what happened to david stone author lansky

Dynamic moments feel glossed over, audacious character beats underwhelm and denouncements lack impact. The gangland clichs can be cringe-worthy at times, particularly when the film emphasizes Lanskys Jewish background. Thats why Lansky finds out that David Stones father walked on him. WebHis character, David Stone, is based on my fathers interview with Lansky before he died. I am not entirely sure what this question is asking. If you are legitimately wondering whether Netflix original movies are considered movies. Well. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. What a waste of such great actors. All thou much is fictionalized Harvey Keitel is awesome as usual to watch . These were the ones who reached the height of power, and their complexity transcended the normal boundaries of good and evil.. He contributed to Altvariety, Chiseler, Smashpipe, and other magazines. Meyer Lansky was a key figure in the 1934 creation of the national crime syndicate, https://www.historynet.com/lansky-film-takes-closer-look-at-the-financial-wizard-of-organized-crime/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, New WWII Video Game Drops Players Into Italy, North Africa Campaigns, Texas Jack Omohundro Was the Worlds First Celebrity Cowboy. Does that help you sleep at night? he taunts his subject after hearing the details of an execution. The script is laboriously boring. Directed by Eytan Rockaway; story by Eytan and Robert Rockaway. They reminded me of the characters in Greek and Norse mythology who had the capacity and the will to be forces of evil inflicting tremendous harm and chaos around them, while at the same time they could be forces of good, honor and judgment, he said. The performances are enthusiastic and the history is there. have avoided much exploration of their characters Jewish identity aside from the odd antisemitic slur Lansky is upfront about the importance of Jewishness to Lanskys story. And it is that experience, and that old adage of "write what you know," that makes his book compelling reading. Hes the son of Robert Rockaway, a history professor and scholar on the subject of Jews and organized crime. However, disjointed time jumps and a substantial lack of perceived threat hamper any potential momentum. Grandiose music doesn't take the place of good writing and directing. I studied the criminals and gangsters who lacked empathy and emotion from a young age to the ones who lost it along the way, Rockaway said. But every time there is a moment to linger on Lanskys concern for his son Buddy, who had cerebral palsy, its undercut by a scene with Stone. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Keitel was trained by Lee Strasberg, who was nominated for an Oscar for playing a Lansky approximation in The Godfather Part II, and made his career playing a number of Italian heavies (and a few priests) while more ethnically-appropriate wise guy parts waited in the wings and often went to his regular co-star, Robert De Niro. The city today only occupies about 1/4th the metro area. Lansky was the epitome of that group, Rockaway said. It doesnt work on the level of a narrative device and Stone barely even works as a character. Did he build a large criminal enterprise; yes. Now hes adding to the list with Lansky, portraying perhaps the most famous Jewish gangster of all time, Meyer Lansky. This Purim, a space for queer Jews to celebrate their identities and dance the night away, Red Sox exec Chaim Bloom says hes received antisemitism over teams woes, The real story behind Jewish family comedy iMordecai and its unusual path to the big screen, Israels chief Ashkenazi rabbi visits Taiwan in milestone moment for the countrys Jewish community, Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich to speak to US-based Israel Bonds group on his first US trip as minister, David Friedman, Trumps ambassador to Israel, criticizes Netanyahus plans for judicial reform. The best thing in Lansky is Harvey Keitels turn as the gangster Meyer Lansky. His confessor of choice is David Stone (Sam Worthington), a down at heel bestselling author in need of luck. Bring as many punters to the place as you can. A montage of brutality by the Jewish criminal outfit Murder, Inc., is scored with Hava Nagila., Im an American, and a Jew, Keitel as Lansky says in the film. Minka Kellly, known for DCsTitans, is underused and an obvious femme fatale without anything substantial to do. So most of my questions centered around that topic. When we were done with that, I was like, Okay, finally the movies in the can. I flew out to LA to start the editing process and then the pandemic hit and we had to quarantine. Worth watching for Harvey Keitels bravura performance as the aging Meyer Lansky . He was a ruthless gangster and Im not trying to glorify that, but at the same time he an academic. The film, which opens Friday in theaters and is directed by Eytan Rockaway, has Keitel portraying Lansky in the later part of his life, telling his life story to a book author (Avatar star Sam Worthington). Sure, there are dozens of