Some of the clips that make Richie Aprile a favorite of many Sopranos fans. #jamesgandolfini #davidproval #sopranos #richieaprile #tonysoprano #hbomax #hbo
Janice did make her bones with Richie but she never kicked anything up. I think she was more of a liability than anything. But I always did wonder. Tony gave the order to Silvio, So who would have done the hit ? I know Christopher had an itch.
@@ecosby100 I don't think it's a reflection on women. It's a reflection on how Soprano women have spent their entire lives observing gangsters. They are actually really valuable in an advisory role
Richie talking to Christopher about marrying a woman and then being able to put his hands on her, only to do that to Janice and get shot is poetic justice.
@@bluecollarlitPeople miss most of it sadly. The whole Junior not realizing Livia was losing her mind to dementia and thinking she was faking it... only to get dementia himself and everyone thinks *he's* faking it. Great stuff. People actually think poor Livia was plotting against Tony when literally everything Junior said to her was in code and she would literally respond, "I have no idea what you're talking about..?!" Then there was that whole thing with Tony thinking she was smiling when she had a stroke (which makes half your body, and especially your face, sag) which is a reference to Tony seeing the picture in Melfi's lobby as a negative when it's actually a normal, neutral painting. It showed that Tony inherited his mother's negative outlook, seeing things that are normal or even positive as a negative. And the same way he saw treachery from his mother is the way Livia saw treachery from everyone around her. And by the end of the show, Anthony Jr inherited the same miserable depression. Tony remarks about infecting his son with it and feels awful, only to then say later that he hates his son. The show is a masterpiece, illustrating that these people are all miserable. The glorification of the mobster life is completely misapprehended as they all have personality disorders and severe depression. Melfi's colleagues explain this during dinner and she finally drops Tony, which is where the show ends. People always think about whether Tony got whacked at the end of the show when it goes to black. But I always found this juvenile. The show ends because Tony failed to get on top of the illness that the show opened with. The last thing Tony looks at is his daughter, which is represented by the ducks leaving the pool. Meadow is Tony's ringing endorsement that what he does/did is worth it. When the ducks grew up and left the pool, Tony had his first episode on the show and passed out (that the audience sees, we know he had attacks earlier). He mentions this to Melfi, saying that the timeline of the ducks leaving was around the time of his recent episode. When Meadow finally grows up and is about to move on like the ducks (represented by her getting a job, moving on with her life, and entering the restaurant last after everyone else) Tony looks up to see her and the screen just goes to black. The metaphor came full circle and the show ended right where it began. Whether Tony passed out like he did before, got shot by NY or someone else, or the show just ended there... makes absolutely no difference. Everything was wrapped up perfectly. Many people miss this stuff. They go around commenting about how Livia was pure evil (even though she was clinically unable to feel joy, which is horrible) and about how/if Tony get's whacked at the end. Few people talk about the metaphors coming to a perfect close. I guess David Chase's audience isn't up to the task as much as he'd hoped. I imagine he was slightly disappointed with people asking if Tony got whacked because it seemed to distract everyone from what a good job he did.
@@StudioMod That's a pretty damned original and incisive summation. Hard to poke holes in any of it, other than, ultimately, no one actually knows the creator's intent. But your interpretations are inspired and insightful, and the conclusions therefrom go deeper than most. Write a thesis! I'd read it.
I don't know if it was the writers or the actor, but Richie Aprile's character was one of the best portrayals of a maffia member I have ever seen. No over-romanticized "code of honor" or "master of puppets" BS, just a cold-hearted, egocentric monster, who knows his way around similar selfish criminals. Perfect arc, fitting death.
Regarding the "code of honor" part - Richie indeed tried to potray himself as an oldschool man of honor, especially when his mentality was still stuck in 70-80s (the glory days of mob, when following tradition and rules actually ment something... or at least that's how characters see it). But yeah, he couldn't fucking sell it
Richie's portrayal is pretty realistic. Quiet psychopath. You could see him in a restaurant and he wouldn't stand out. But do not get involved with this guy or piss him off lol.
