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Rat Pack (The Sopranos episode)
Encyclopedia
"Rat Pack" is the fifty-fourth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos
and was the second of the show's fifth season. It was written by Matthew Weiner
, directed by Alan Taylor
and originally aired on March 14, 2004.
meets with contractor Jack Massarone at a small diner to discuss their work together. Massarone presents him with a painting of Rat Pack
members Frank Sinatra
, Dean Martin
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
and tries to get Tony to open up about his connections with government officials. Tony avoids direct questioning to his benefit as, unknown to Tony, Massarone is wearing a microphone hidden in his baseball cap, having joined Adriana
and Raymond Curto
as FBI informants. Raymond spends time at FBI headquarters correcting inaudible words that were mistranscribed from a meeting he recorded.
As Tony, Bobby and Uncle Junior reminisce at the latter's home, word comes from New York City
that Carmine Lupertazzi
has died. Uncle Junior is distraught over so many of his friends dying. The next day, during the funeral service, conflict arises between Little Carmine and Johnny Sack
over rosary beads placed in Carmine Senior's coffin. Little Carmine asserts that Ginny Sack placed Opus Dei
beads in the coffin without his knowledge. Little Carmine regards Opus Dei as a "fundamentalist cult" and gives Johnny Sack heated words about it. Despite bonding with Johnny Sack while his father was dying, Little Carmine announces that he didn't mean the kind words he once said to him. Tony and other bystanders overhear.
Tony is more concerned with the return of his cousin, Tony Blundetto
. He meets Tony B. at his mother's house. Tony B. greets him wearing an outdated 1980's style suit. At his welcome-home party, Tony tells the group how important his cousin was in his life growing up and explains how the family called him "Tony-Uncle-Johnny" and called his cousin "Tony-Uncle-Al," a way of distinguishing the two boys by their fathers. Tony-Uncle-Al is not as eager to get back in the business as his cousin wants. Blundetto informs Tony that he was able to get associate's degree
in prison and is on his way to becoming a state licensed massage therapist. He believes this is his chance to start over, and wants to go completely legitimate. He wants to try to live a normal life and takes a job delivering linens and tablecloths. Although seeming somewhat let down, Tony supports his cousin's decision.
Adriana later watches the classic film Citizen Kane
in the Sopranos' home theater with Carmela, Rosalie, Janice
, Gabriella Dante and another one of Carmela's friends. The FBI warning notice against illegally copying and distributing the movie at the beginning of the video tape makes some, including Adriana, slightly uncomfortable. Afterward the women discuss the movie, and Adriana finds out what Rosebud meant to the protagonist
. It transforms to a discussion of Carmela's possible divorce and their own tepid marriages, including Janice's, who is the comparative newlywed of the group, and how the romance has gone out of her marriage already. She complains that her husband hasn't yet found her "rosebud", or clitoris
. The women laugh in personal recognition of Janice's situation.
Adriana later meets with her FBI handler, Agent Sanseverino. She has a hard time dealing with informing on others and that Sanseverino only talks about business. Sanseverino tells Adriana that she is with the good guys now and then reveals why she became an FBI agent. Her sister's criminal boyfriend traded their TV for six handguns. He sold five of them to teenagers and used the sixth to shoot open a coconut, the bullet ricocheted of the coconut and hit her sister in the spine, leaving her a paraplegic. She became an FBI agent to deal with people like her sister's old boyfriend.