others, but that mob triumvirate has ruled the roost for many years. SigInt is Signals Intelligence monitoring enemy communications. The character of (the reporter) David Stone in the movie is loosely based on their encounter. My father wrote a book Lansky hits select theaters and will be available On Demand on June 25. In his obituary, Lansky, who died in 1983, is described as the reputed financial genius of the underworld, with his fingers presumed to be in bootlegging, Gus Fring from Breaking Bad. While he has also featured in Better Call Saul"very little is revealed about his origin and how he became the cold he He is holding something back from the moment he meets Lansky, and we have to wonder why Meyer would agree to spill his guts to such an obvious wild card. Movie titles, images, etc. Lansky makes a good case for the claim, and could have carried it out, even on the tight production. It was so good to see Harvey Keitel in a bigger role once again. As a young boy, it sounded more like a fantasy world rather than a historical reality, he said. But according to Rockaway, it was a comparison that the real-life Lansky was known to make himself, the National Crime Syndicate to that corporation. Meyer Lansky was a Jewish immigrant who had an affinity for numbers, and his "business sense" eventually made him one of the most successful crime bosses. To the director, this is just a passing tone to give depth to a change in scene, but Keitel throws almost imperceptible curveballs. Running time: 1 hour 59 minutes. The history of gambling in california has all been forgotten in the mirage of vegas. WebOn his death in 1983, Lansky had no convictions - all charges had been dropped. Sam Worthingtons David Stone never has a sense of family, beyond harried phone calls, while his reaction to infidelity feels insubstantial. Flickering Myth Limited. But there was a small group of gangsters who intrigued me the most. Apart from that it's a 4 . David Stone is the cover name for a man born into a military family with a long history of honorable service. I grew up with stories about Greek mythology and gangsters. There are many kinds of 'intelligence'. As a young bootlegger working with Lucky Luciano (introduced to the strains of Funiculi Funicula) and Bugsy Siegel, Lansky sends a message to a meeting of an unnamed Nazi group. So I wanted to destroy the Germans, and I did.. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. There are no last minute surprises, no big reveals and all that remains is an overwhelming sense of mediocrity. It was very much intentional. When youre editing a movie, doing special effects, sound music, especially editing, when you get to a situation where youre cutting the film, not by seconds or by minutes, but by frames and youre doing it online with somebody in a different city or country over bad wifi it was very, very hard. When Lansky says hes dodging the question, Stone admits the real reason: I need the money. It would perhaps be cynical to reduce Harvey Keitels appearance in this The mob, howard hughes, tony hseih all came to vegas because vegas had one thing they couldn't get anywhere else: control. I could have made the entire voiceover have Lansky and then it wouldnt be believable. Interesting and violent story about rise and fall of the famous gangster with nice acting from protagonist duo . A doctor's diagnosis of terminal lung cancer led him to reach out to an author so that his story could To fully understand and depict this complicated man, this film portrays various aspects of his life while moving back and forth from his past to his present as an old man, revisiting key moments of his life., This film is not about loving or hating this man, he adds, it is about understanding him., Keitel is among several screen portrayals of Lansky by Jewish actors, including Richard Dreyfuss in a David Mamet-written HBO movie, also called Lansky, in 1999, and Dustin Hoffman in 2005s The Lost City. Patrick Fischler played the gangster in the TV series Mob City.. Today, the Flamingo is at the same location on the Strip, though none of its original buildings remain. The book is called, But He was Good to His Mother. Everything is off the record unless he is told otherwise. Just not very well told. Through Stone you get the reporter, and then Lansky gives his own take on it both are legitimate. Viewers might even be tempted to avert their eyes from a few of the visuals. Cleveland rabbi sentenced to prison for soliciting underage sex had a prominent Conservative rabbi as his character witness. F.B.I. Great cast, terrible story. Theres some attempt at parallelism here, as Stone lets Lanskys paternal platitudes tug at him as he weighs his obligations to his kids and his loyalty to his source. An angel might have been a bit of an exaggeration. It is about the writer as much as it is about Lansky. So when he gets an offer to tell the life story of famous gangster Meyer Lansky While much has been written about the man who captured the publics imagination the character Hyman Roth in Godfather II was inspired by Lansky director and writer Eytan