Irish Mafia Goes Hollywood in Boston: James Cagney Influenced Movie 'Townies' Takes Momentum

Ten years ago, Boston area screenwriter Mike Kenney, was neck deep in a life of violence and crime. From the remains of his past, a dark and gritty story unfolds.

(PRWEB) August 10, 2005 -- Mike Kenney, 32, has formed a production company and written his first screenplay, Townies, a contemporary black comedy/crime drama about a member of the Irish mafia in Charlestown, the Hell's Kitchen of Boston.

After reading the script, Lisa Vitale, a consultant for Metro-Goldwyn Mayer, immediately offered her services as Townies' executive producer.

"I grew up hanging around in Charlestown," Ms Vitale said. "The characters rang true, and I could see this was a world the public hadn't seen before."

Kenney, who also stars in Townies, cites the late James Cagney as one of his biggest influences in writing the screenplay.

"James Cagney was 32 years old when The Public Enemy was released in 1931, I'm 32; this is my first gangster film, The Public Enemy was his first; I'm Irish, he was Irish. Can you see the connection?" Kenney asks. "People only refer to The Godfather and Goodfellas when they recall gangster movies, when in fact it was James Cagney films that created the gangster genre. Cagney is the king of gangster movies, just as Elvis was the king of music, without question. I even made several references to Cagney in the screenplay. It was the least I could do to show my respect for the late legend."

Casting for the film begins late September.

"The story is about an Irishman, fresh from prison, who wants to get out of the neighborhood and live somewhere nice, tropical, maybe find a nice girl," Kenney states. "But the code of silence and loyalty to his friends forces him to stay. You can't easily walk away from that life, not without causing a lot of suspicion amongst the people you do business with. Ultimately the story is about dreams, and how sometimes they are left behind for the ones we love."

Kenney sees the shortage of Irish gangster movies as an opportunity.

"I really grew very tired of all the Italian mafia movies that parade fancy silk suits, diamond pinky rings and lavish homes. Moviegoers may fantasize about living like that, but they can't relate to it," says Kenney. "Guys in the Irish mafia are different from the Italians. Irish gangsters mostly dress like working-class people, drive average cars, and enjoy a good barstool conversation, just like me and you. They just happen to make their money illegally and are exceedingly violent behind closed doors."

The Townies movie site has received over 4,000 visitors by word of mouth since March of this year.

"We really want to get people involved in the movie and a web blog is the best way to achieve that," Kenney explains. "Anyone who visits http://www.towniesmovie.com can see the development of Townies as it happens."

Although Townies will be a very violent movie, Kenney doesn't intend to glamorize it.

"There are too many young kids out there today thinking it's cool to be a gangster. I hope they leave the theaters entertained, and tell their friends about it, but I also want them to realize how lucky they are not to live that kind of a life."

Townies is expected to reach theaters on Saint Patrick's day of 2006.

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