Set during the Great Depression, Netflix.
Road to Perdition follows Michael Sullivan (Jude Law) not far behind. Meanwhile, the elder Rooney tries to prevent a complete bloodbath, but realizes that it won't be easy given his protege's particular set of skills. Road to Perdition received six Oscar nominations and won for Best Cinematography thanks to the work of Conrad Hall, who ed away six months after the film's release.
When the Sullivans flee to Chicago, they end up at the Lexington Hotel: headquarters of the infamous gangster Al Capone. However, it's a man named Frank Nitti who speaks with the father and son, not "Scarface." The blend of historic figures and fictional events may lead some viewers to question what is, and isn't real in the gangster movie. The following is a guide to the historical truths and fictional tweaks in Road to Perdition.
Road To Perdition Isn't Based On A True Story
The Sullivans in Road to Perdition are fictional creations who represent various themes. For the original graphic novel, Collins reportedly based the Sullivans on the Japanese manga Lone Wolf and Cub, a story about a killer and his young son. For the big screen adaption, Mendes' enlisted screenwriter David Self for a more focused version that would be accessible to mainstream moviegoers.
In the movie Road to Perdition, Michael Sullivan Sr. is portrayed as both a dangerous man and a loving father. Thematically, he's a "lone wolf" type who reaches the crossroads when he's forced to choose his blood family over his adoptive father. Both Sullivan Sr. and John Rooney share the same values while trying to survive during the Great Depression, but a sense of honor makes them stand by their respective sons, even if one of them is clearly more dangerous than the other.
Rather than making a gangster movie about Capone and his societal influence, Mendes used "Scarface" as the thematic foundation for the adaptation, and then focused on four main characters for narrative symmetry. The wild-eyed hitman Maguire essentially functions as the wildcard, as viewers aren't privy to his background and motivations.
Road To Perdition Characters Based On Real People
The character John Rooney was inspired by real-life Chicago gangster John Looney. In the film, Newman portrays Rooney as a dapper, well-spoken gentleman who's more Michael Corleone from Scarface. In real life, Looney was known for running the newspaper Rock Island News in Rock Island, Illinois, which he used as a business front for illegal activities. Looney served over eight years for the 1922 murder of John Gabel and died in 1942.
As for Connor Rooney, he's based on Looney's real-life son, Connor. With Road to Perdition, Mendes and Self seemingly attributed the elder Looney's personality traits to the son, who is portrayed as devious and unreliable. The filmmakers also shifted the timeline by about 10 years, as Connor Looney was murdered in 1922 while speaking with his father in a vehicle. The mob hit ended a Chicago gang war, and also preceded John Looney's downfall a few years later.
Michael Sullivan Sr. is based on Dan Drost — a former Looney lieutenant who ed up with other gangsters after the 1922 Gabel murder. Crucially, he orchestrated the mob hit that ended with Connor Looney's death. In Road to Perdition, Stanley Tucci portrays real-life gangster Frank Nitti, who succeeded Capone as the head of "The Outfit" in 1932.
Looney Gang's Influence On Road To Perdition's Story
For the big screen screen adaption of Road to Perdition, Looney's newspaper business is referenced through the fictional character Maguire. The screenwriter, Self, stated in an interview that "He [Maguire] gets so jaded from exposure to this world, he steps over the line from being the storyteller to being the story maker" (via Quick Stop Entertainment). So, the real-life blackmailing that Looney was known for is thematically transferred over to Maguire, a photographer-turned-hitman who keeps images of his victims.
As for the main storyline in Road to Perdition, the filmmakers flipped what happened in real life. In 1922, Drost teamed up with other gangsters to eliminate Looney and his 21-year-old son, Connor, but only succeeded in killing the latter. The elder Looney then fled to New Mexico, where he was apprehended before later being convicted of several crimes in Rock Island. In the adaption by Mendes, it's Connor Rooney who organizes a hit on Michael Sullivan Sr.'s family, which ends with the death of the man's wife and son. From there, the narrative underlines numerous themes of the prohibition and depression era in America, whether it's the bonds between fathers and sons or the cold realities of trying to survive in the world of organized crime.
Road to Perdition is unlike most gangster films because of what doesn't appear on screen. Michael Sullivan Sr. hopes to work for Capone, whose influence is felt even though he never shows up (Anthony LaPaglia was originally cast but didn't make the final cut). In the film's 1931 timeline, Capone would've just been heading off to jail, which is perhaps why Nitti is so prominently featured as the face of the organization. Unfortunately for Michael Sullivan Sr., Nitti has formed an alliance with the Rooneys; a narrative reversal of Drost's real-life alliances with gangsters who plotted to kill both John and Connor Looney.
In the Road to Perdition character Maguire, there's a combination of the real-life inspirations. The cold-blooded hitman not only survives a gangland shooting, but manages to track down the man responsible for his grief. This is where Mendes and Self bring the story full circle, since Maguire can be viewed as the real-life Looney seeking revenge on Drost. For dramatic purposes, however, it's American Nice Guy Tom Hanks who receives all the glory as Michael Sullivan Sr., along with his young Road to Perdition co-lead, Hoechlin, who would go on to star in 7th Heaven, Teen Wolf, and even portray Clark Kent aka Superman in Supergirl and the series Superman & Lois.
