embodies the human side of Mafia families—the family ties that persist beyond the violence.