Not gonna lie, Richie being mad over the guy gambling while he owes him 8k is relatable for me. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to loan someone money, have them lie to your face about when they'd pay you back, and then you hear about them buying a "new this or that" or showing off something new they got or taking a vacation. Like bro, you owe someone money? You work your ass off until you can pay that person back. No leisure, no vacation, no shopping. It's the principle that matters
Never understood the " she has to have his ur last name" so u can beat the wife but not the girlfriend? So perhaps the girlfriend's piss him off. Does he still go home and take it our on the wife. Then ends it with smacking Tony of all ppl sister. He would of been dead following day anyway. 😅😂😂😂
@@renee2828old school italians, well I shouldn't generalize, let's say some old school Italian gangsters have this idea that once two get married any domestic issues that arise are no longer their business and generally don't get involved, like Connie Corleone's mother telling Sonny to not get involved at the dinner table when Carlo verbally threatens Connie
The actor who portrayed Richie is amazing. How do you convey that level of menace and soullessness? IRL the actor’s prob a nice, normal guy. In front of the camera he morphs into this terrifying sleazeball. Much respect.
The fact that Davey pushed back on not being allowed to gamble until he's caught up was pretty much the moment that you knew this dude had a serious problem and things were not going to go well for him.
Richie Aprile was easily the best Sopranos "villain," David Proval and his Manson lamps are amazing in this role, so menacing... one of the best screen portrayals of a dead-eyed, heartless gangster ever "Okay, I'll leave, but if you ever go crying to Tony Soprano one more time, if you open your mouth... I'm gonna send your arms where your legs are"
Richie had a soft side. He went to yoga, cooked tripe for Carmela, remembered and gifted the jacket to Tony (which he could care less about.) And as you point out, he indeed looked out for Davey, Richie was old school and knows there's no reason to treat civilians with hostility, when Davey wanted more, many other mobsters would gladly offer it to him so that the debt would simply be larger. I got the feeling Richie genuinely didn't want that for Davey as he knew what it'd lead to.
He was in Shawshank Redemption. I think he had one line at the mess hall, but he looked like he belonged. That might be what gave them the idea to be on this.
Ritchie don’t fear no one on the show not even tony look at him over sleeping with Tony’s sister at his mommas house opening the door in his boxers to tony like it isn’t shit
Richie's biggest mistake was always thinking he was the smartest one in the room. his death was foreshadowed when Tony called him out for not really knowing who his sister is as a person.
Ritchie should've taken his own advice he gave to Chris. I always saw the comparison when he says don't raise your hands to your woman unless you've married her and given her your last name under penalty of death. It's him punching Janice that killed him.
Hitting your woman in any circumstance unless in self defense is scummy in it of itself. I don’t know why these old school Italians are so fucking hypocritical.
Richie was one of my favorite characters because the actor was so damn good, every scene seething with tension, he shares similar characteristics to assholes we've all met IRL so it felt very relatable. Just a black hole of antipathy, indifference, callousness. He is like a supernatural force.
In the final scene, when Janice shoots Richie, there's a hand of someone under the table visible only for a frame or 2 holding the seat of Richie's chair so it doesn't fall backwards too fast. You can see it if you look at this just a frame at a time and look closely. It's a famous thing of Soprano Super Fans.
@@anthonysouthard5572 even more. 200 were just the soldiers in Phil’s crew when he was just a caporegime - that’s an average number for an important new in a NY family
I think a lot of people miss out on how intimidating Richie was. Dude walked up to the underboss of a New York family and started breaking his balls, even (playfully) slapping him. And Johnny Sac did nothing but smile.
He was a real piece of work, that character, wonderfully played by David Proval. And very likely not a single soul didn't celebrate when Janice put him to his end.