Being an informant doesn't work out so well for Jack Massarone, however. Tony becomes suspicious about him after he gets a tip from Patsy Parisi that their earlier meeting had been under FBI surveillance; Tony is certain that he wasn't the one being followed. Tony arranges a meet with Massarone to feel him out, quite literally as it turns out. At the meet, Tony hugs Massarone in greeting while feeling for recording or listening devices, not realizing the device is in the baseball cap Massarone is wearing. This gives Jack an uncomfortable feeling. Tony reassures him. Later Tony tells his crew he couldn't tell if Massarone was an informant. A few moments later Tony remarks about how Jack had mentioned that Tony had lost weight, which the rest of the crew seem (quietly) skeptical about. During the council with his crew, Tony gets a call from Tony Blundetto's boss at the linen company, who wants permission to fire Tony B. (Tony Soprano had gotten Tony B. his job there). Tony doesn't want him to be fired, but relents and angrily gives his consent, and Christopher floats the idea of using Tony B. to hit Massarone. Tony is frustrated and tells Chrissy that Tony B. wants to go straight. Tony says that in any case he is done with Jack Massarone and he leaves. Silvio and Chris wonder if this comment implies that Tony wants Massarone killed; they question whether the comment was a purely rhetorical remark not intended to be taken seriously or a heavily-veiled order.
Tony is having major anxiety problems, expressed at the Rat Pack picture Massarone gave him. He repositions the painting on the wall and then on the fireplace mantel piece. He calls Tony B. at 3 a.m. for small talk and to complain about his separation to relieve his anxiety about the painting. He finally breaks and takes a drive with the painting. On the Pulaski Skyway
, Tony tosses it out his car window, into the river beneath, and drives away. The next morning Massarone is found in the trunk of his car, a bullet hole in his head and a golf club cover in his mouth. There is no indication of who actually killed him and no information on what new revelation came through for that action to take place. It could have been Tony's crew acting on his possibly veiled order, or he could have later given them a direct order.
Adriana meanwhile is racked with guilt and paranoia, inflamed by Rosalie Aprile telling her how Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero's wife Angie Bonpensiero was not welcome in their group anymore because Big Pussy, they believe, went into witness protection. She condemns him as Judas
-like. This brings Adriana to tears with Rosalie being befuddled and concerned about why. Later, Adriana comes very close to telling her girlfriends about her being an informant but she keeps her tongue and flees the get-together in tears. An upset Adriana runs off in the darkness, skinning her knee and scrapping her face on the driveway. She refuses her girlfriends' offers of first aid and flees in her car, speeding away from the Soprano house.
The next morning, Adriana discovers an upside to being a government informant. When Tina Francesco (her purported best friend) flirts with Christopher
one time too many, Adriana has a unique solution, she tells Agent Sanseverino that Tina is embezzling money from her boss at a clothing store.
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
and was the second of the show's fifth season. It was written by Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner
Matthew Weiner is an American writer, director and producer of television drama. He is the creator, executive producer, head writer, and show runner of the AMC television series Mad Men. He is also noted for his work on the HBO series The Sopranos, on which he served as a writer and producer...
, directed by Alan Taylor
Alan Taylor (director)
Alan Taylor is an American television and film director, television producer, and screenwriter. Taylor has directed for numerous programs on both network television and premium cable, most notably on HBO...
and originally aired on March 14, 2004.
Guest starring roles
- Ray AbruzzoRay AbruzzoRay Abruzzo is an Italian-American actor, noted for his appearances on television.He made regular appearances in the following series: Dynasty , The Practice and The Sopranos .Other TV credits include: Falcon Crest, Murder She Wrote, L.A...
as Little Carmine - Rae AllenRae AllenRae Allen is an American stage, film and television actress.-Biography:Allen was born as Raffaella Julia Theresa Abruzzo in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Julia and Joseph Abruzzo...
as Aunt Quintina Blundetto - David CopelandDavid CopelandDavid John Copeland is a former member of the British National Party and the National Socialist Movement, who became known as the "London Nail Bomber" after a 13-day bombing campaign in April 1999 aimed at London's black, Bangladeshi and gay communities.Over three successive weekends between 17...
as Joey Cogo - Patti D'ArbanvillePatti D'ArbanvillePatricia "Patti" D'Arbanville is an American actress and former model.-Early life:D'Arbanville, born May 25, 1951 in New York City, New York, is the daughter of Jean , an artist, and George D'Arbanville, a bartender, and attended PS 41 on Eleventh Street...
as Lorraine Calluzzo - Robert DesiderioRobert DesiderioRobert Desiderio is an American actor best known for his television roles.Desiderio was born in New York City, New York, the son of Mary and Anthony J. Desiderio. He first came to prominence in soap opera, with parts in daytime dramas such as Search for Tomorrow, Ryan's Hope and One Life to Live...