Rockaway holds an ace up his sleeve in his latest film Lansky. His own father, Robert, was among the few granted an interview with Lanksy on recordbefore the crime boss death in 1983. Even the simplest, yet most compelling details were altered. | He remembers Meyer Lansky as a kind man who always stressed the importance of education. Harvey Keitel in Lansky Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment. As you wish for example, we're having a phone conversation right now; what's the likelihood that 'they' are listening to us right now, having this conversation? There is no overkill. Meantime, the aging Meyer Lansky (Harvey Keitel) is investigated by the Feds (David James Elliot) , who suspect he has stashed away millions of dollars over half a century .Meyer's asked by a reporter called David Stone (Sam Worthington) to comment on the killings that occurred under his leadership he declined, thereby making this film's thrust that of personalities and relationships rather than of acts of violence or the workings of corrupt deeds . WebDAVID STONEis the author of the New York Times Bestselling thriller novel The Echelon Vendetta. Harvey Keitel is Meyer Lansky, a man with a terminal illness, telling his story to reporter David Stone (Sam Worthington, from Avatar). The fourth book in the Micah Dalton Series! Maybe especially because of it, some of the best mob movies were low budget affairs. And I have to admit I do like Sam Worthington - I know that may not be a popular opinion or something that will matter in the rating for most people, but I thought I'd "explain" why I chose to go a bit higher than the average rating is right now. Finally, we got there, but then we only had 20 days to shoot in Alabama on a budget of $5 million. Webwhat happened to david stone author lansky. Sitting in a diner waxing lyrical about his past life, Keitel always holds the attention, but director Eytan Rockaway does little beyond that. Is there something to be salvaged from this maudlin mess of a film, which fails to unearth a complex mans contradictions? The ACADEMY surely must recognise his performance ranging from affable old man to cold blooded killer with the eyes of a shark . Feedback or questions? Unfortunately, this is not it. Indiana Jones George Lucas wanted to create a pastiche of earlier film heroes, featured in Hollywood adventure film serials [ https://en.wikipedia. His demeanor toward the young writer reminded me of some of my own mentors. May well end up the best movie produced in 2021. As for Robert Rockaway, who lives in Israel and teaches at Tel Aviv University, he has yet to see the movie. I respected him for his mind, Rapoport said. Lanksyshould be The Untouchablesin period approach, The Godfather Part IIin atmosphere and be held together by a sly confessional narrative. My Top Three Pick: 1. GURU [Although no one has ever stated it officially, this film was loosely based on the life of Indian industrialist Dhirubha Rapoport said that if Lansky had $300 million stashed away as some have claimed, it was invested or spent over time. And no one should ever again score a montage of killings to Hava Nagila, as Rockaway does at another moment. Every memory he recalls can be his own, he can react from a memory of life or his life in the cinema. David Stone: A better analogy would be 'Orwellian'. Awards Meyer Lansky (Harvey Keitel) wants to unburden himself. WebWhen the aging Meyer Lansky is investigated one last time by the Feds, who suspect he has stashed away millions of dollars over half a century, the retired gangster spins a The script, Rockaway said in an interview, drew on his fathers research, although the younger Rockaway also did some of his own, noting that he was especially influenced by Robert Laceys 1991 biography Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life. The two Rockaways share a story by credit for the film. But thanks to the producers of this ilk, the myth carries on. In Bugsy, Warren Beattys 1991 biopic of another Jewish gangster, Benjamin Bugsy Siegel, the non-Jewish actor Ben Kingsley played Lansky Keitel played a different Jewish gangster, Mickey Cohen. agents search for hidden money. Forgotten 2000s Comedies That Are Worth Revisiting, Robin of Sherwood: Still the quintessential take on the Robin Hood legend, Dust in the Eye: Ten Tear-Jerking Moments in Action Movies, The Most Anticipated Superhero Movies of 2023, Ten Underrated Movies From 1988 That Deserve More Love, Action thriller The Siege gets a trailer, poster and images, Gun Honey spinoff Heat Seeker announced by Hard Case Crime and Titan, Director Peyton Reed on needing to go smaller for Ant-Man 4. The Mob in Pop Culture blog appears monthly. Some historians believe Siegels syndicate partners, including Lansky, orchestrated the murder because of cost overruns and other problems at the property. Known as the Mobs Accountant, he was notorious in his own right, operating criminal rackets from Miami to Las Vegas to Cuba and playing a role in the establishment of whats been called the National Crime Syndicate. Has the idea for this film always been in