We all wanted to see the showdown between Richie Aprile and Tony Soprano, the only villain who really put the family in trouble. In addition, the development of The character that David Proval gave him is really incredible. Richie's vital gaze, his immolated and unflinching expression, the visual anger, and all his essence, is what left him It really is pathetic its end. As well as Luca Changretta in Peaky Blinders
Honestly I don’t think Richie was actually much of a challenge. A nuisance certainly, but his attempts to recruit support against Tony with Junior and Barese failed miserably and Tony would have him whacked soon anyway, Jan just speeded up the process. In the end he was a man out of time who came out of the joint and tried to carve himself some room exploiting his macho facade but all he accomplished was sending Beansie on a weelchair.
@@davidesguario2151still when it came to moxy he was the most intimidating out of all the villains in the Sopranos. If he was the main baddy instead of Phil (and I love Phil) the final seasons would be a helluva lot scarier for Tony
@@davidesguario2151 I take reference to all the antagonism of the series, and it is clear that Richie was one, along with Phill, of those who brought threats to the organization. If we see the rest as Cifaretto, they are only attacks and enmities surrounding Tony's personal and sentimental state. That is to say, they were only scenarios of emotional conflict that he could see little in the organization as a confrontation, in fact, Cifaretto's death has to do with Tony's emotional state, nothing to do with his position as a boss like the one Richie perceived. . That's why I say that the potential that the script gave was ridiculous to the packaging of the interpretation that David Proval gave.
Richie was a great foil to Tony as a sociopath. Tony was self-centered and vindictive, but up until the end, he did a great job of hiding it behind his charisma and calculated shows of power. He could be manipulative and cunning, but even the audience would be fooled by it. Richie didn’t have any of that personal charm or depth in the show. He was far more of a low-functioning sociopath, where he defaulted to threats and shows of force so often that nobody considered him reliable, just a ticking time bomb. He was also way more easily deceived and manipulated by people like Junior when Richie thought he was in control. Him getting killed by Janice after abusing her and considering her beneath notice even with a gun to his face was an inevitability. If not Tony, if not Janice, someone would’ve gotten him eventually, all because he was too much of a vicious prick.
Wasn’t confused he just realized it wasn’t playful anymore and was prolly thinking how to respond because some of his players wasn’t in to that shit that’s y tony got mad if they don’t feel comfortable at his games they may stop coming I don’t mean davey either the dr had money so did Frank jr ect
It would have been great if there was a scene where Ritchie and Tony had a screaming argument and later Ritchie convinces other gangsters to put a hit on Tony. Tony of course gets wind of it just in time and has paulie go medival on him.
It's funny, when Lalo first appeared on BCS I was reminded very much of Richie, I think Tony Dalton studied some old Sopranos eps in preparation for the role lol
7:14 Richie was absolutely right. He can just take everything from him but he decide to save him, but David didin't listen and fuck up again with another mob
I can appreciate how hes genuinely kind to the people that work under the stores he's exploiting. No need to be a dick to some 17 year old nobody. If you get into the "bidness" however it becomes a different story.
I was disappointed when Richie's character was ended on the show. He should have been in the series longer than he was. David Proval was in "Mean Streets":with Deniro and Harvey Kietel.
Everyone (rightfully) talks about James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli etc. when discussing how sublime the acting is in The Sopranos- I personally think David Proval’s portrayal of Richie is the best performance in the entire show
David Proval was so amazing as Richie Aprile. Every scene he was in was terrifying, you never knew what to expect. All the cast were great in the series but this guy was one of the best.
Legend has it that David Proval was one of the Runner Ups to play Tony Soprano. I think Richie Aprile was a fair consolation. And he was probably better for it.
When Janice capped Richie,, it was one of the most satisfying moments of the whole soprano story… for a couple of years. I had another constant loop on my computer as a screensaver.. it should happen more often to guys like him
I had an employee who is a facial twin of Ritchie, best shopping mall detective I ever met. I have met 300 +. I knew it the moment he entered my office. A natural.
