The Departed Question

[Mason_dixon]

So in the Departed Jack Nicholson plays a mob boss of Boston that is reminiscent of Whitey Bulger in present day. And of course like Bulger he runs an Irish crew or family. However Scorsese names this character Frank Costello after the infamous Italian Mob boss from New York City. This is obviously an Italian surname and in the movie the Costello character even talks shit about the Italian mafia and Providence faction and calls them Guineas which I’m pretty sure is somewhat offensive to Italian Americans... the naming of this character and the fact that he is an Irish mob boss have always confused the hell out of me... does anyone have some insight ?

[MichaelGiovanni]

The Costello surname is of Irish descent. Just because it ends in a vowel doesn’t make it Italian.

Frank Costello from the Genovese family his real name was Castiglia.

[mr white]

Costello is also an Irish surname.

[chin_gigante]

Probably better putting this question on the TV & Movies forum

[Mason_dixon]

Alright thank you.

[bert]

I think he named him Costello to be sneaky. It gives image of him being Italian, which a lot of movie goers want. I think the Irish version is Costeloe, with the e added.

[TwoPiece]

Costello is definitely an Irish name, shit there are several Irish bars named Costellos in Boston alone.

Frank Costello of the Genovese allegedly used that surname cause of his connections with the Westies and it probably helped somewhat with his political connections, especially on paper.

[Breadman]

in Italian it's Cost-ello

Irish pronounce it Cos-tello

[JeremyTheJew]

Departed is a re make of the Chinese Triad movies called, Infernal Affairs.

It was not written by Scorsese at all.

And Costello changed his name bc he thought it'd be easier having a Irish last name.

[motorfab]

Departed is a re make of the Chinese Triad movies called, Infernal Affairs.

It was not written by Scorsese at all.

And Costello changed his name bc he thought it'd be easier having a Irish last name.

Absolutely but Scorsese has adapted a bit of the scenario so that Nicholson looks like Bulger. In Internal Affairs the character of Eric Tsang does not collaborate at all in secret with the cops for example.

[crazyjoegallo]

Even Spillane sound like an italian name.

[baldo]

in Italian it's Cost-ello

Irish pronounce it Cos-tello

In Boston they pronounce it Caw-stello

[bert]

Departed is a re make of the Chinese Triad movies called, Infernal Affairs.

It was not written by Scorsese at all.

And Costello changed his name bc he thought it'd be easier having a Irish last name.

Did Scorsese come up with the name or did the writer? Bulger is not a common Irish name as far as I know, I think they should have made it obvious, this is not the first, and won't be the last time it's asked by people who saw the film.

[Ozgoz]

Bugler would be French-English. Or more specifically a descendant of the Norman invasion in 1066 when many french names entered into English society.

So Bulger would be English, tracing back to France. And would’ve been pronounced Bul-jay.

[motorfab]

Bugler would be French-English. Or more specifically a descendant of the Norman invasion in 1066 when many french names entered into English society.

So Bulger would be English, tracing back to France. And would’ve been pronounced Bul-jay.

I am French and personally I think that Bulger is not a name that sounds French. You could give it "Bul-jay" if it was written "Bulgé" or Bulget" .It sounds more Belgian, but then I can go wrong. For me it sounds quite English/Irish