as Jack Massarone - Vanessa FerlitoVanessa Ferlito-Personal life:An Italian American, Ferlito was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her father died when she was three. Her mother and stepfather own a hair salon in Brooklyn...
as Tina Francesco - Lola GlaudiniLola GlaudiniLola Glaudini is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Elle Greenaway on the hit CBS series Criminal Minds, and for her role as Agent Deborah Ciccerone on the award winning HBO series The Sopranos....
as Agent Deborah Ciccerone - Tony LipTony LipTony Lip is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of crime boss Carmine Lupertazzi in the HBO series The Sopranos. He portrayed real-life Bonanno crime family mobster Philip Giaccone in Donnie Brasco.Lip is from Paramus, New Jersey...
as Carmine LupertazziCarmine LupertazziCarmine Lupertazzi, Sr., played by Tony Lip, was the fictional Boss of the Brooklyn-based Lupertazzi crime family on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Biography:... - Robert LoggiaRobert LoggiaRobert Loggia is an American film and television actor and director.- Early life :Loggia, an Italian American, was born on Staten Island, the son of Elena Blandino, a homemaker, and Benjamin Loggia, a shoemaker, both of whom were born in Sicily, Italy...
as Michele "Feech" La Manna
- George Loros as Raymond CurtoRay CurtoRaymond "Buffalo Ray" Curto, played by George Loros, is a fictional character on the HBO original series The Sopranos. An older Capo in the DiMeo Crime Family, Curto was an FBI-informant throughout almost the entire series....
- Frank Pando as Agent Grasso
- Frank PellegrinoFrank PellegrinoFrank Pellegrino is an American actor and restaurateur.Born in East Harlem, Pellegrino has often acted in law and gangster-themed film and television productions. He was a member of an early sixties singing group called The Holidaes. There is a rare recording of a song called "Never" that appears...
as Bureau Chief Frank Cubitoso - Joe SantosJoe SantosJoe Santos is an American film and television actor.-Biography:Santos was born Joseph Minieri in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Rose and Joseph Minieri. He began his film acting career in the mid-1960s, appearing in films directed by his cousin, Joseph W...
as Angelo Garepe - Matt ServittoMatt ServittoMatt Servitto is an American actor, probably best known for his role on The Sopranos as FBI agent Dwight Harris. He also appeared on all 3 seasons of the Peabody Award-winning series Brotherhood as Rep. Donatello and had a guest appearance on Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw's editor...
as Agent HarrisDwight HarrisSpecial Agent Dwight Harris, played by Matt Servitto, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is an FBI agent assigned to Tony Soprano's case... - Vinny VellaVinny VellaVinny Vella is an actor and part-time comedian.-Early life:Vella was born Vincet in New York City. His father raced at to win enough money to buy a scale for the pushcart he sold fish from, then earning enough to open a fish store.-Career:He is probably best known for the role of "Artie Piscano"...
as Jimmy Petrille - Frank VincentFrank VincentFrank Vincent is an American actor, musician, author and entrepreneur. He is a favorite performer of director Martin Scorsese, having played important roles in three of Scorsese's most acclaimed films: Raging Bull , Goodfellas and Casino . He often plays a gangster and works both in features and...
as Phil Leotardo - Karen YoungKaren Young (actress)Karen Young is an American actress.Born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, Young studied at Rutgers University. After graduation she moved to New York City and became an actress, appearing in such films as 9½ Weeks, Jaws: The Revenge, Daylight, Mercy and Hoffa. Her ex-husband is Tom Noonan...
as Agent Sanseverino
Episode recap
TonyTony Soprano
Anthony John "Tony" Soprano, Sr. is an Italian-American fictional character and the protagonist on the HBO television drama series The Sopranos, on which he is portrayed by James Gandolfini. The character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and show runner David Chase, who was also largely...
