Blast of Silence

Frankie Bono, an Italian-American Mafia hitman working with the Mafia in Cleveland, returns to his hometown of New York City during Christmas week to kill Troiano, a middle-management mobster. The assassination will be risky, and Frankie is warned by the go-between who delivers the front half of Frankie's money that the contract will be reneged if he is spotted before the hit is performed. Frankie follows his target to determine the best possible location for the hit; he discovers that when Troiano is in his daily routine, he is no longer accompanied by bodyguards. He then purchases a revolver from Big Ralph, an obese man who keeps sewer rats as pets. The encounter with this old acquaintance leaves Frankie feeling disgusted. With several days to wait before the hit, Frankie spends time in the city, where he is plagued by memories of past trauma from his former life there. Frankie encounters his childhood friend Petey, who invites him a Christmas party with Petey's sister Lorrie, with whom Frankie was also acquainted in the past. Frankie reluctantly attends the party and uneasily enjoys spending time with a family for Christmas. The following day, Frankie visits Lorrie at her apartment, but the visit ends in disaster when Frankie suddenly attempts to make a pass at her. Lorrie forgives Frankie, but asks him to leave. The same day, Frankie tails Troiano and his mistress to the Village Gate jazz club in Greenwich Village. However, he is spotted by Big Ralph, who plans to blackmail Frankie for more money for the gun. Frankie follows Ralph back to his apartment and strangles him to death following a violent fight. Losing his nerve, Frankie calls his employers to tell them that he wants to quit the job. The Mafia bosses, though, warn Frankie that he may not quit and that he has until New Year's Eve to perform the hit. Frankie visits Lorrie again to apologize and to convince her to leave New York with him, but he learns that she has a live-in boyfriend. Frankie leaves angrily to finish the job. After killing Troiano, Frankie narrowly evades detection by a cleaner and then calls to find the location where he may receive the rest of his payment. The meeting, set in a lonely, isolated spot on the water, is an ambush, though, and Frankie is riddled with bullets. He falls into the water, dead.