He’s wrong, it don’t take much strength to pull a trigger but try getting up every morning day after day and work for a living, let’s see him try that, then we’ll see who the real tough guy is, the working man is the tough guy, your father’s the tough guy!

The story, written by Chazz Palminteri, is adapted from his autobiographical one-man play. His real name is Calogero Lorenzo Palminteri.

Several studios approached him to purchase the film rights, with at least one offering one million dollars, but he refused to sell to them unless he could write the screenplay, and play the role of Sonny. None of the studios agreed as they wanted to hire another actor.

Then Robert De Niro offered to go into a 5050 partnership, with all of Palminteri’s conditions met, as long as De Niro could direct and play Lorenzo. Palminteri agreed, and their contract was sealed on a handshake.