meets with contractor Jack Massarone at a small diner to discuss their work together. Massarone presents him with a painting of Rat Pack
Rat Pack
The Rat Pack was a group of actors originally centered on Humphrey Bogart. In the mid-1960s it was the name used by the press and the general public to refer to a later variation of the group, after Bogart's death, that called itself "the summit" or "the clan," featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean...
members Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
and tries to get Tony to open up about his connections with government officials. Tony avoids direct questioning to his benefit as, unknown to Tony, Massarone is wearing a microphone hidden in his baseball cap, having joined Adriana
Adriana La Cerva
Adriana La Cerva played by Drea de Matteo, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is the long-time girlfriend and, later, fiancée of Tony Soprano's protégé, Christopher Moltisanti.-Character history:...
and Raymond Curto
Ray Curto
Raymond "Buffalo Ray" Curto, played by George Loros, is a fictional character on the HBO original series The Sopranos. An older Capo in the DiMeo Crime Family, Curto was an FBI-informant throughout almost the entire series....
as FBI informants. Raymond spends time at FBI headquarters correcting inaudible words that were mistranscribed from a meeting he recorded.
As Tony, Bobby and Uncle Junior reminisce at the latter's home, word comes from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
that Carmine Lupertazzi
Carmine Lupertazzi
Carmine Lupertazzi, Sr., played by Tony Lip, was the fictional Boss of the Brooklyn-based Lupertazzi crime family on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Biography:...
has died. Uncle Junior is distraught over so many of his friends dying. The next day, during the funeral service, conflict arises between Little Carmine and Johnny Sack
Johnny Sack
John "Johnny Sack" Sacramoni, played by Vince Curatola, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was the longtime underboss and later the boss of the powerful Brooklyn-based New York City Lupertazzi crime family...
over rosary beads placed in Carmine Senior's coffin. Little Carmine asserts that Ginny Sack placed Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
beads in the coffin without his knowledge. Little Carmine regards Opus Dei as a "fundamentalist cult" and gives Johnny Sack heated words about it. Despite bonding with Johnny Sack while his father was dying, Little Carmine announces that he didn't mean the kind words he once said to him. Tony and other bystanders overhear.
Tony is more concerned with the return of his cousin, Tony Blundetto
Tony Blundetto
Anthony "Tony" Blundetto, played by Steve Buscemi, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is Tony Soprano's cousin who is released from prison at the beginning of the show's fifth season. Tony Blundetto first appears as a calm, composed, and reformed criminal ready to pursue...
. He meets Tony B. at his mother's house. Tony B. greets him wearing an outdated 1980's style suit. At his welcome-home party, Tony tells the group how important his cousin was in his life growing up and explains how the family called him "Tony-Uncle-Johnny" and called his cousin "Tony-Uncle-Al," a way of distinguishing the two boys by their fathers. Tony-Uncle-Al is not as eager to get back in the business as his cousin wants. Blundetto informs Tony that he was able to get associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
in prison and is on his way to becoming a state licensed massage therapist. He believes this is his chance to start over, and wants to go completely legitimate. He wants to try to live a normal life and takes a job delivering linens and tablecloths. Although seeming somewhat let down, Tony supports his cousin's decision.
Adriana later watches the classic film Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
in the Sopranos' home theater with Carmela, Rosalie, Janice
Janice Soprano
Janice Soprano Baccalieri, played by Aida Turturro, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. She is Tony Soprano's elder sister. A young Janice has appeared in flashbacks, played by Madeline Blue and Juliet Fox.-Biography:...
, Gabriella Dante and another one of Carmela's friends. The FBI warning notice against illegally copying and distributing the movie at the beginning of the video tape makes some, including Adriana, slightly uncomfortable. Afterward the women discuss the movie, and Adriana finds out what Rosebud meant to the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
. It transforms to a discussion of Carmela's possible divorce and their own tepid marriages, including Janice's, who is the comparative newlywed of the group, and how the romance has gone out of her marriage already. She complains that her husband hasn't yet found her "rosebud", or clitoris
Clitoris
The clitoris is a sexual organ that is present only in female mammals. In humans, the visible button-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra and vagina. Unlike the penis, which is homologous to the clitoris, the clitoris does not...
