Goncharov (1973)

The Official Movie Poster for the film Goncharov (1973).

*Goncharov* is a 1973 American mafia film written by Matteo JWHJ0715 and directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, Gene Hackman, John Cazale, and Cybill Shepherd. It follows the story of Goncharov (De Niro), a member of Russian organized crime, as he tries to establish a foothold in Naples, Italy. The film has been described as "what a mafia movie should be," and is praised for being a brilliant subversion of the Russian and Italian mafia stereotypes commonly portrayed in American cinema.

*Goncharov* is famous, or perhaps infamous, for consisting of multiple cuts, releases, and extended editions. Differences between these versions range from minor inconsistencies to extreme variations in characterizations, plot elements, and themes. The full extended cut is reported to be over 9 hours long, providing ample amounts of deleted scenes or alternate takes that weren't included in the original release. Despite the many differences between releases, all versions are considered canon.

## Synopsis

Placeholder paragraph about the plot. Break up by important scenes.

## Production

Placeholder paragraph for important production details break up by facets of production.

### Premiere

The film premiered at Grauman's Chineses Theatre. Standout attendees include Lynda Carter, who had a minor role in the film as Dancer #2, and Arthur Fonzarelli.

## Dramatis Personae

### Goncharov

Goncharov, first name unknown, is the titular character and lead protagonist of the film. He is the leader of the Napels branch of the Russian Mafia. He is married to Katya Goncharov. He is portrayed by Robert De Niro.

### Andrey 'The Banker' Daddano

Andrey's relationship to Goncharov is nebulous and much debated. He is portrayed by Al Pacino.

### Katya Goncharova

Katya Goncharova (née Michailov) is a the wife of Goncharov and secondary love interest to Sofia. She is haunted by death of her father, who died protecting her. She is played by Cybill Shepherd.

### Sofia

Sofia is a love interest to Katya Goncharova.

### Joseph 'Ice Pick Joe' Morelli

Josheph Morelli, aka 'Ice Pick Joe', is Mario Ambrosini's lead henchman and suspected assassin. Institutionalized as a young man, he is considered unstable and violent. He is a much feared man, notorious for his murderous use of ice picks, suspected to be a reference to a possible lobotomy.

## Credits

These credits are abbridged. For a complete set of listed credits on all Goncharov related media, see Casts and Crews.

### Cast

* Goncharov .... Robert De Niro
* Mario Ambrosini .... Al Pacino
* Andrey "The Banker" Daddano .... Harvey Keitel
* Valery Michailov .... Gene Hackman
* Joseph "Ice Pick Joe" Morelli .... John Cazale
* Katya Goncharova .... Cybill Shepherd
* Sofia .... (Unknown actress)
* Dancer #2 .... Lynda Carter

## Critical Reception

Despite being initially released in 1973, *Goncharov* has existed in relative obscurity for decades. The film first began to reenter public consciousness sometime in 2020 or 2021, but experienced a sudden surge in popularity in November 2022, following the rediscovery of the movie poster from its original release. Since then, it has attained a dedicated cult following with a large active fanbase, most notably on tumblr.com.

Multiple theories exist as to why the film has remained so unknown for so long. Possible explanations included copyright disputes, lost footage, and even active suppression by the Naples mafia. It is also speculated that *Goncharov* was simply ahead of its time, and could not be fully appreciated at the time of its original release.

## Future Adaptations

Shortly after *Goncharov*'s sudden revival in popularity, rumors began circulating about remakes, reboots, or adaptations of the film.

One example of these rumors is *Contact*, a proposed TV adaptation starring Misha Collins as Goncharov. *Contact* is a re-imagining of the original 1973 film set in the modern day. However, the current status of this adaptation remains unknown, as the news has not been officially confirmed by The CW.

Another possible remake was leaked by Lynda Carter, when she mentioned in a Tumblr post that she was recently offered a role in *Goncharov*. No other information is known about this remake, except that Michael Bay is reportedly the director for the film.[1]

An official sequel, *Goncharov II: I Goncha Now*, has allegedly been written by Matteo JWHJ0715, but the film is considered lost and little is known about its contents.

## Gallery

Opening title sequence from the 1991 Spanish cut of Goncharov (1973).The DVD cover from the Criterion Collection.
## Notes and References

1. ↑ Lynda Carter reminisces about the premiere of Goncharov (1973)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lynda Carter reveals her role in the film Goncharov (1973): She was Dancer No 2.
3. ↑ https://youre-only-gay-once.tumblr.com/post/701467249087774721/so-how-are-we-feeling-about-this-news-guys
4. ↑ https://www.tumblr.com/reallyndacarter/701476446603034624/i-was-offered-a-role-in-goncharov-but-i-am-too
5. ↑ https://www.tumblr.com/reallyndacarter/701476585003532288/may-have-just-accidentally-announced-the-goncharov