Gangs of New York is a historical drama film directed by Martin Scorcese — the dude who made Bringing Out the Dead, After Hours, and Goodfellas — set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City, a place where gangs of different ethnicities and nationalities clash for power and control. The story follows Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio, star of the popular situational comedy television show Growing Pains), a young Irish immigrant seeking revenge against Bill “The Butcher” Cutting (Danny Day Lewis), the powerful and ruthless leader of the anti-immigrant Nativist gang responsible for killing Amsterdam’s father (that Love Actually guy). Against a backdrop of political corruption, class struggles, and the Civil War draft riots, Amsterdam infiltrates Bill’s inner circle to exact his revenge — but finds himself torn between his mission and his growing admiration for the charismatic and enigmatic Bill the Butcher.

Is Gangs of New York a true story?

Kind of. While Gangs of New York is based on real historical events and figures, it is not a completely accurate representation of history. For instance, Leonard DiCaprio was not actually alive during Civil War times. Some events and even the names of old NYC gangs are based on true NYC historical accounts and research, and while they may not have necessarily interacted with each other as often as they do in the movie, characters like William Poole and William “Boss” Tweed were real people who had cache and influence in the city at the time. However, events and interactions portrayed in the film are largely fictional, altered, and/or compressed for dramatic effect. Anyone interested in learning more about this period in New York City history should totally checked out the 1927 Herbert Asbury book that inspired the film. While it should come with the disclaimer that much of the book is the work of an unreliable narrator, it’s still a fun read that gives the reader a sense of the colorful kind of anarchy the city once experienced.

Click on the book to buy The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld by Herbert Asbury!

Was Bill the Butcher a real person?

Yes, he sure was! William “Bill the Butcher” Poole (1821 – 1855) was a real historical figure who lived in New York City during the mid-19th century and a prominent member of the Know-Nothing political party as well the founder of the Nativist gang, the Bowery Boys. William Poole indeed hated immigrants, and hated Tammany Hall’s support of the immigrants, which led to some obvious conflict. John Morrissey was a bare-knuckle boxer who was involved in Tammany Hall politics, and used his influence to have a couple NYPD pals murder Billy Poole in 1855. While Poole’s life and death served as an inspiration for Gangs of New York, the movie takes significant liberties with the historical record. In fact, the real Bill the Butcher died before the Civil War began, and was not actually killed by Leonardo DiCaprio.

 

Who was William “Boss” Tweed?

William “Boss” Tweed — played by the excellent Jim Broadbent — was a 19th-century American politician who was the head of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party political machine that dominated New York City politics during this era. Tweed was particularly known for his corruption and his ability to use his political power to enrich himself and his allies. He controlled many aspects of city government, including the courts, police, and elections, and used his position to engage in fraudulent practices such as kickbacks, bribery, and nepotism. Tweed’s power and corruption eventually caught up with him, and in 1871, he was arrested and charged with embezzlement, eventually convicted and sentenced to prison. William Tweed died at the Ludlow Street Jail in 1878.

Click on the book cover to buy Boss Tweed: The Rise and Fall of the Corrupt Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York by Kenneth D. Ackerman!

Who was P.T. Barnum?

Circus showman P.T. Barnum — the dude who supposedly once said “there’s a sucker born every minute” — makes a couple appearances in Gangs of New York via the great Roger Ashton-Griffiths. In 1841, Phineas Taylor Barnum bought Scudder’s American Museum at Broadway and Ann Street, renamed it Barnum’s American Museum, and made it a popular tourist destination. In fact, at one point, more people visited the museum in one year than even lived in the United States. Unfortunately, the museum was the victim of several arson attempts — likely by Confederate sympathizers who did not care for P.T.’s anti-slavery views (and yes, this contradicts the fact that Barnum exploited his own employees in a similar form of indentured servitude) — and when the museum burned down for the third (!) time, Barnum went into circus work.

Click on the book cover to buy The Autobiography of P.T. Barnum!

 

Who was Horace Greeley?

British actor Michael Byrne appears as Horace Greeley (1811-1872) in the scene where John C. Reilly escorts high society members around the Five Points in a very early example of a slumming party. Horace was a famous newspaperperson who founded the New-York Tribune and hyped up the careers of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. As the editor of the New York Tribune, he used his platform to advocate for various causes, including the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, and labor rights. Greeley’s influence extended beyond the newspaper industry; he also ran for public office, serving briefly as a congressman and later as a candidate for President in 1872. Horace Greeley is so influential and important to NYC history that he has two (2) statues in Manhattan: one in Greeley Square and one in City Hall Park.

Was Hell-Cat Maggie a real person?

Cara Seymour appears in a couple scenes as Hell-Cat Maggie, the street fighter with file-sharpened teeth and brass fingernails. Hell-Cat Maggie was indeed a feared member of the Dead Rabbits, but the film character was composited by combining her and Gallus Mag, a 6-foot female bar bouncer at the Hole-in-the-Wall bar at 279 Water Street in Manhattan who was famous for biting the ears off of rowdy customers, as well as Sadie the Goat, who was known to headbutt her victims. Although Hell-Cat Maggie’s exact exploits have been embellished by myth and legend over the years, she remains a colorful and memorable figure in the history of New York City’s underworld. If you’re looking for more reading material about this point in New York City history, check out Tyler Anbinder’s Five Points: The 19th Century New York City Neighborhood that Invented Tap Dance, Stole Elections, and Became the World’s Most Notorious Slum and Lucy Sante’s Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York.

Click on the book covers for more Gangs of New York content!

Final thoughts on Gangs of New York

In conclusion, Gangs of New York is a sweeping epic that brings the history of mid-19th century New York City to life through its vivid portrayal of the city’s gangs and their brutal battles for power and control, and it’s one of the best movies about NYC gangs made. The film is a visual feast, with stunning sets, costumes, and cinematography that transport viewers back in time. Although the movie takes liberties with historical accuracy, it is an engaging and entertaining piece of storytelling that captures the essence of the era and its larger-than-life characters. Ultimately, both Martin Scorcese’s film and Herbert Asbury’s book Gangs of New York serves as a reminder of the complex — and often violent — history of one of America’s most iconic cities.

Click on the movie to purchase Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York on Blu-ray!

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