. The women laugh in personal recognition of Janice's situation.
Adriana later meets with her FBI handler, Agent Sanseverino. She has a hard time dealing with informing on others and that Sanseverino only talks about business. Sanseverino tells Adriana that she is with the good guys now and then reveals why she became an FBI agent. Her sister's criminal boyfriend traded their TV for six handguns. He sold five of them to teenagers and used the sixth to shoot open a coconut, the bullet ricocheted of the coconut and hit her sister in the spine, leaving her a paraplegic. She became an FBI agent to deal with people like her sister's old boyfriend.
Being an informant doesn't work out so well for Jack Massarone, however. Tony becomes suspicious about him after he gets a tip from Patsy Parisi that their earlier meeting had been under FBI surveillance; Tony is certain that he wasn't the one being followed. Tony arranges a meet with Massarone to feel him out, quite literally as it turns out. At the meet, Tony hugs Massarone in greeting while feeling for recording or listening devices, not realizing the device is in the baseball cap Massarone is wearing. This gives Jack an uncomfortable feeling. Tony reassures him. Later Tony tells his crew he couldn't tell if Massarone was an informant. A few moments later Tony remarks about how Jack had mentioned that Tony had lost weight, which the rest of the crew seem (quietly) skeptical about. During the council with his crew, Tony gets a call from Tony Blundetto's boss at the linen company, who wants permission to fire Tony B. (Tony Soprano had gotten Tony B. his job there). Tony doesn't want him to be fired, but relents and angrily gives his consent, and Christopher floats the idea of using Tony B. to hit Massarone. Tony is frustrated and tells Chrissy that Tony B. wants to go straight. Tony says that in any case he is done with Jack Massarone and he leaves. Silvio and Chris wonder if this comment implies that Tony wants Massarone killed; they question whether the comment was a purely rhetorical remark not intended to be taken seriously or a heavily-veiled order.
Tony is having major anxiety problems, expressed at the Rat Pack picture Massarone gave him. He repositions the painting on the wall and then on the fireplace mantel piece. He calls Tony B. at 3 a.m. for small talk and to complain about his separation to relieve his anxiety about the painting. He finally breaks and takes a drive with the painting. On the Pulaski Skyway
Pulaski Skyway
The General Pulaski Skyway is a four-lane freeway composed of connected bridges in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey, carrying the designation of U.S. Route 1/9 for most of its length. The landmark structure has a total length of with the longest bridge spanning...
, Tony tosses it out his car window, into the river beneath, and drives away. The next morning Massarone is found in the trunk of his car, a bullet hole in his head and a golf club cover in his mouth. There is no indication of who actually killed him and no information on what new revelation came through for that action to take place. It could have been Tony's crew acting on his possibly veiled order, or he could have later given them a direct order.
Adriana meanwhile is racked with guilt and paranoia, inflamed by Rosalie Aprile telling her how Sal "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero's wife Angie Bonpensiero was not welcome in their group anymore because Big Pussy, they believe, went into witness protection. She condemns him as Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
-like. This brings Adriana to tears with Rosalie being befuddled and concerned about why. Later, Adriana comes very close to telling her girlfriends about her being an informant but she keeps her tongue and flees the get-together in tears. An upset Adriana runs off in the darkness, skinning her knee and scrapping her face on the driveway. She refuses her girlfriends' offers of first aid and flees in her car, speeding away from the Soprano house.
The next morning, Adriana discovers an upside to being a government informant. When Tina Francesco (her purported best friend) flirts with Christopher
Christopher Moltisanti
Christopher "Chris" Moltisanti, played by Michael Imperioli, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was Tony Soprano's protégé and a Capo in the Soprano crime family.-Biography:...
one time too many, Adriana has a unique solution, she tells Agent Sanseverino that Tina is embezzling money from her boss at a clothing store.
