It's when they're in the car at night at the marina getting ready to whack the guy on the boat. Lefty shows Donnie the article about the DEA yacht in FL.
We got a job.
What kind?
The Forever Kind.

I must have forgotten that specific scene. I'll have to watch it again.

This may be pointless at this juncture, but doesn't anyone remember that Donnie offered Lefty a way out, alive, by offering him the $300,000 take from the Kings Court, before it was raided? He lied and said it was jewelry money, but he did it out of love.
Lefty turned him down, for all the reasons everyone else has already stated: to die with honor and stay true to the Mafia code.
Lefty might conceivably get away and live safe and sound, but he could never live with himself. Apparently, Henry Hill never had that problem.
We got a job.
What kind?
The Forever Kind.

In real life, it was Sonny Black who got the call for a meeting. He knew he was going to be whacked, so he took off his ring and gave the ring and his money to a bartender. He went to the meeting in New Jersey and never returned. About a year later his body was discovered, washed up and decomposed from the river, wiht the hands cut off. What wasn't stated in Pistone's book was whether Sonny Black's hands were cut off before or after he was shot to death.
He knew he was going to be whacked. He didn't want to turn informant. He knew they would find him if he ran, so he accepted the likelihood of his being whacked at he meeting.

the other alternative would be to go to the feds and offer to rat out others and go into witness protection. but pacino's character wouldn't do that and would rather be killed.

Where else you gonna go? You got a choice. You go now and get it over with or you run.
Where you gonna RUN TO?
You can live looking over your shoulder scared to death until somebody finally slams you when you least expect it.
That's the choice. Pay now or pay later.

well thats why a ton are turn coats!
Now what happens now? I am sure the mafia or italian has completely changed!
More insulated and if your not a made man your just an assoicate

Going back to topic: Why go to your death?
Because that's the rules. And you never ever break the rules. Or bad things will happen.

Oh okay
Well who is going to find him unless he wants to be found!
Plus his family is in hiding too. Why do you think the feds wont protect the Mexican gangsters families? Since the Drug lords say to the other drug runner you talk we will kill your whole family!
I really think if the FBI CIA Interpol would protect the Mexican mafia family as well as the turn coats the Mexican mafia would be weakened.
Plus there is still noting really known about the Triads or the Yakuza.
yeah kinda like Sonny Stealgrave and Vinnie Tranova! from Wiseguy

No Im going by what really happened.
If you want to go by the film, there was a bounty of Pistone that still exists today. Also if you go by the film, Pistone really became a pseudo mobster who didn't really want to leave the life and was literally dragged away by agents. Also if you go by the film he and Lefty were tight. In reality Pistone really didn't like Lefty that much. He did however like Sonny Black (OK about as much as an FBI agent undercover can like a mob killer).
But in real life, Castellano called it off well before Gotti/Gravano executed the hit.

cabal24
There was a contract out on Pistone. But that was only for a very short time. Right after they pulled him out, FBI agents went to Paul Castellano who at that time was the most powerful boss and head of the Commission and warned him that if anything happens to Pistone, he could expect the full weight of the FBI to focus on the NY mafia.
Oh didnt Paul get whacked by Gotti? Before that happened?
Paul called it off immediately.
So yes at one point there probably was a contract but it was only for a few days. Then again, the whole thing could have been made up for drama. But I tend to doubt it.
Are you going by the film!?!? Since the film is very different lefty never died by being killed he died of cancer.

There was a contract out on Pistone. But that was only for a very short time. Right after they pulled him out, FBI agents went to Paul Castellano who at that time was the most powerful boss and head of the Commission and warned him that if anything happens to Pistone, he could expect the full weight of the FBI to focus on the NY mafia.
Paul called it off immediately.
So yes at one point there probably was a contract but it was only for a few days. Then again, the whole thing could have been made up for drama. But I tend to doubt it.

knifeparty2004
The bounty might not be active but the families continue to operate even if most of the guys who knew Pistone are dead, Im sure there are guys in the organisation who still wouldnt mind taking him out. It says in his wiki profile he avoids places with a high mafia presence.
Oh dont trust Wikiepedia and proably but there is more bigger hits to do!
Think about it
Sammy the bull Gravano!
Nicky Scarfo nephew!

The bounty might not be active but the families continue to operate even if most of the guys who knew Pistone are dead, Im sure there are guys in the organisation who still wouldnt mind taking him out. It says in his wiki profile he avoids places with a high mafia presence.

SidekickinWhiteFury
Pistone is not in hiding.
There's no 30 year bounty on his head, that is an urban myth.
Well not anymore but he sure is keeping a low profile!
Yeah there was. But the old time gangsters are either dead or in prison or near death.
where is the link about that Urban myth?

This message has been deleted.

But why have Lefty go to his death?
He died in Prison

Getoboy730
If you don't go, they wipe you and your family outThere is no love and honor among murderers, thieves and robbersPlus the people they send to take you out make their bones doing soThe cycle feeds itself
Exactly, so it isn't a Hollywood ending, Sonny and Lefty both with to their deaths, but Lefty went to jail on the way.
Oh yeah it is a hollywood ending.
Oh Lefty died in prison! Sonny was murdered and Pistone is still in hiding

If you don't go, they wipe you and your family outThere is no love and honor among murderers, thieves and robbersPlus the people they send to take you out make their bones doing soThe cycle feeds itself
Exactly, so it isn't a Hollywood ending, Sonny and Lefty both went to their deaths, but Lefty was intercepted by the feds and went to jail on the way.
Embrace Debate.

HOLLYWOOD ending!

Richie PEARLS SERIES author
If you don't go, they wipe you and your family outThere is no love and honor among murderers, thieves and robbersPlus the people they send to take you out make their bones doing soThe cycle feeds itself.

They also woulda killed Lefty's family if he fled. As stated Lefty didn't die. And the hit was called off because Lefty knowingly headed to his apparent death to his never talked. Never giving up his oath. They say he loved being a wiseguy and took the good with the bad. Hell, he (somewhat)fearlessy went to what he thought would be a hit on him early on. Lefty had balls.
Sonny Black took his hit like a man. And Anthony Mirra was killed a year later by his own cousin on the orders of Joey Massino. They is little mention of him though. The movie leaves him out, or he's Paulie.
Embrace Debate.

Lefty died not die. He was intercepted by the FBI before he went to his death. He would die in prison from cancer.

He has no way of getting out. No money. His entire life was all about the Mob all the time and nothing else.
HE wanted to die like a real mobster.
I think one of the real strengths of the film is it successfully demonstrates that for mobsters like Lefty and Sunny the Mafia was seen as almost a vocation in life. A call to a sit down meeting therefore is almost acknowledged as the natural completion of a cycle.