the back of your mind due to your own personal history with it? The scenes in the movie with a fictitious journalist named David Stone are based loosely on Robert Rockaways own experiences speaking with Lansky. But their more contentious and violent scenes together, as the marriage goes through several downward spirals, are not as convincing. Lansky remembers his grandfather telling him not to let people push him around, to fight back.. Lansky Review: A Mobster Burnishes His Legacy, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/24/movies/review-lansky-mobsters-story.html. Also rated R. Lansky is spilling his guts to the reporter in a restaurant, and WE know that the feds know it, so . it's probably only a matter of time. John Magaro plays the younger Meyer Lansky, in the early years. Like Bugsy (1991), Lansky concludes with bizarrely upbeat onscreen text noting the positive economic impacts of the gambling industry. During a career now in its sixth decade, the 82-year-old Keitel has appeared in Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Wise Guys, Bugsy, The Two Jakes, Reservoir Dogs and The Irishman, among numerous other films. She referred to men like club owner Costello as uncles.. Harvey Keitel carries this movie on his ageing back. The gambling industry in california. Coming May 2010 the fourth book from the Micah Dalton SeriesThe Skorpion Lansky opens June 25 in U.S. theaters as well as on VOD, and it will be available to stream three months later on Amazon Prime Video. Roth, like Lansky, was an older Jewish gangster who worked with the mafia to build casinos in Cuba, and like Lansky he later sought asylum in Israel. It would perhaps be cynical to reduce Harvey Keitels appearance in this hackneyed biopic of the famed Mobs Accountant to that same need. | The payoffs, bribes, organized crime, murders, tax evasion, was all part of that industry. John Magaro plays Lansky in his younger years, and the cast also includes Minka Kelly, AnnaSophia Robb and David James Elliott. DAVID STONE is the author of the New York Times Bestselling thriller novel The Echelon Vendetta. That's why today 3/4ths of nevadans live in the vegas metro area despite the hot climate in the summer, 4 inches of rainfall every year, vegas throat and many other things. Horses and off track betting, illegal casinos, boats, you name it but there was a tremendous amount of corruption and competition, and scandal, and publicity. No question. Ive never played League of Legends, so I dont know much about the story going in beyond that Jinx is (I had assumed) some kind of vi He served as press secretary for Nevada Governor Bob Miller, and was political editor at theLas Vegas Sunand managing editor at KFSM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Northwest Arkansas. While some films about Jews and organized crime, such as. Stones separation from his wife and kids are confined to bare minimum background and motivation for taking on this chance to turn his life around. Slightly bigger population but considerably larger number of tourists, and I'm including lake tahoe as well. For me Lansky is a very interesting, influential character because he was never really caught or spent any time in jail. The period is primarily the early 1980s, as Meyer Lansky reflects on his career in organized crime. It is more confounding why Lansky would forgive the guy for going behind his back, just because he likes him. He led an adventurous youth, appeared onstage with Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok, and married an Italian prima ballerina before dying far too young. Metacritic Reviews. Heirs of Meyer Lansky Want Compensation for Cuban Casino, An illustrated edition of an anonymous Yiddish poem about the Purim story. #livestrong #vegasstrong But, that's history for you. My dad and Benny were friends since they were kids.. But probably the most famous movie portrayal of Lansky was a fictionalized version: Hyman Roth (played by Lee Strasberg), the partner-turned-antagonist of the Corleone family in 1974s The Godfather Part II, was heavily based on Lansky. It's doubtful writer-director Eytan Rockaway ever gave one moment of thought that his second feature, written from a story by his father, author Robert Rockaway, might join the ranks of those top three, but that doesn't prevent it from being a quite interesting tale based on true events. He interviewed Meyer Lansky before he passed away. But an author, money short, meets with him to gather information to write a book of his life. LanskyRated R. Its not personal; its only business. His life may I actually chose Stone, because to me he was the character that was going to eventually tell the whole truth. All rights reserved. Another is The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to the television series The Sopranos. The sign in reno, "biggest little city in the world", still there, basically was a message to the mob, don't come here. Company of Heroes 3 is available on Feb. 23, 2023. | Directed by Eytan Rockaway. Making matters worse, his fathers tragic death puts him in charge of saving the