Production
- During Carmine Lupertazzi, Sr.'s funeral, Tony listens to Little Carmine and Johnny Sack argue over Johnny's wife's placing a Opus DeiOpus DeiOpus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
rosary in Carmine Sr's casket. This scene transitions to the next scene, wherein Tony watches a war documentary in which a loud explosion is heard, signaling the impending blowup in New York between Little Carmine and Johnny Sack. - When Tony is in the bathroom, staring in the mirror in the early morning, the window to his left is bright with sunlight, despite its being dark outside.
First appearances
- Lorraine Calluzzo: loan shark working for the Lupertazzi crime family, also known as "Lady Shylock".
- Jason Evanina: Lorraine Calluzzo's loan-sharking partner and lover.
- Tony BlundettoTony BlundettoAnthony "Tony" Blundetto, played by Steve Buscemi, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He is Tony Soprano's cousin who is released from prison at the beginning of the show's fifth season. Tony Blundetto first appears as a calm, composed, and reformed criminal ready to pursue...
(first physical appearance): Tony's cousin and Soprano crime family associate who was sent to federal prison in 1986 for hijacking a tractor trailer. - Phil Leotardo (first physical appearance): Captain in the Lupertazzi crime family, recently released from prison after serving 20 years.
Deceased
- Joseph "Joey" Cogo: killed offscreen in a payment dispute. Agent Sanseverino shows photos of his corpse to Adriana, who confirms his identity and having seen him previously with certain mob members.
- Carmine LupertazziCarmine LupertazziCarmine Lupertazzi, Sr., played by Tony Lip, was the fictional Boss of the Brooklyn-based Lupertazzi crime family on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Biography:...
: died of strokeStrokeA stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage... - Jack Massarone: killed for being an FBI informant. Massarone is found dead in the trunk of a car by FBI agents.
Music
- The song played over the end credits is "Undercover of the NightUndercover of the Night"Undercover of the Night" is the lead track and first single from English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones' 1983 album Undercover.-Inspiration and recording:...
" by The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
.
- Don McLeanDon McLeanDonald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:...
's version of "Crying", and "It Hurts to Be in Love," by Gene PitneyGene PitneyEugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
both play in the diner during the first scene.
- In the coffee shop scene between Adriana and Agent Saneverino, "The Way It Is" by Bruce Hornsby and the Range can be heard playing in the background.
- "She Will Be LovedShe Will Be Loved"She Will Be Loved" is the third single from the Californian band Maroon 5's 2002 debut album, Songs About Jane. Released in 2004, the single peaked at #5 in the United States and has sold over 2,178,000 downloads since release; it also peaked at #4 in the United Kingdom. The song reached #1 in...
" by Maroon 5Maroon 5Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
is playing in the background in a scene between Adriana, Christopher and Tina at the Crazy Horse.
Reference to real events
- After Carmine Lupertazzi passes, Bobby mentions that he had heard Carmine invented point shavingPoint shavingIn organized sports, point shaving is a type of match fixing where the perpetrators try to prevent a team from covering a published point spread. Unlike other forms of match fixing, sports betting invariably motivates point shaving. A point shaving scheme generally involves a sports gambler and one...
. To this, Uncle Junior nostalgically recalls, "CCNY versus Kentucky, 1951. Nobody beat the spread, I bought a black FleetwoodFleetwoodFleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
." This refers to the actual CCNY Point Shaving ScandalCCNY Point Shaving ScandalThe CCNY point shaving scandal of 1950-1951 was a college basketball point shaving gambling scandal that involved seven schools in all, with four in Greater New York and three in the Midwest...
of 1950-1951.
Title reference
- Jack Massarone gives Tony a painting of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr., who were members of the Rat PackRat PackThe Rat Pack was a group of actors originally centered on Humphrey Bogart. In the mid-1960s it was the name used by the press and the general public to refer to a later variation of the group, after Bogart's death, that called itself "the summit" or "the clan," featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean...
. - The episode shows Adriana, Jack Massarone, and Raymond Curto all working with the FBI. Such informantInformantAn informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
s are often called "rats". - Junior refers to the recently-released "Class of 2004" as "Old rats on a new ship".