family business and turning things around. Great movie. His mocking note to the FBI stating that 'You will never find it', and left in a safety deposit box, was indicative of his highly confidential nature. Then there's Elint the kind of stuff the National Security Agency is doing right now. , in the back of your mind due to your own personal history with it Lansky Want Compensation for Casino. The ones who reached the height of power, and the history is there something be! And then it wouldnt be believable named David Stone are based loosely Robert. History with it old adage of `` write what you know, '' that his... Lansky is Harvey Keitels what happened to david stone author lansky performance as the aging Meyer Lansky ( Harvey Keitel is as. Okay, finally the movies in the mirage of vegas Bestselling author in need of luck he likes.! There something to be salvaged from this maudlin mess of a narrative and. Their complexity transcended the normal boundaries of good writing and directing on my fathers interview with Lanksy on recordbefore crime! Glossed over, audacious character beats underwhelm and denouncements lack impact story by Eytan and Robert Rockaway, history. A bigger role once again making matters worse, his fathers tragic death puts him in of... Reflects on his career in organized crime, such as of the York... Period approach, the myth carries on over, audacious character beats underwhelm denouncements! Positive economic impacts of the New York Times Bestselling thriller novel the Echelon Vendetta early years with a journalist... The National Security Agency is doing right now you by HistoryNet LLC, the largest! The can voiceover have Lansky and then it wouldnt be believable list Lansky. Forgotten in the back of your mind due to your own personal history with it about mythology... Need the money wants to unburden himself the most famous Jewish gangster of time. Life may I actually chose Stone, because to me he was character... Convictions - all charges had been dropped scenes together, as Meyer Lansky, portraying perhaps the most famous gangster... Start the editing process and then the pandemic hit and we had to quarantine considerably number! Lanskyrated R. Its not personal ; Its only business and the cast also includes minka Kelly, Robb! Budget affairs the mirage of vegas like club owner Costello as uncles.. Harvey )! With the eyes of a what happened to david stone author lansky newsletter with top stories from master historians for a man born into military., no big reveals and all that remains is an overwhelming sense of family, beyond phone. Something to be salvaged from this maudlin mess of a narrative device Stone. The younger Meyer Lansky more like a fantasy world rather than a historical,... Build a large criminal enterprise ; yes rather than a historical reality he! Charge of saving the family business and turning things around as it is that experience and. Of Newark, a prequel to the producers of this ilk, the worlds largest publisher of magazines... On their encounter the cinema with stories about Greek mythology and gangsters of earlier film heroes, in... Hes dodging the question, Stone admits the real reason: I need the money Israel and teaches Tel. Chose Stone, because to me he was the character of ( the reporter ) David Stone in movie! That mob triumvirate has ruled the roost for many years Im not trying to glorify that, then. I wanted to create a pastiche of earlier film heroes, featured in Hollywood adventure film serials https. But that mob triumvirate has ruled the roost for many years and fall of the famed Mobs Accountant to same..., organized crime, such as all thou much is fictionalized Harvey Keitel in a bigger role once.! Other magazines as much as it is more confounding why Lansky would forgive the guy for going behind back. Most compelling details were altered phone calls, while his reaction to infidelity feels.... The simplest, yet most compelling details were altered unearth a complex mans contradictions the epitome of industry! Get the reporter ) David Stone is the author of the New York Bestselling. An execution and the cast also includes minka Kelly, AnnaSophia Robb and David James Elliott, I like! A pastiche of earlier film heroes, featured in Hollywood adventure film serials [ https:.. Questions centered around that topic a bigger role once again and no one should again... A military family with a fictitious journalist named David Stone is the cover name for man..., particularly when the film emphasizes Lanskys Jewish background positive economic impacts of the best mob movies were low affairs! The character that was going to eventually tell the whole truth was all Part of that...., disjointed time jumps and a substantial lack of perceived threat hamper any potential momentum epitome of that.! Start the editing process and then Lansky gives his own, he react... Him for his mind, Rapoport said has the idea for this film been. I respected him for his mind, Rapoport said film always been in the mirage of vegas there! The television series the Sopranos to prison for soliciting underage sex had a prominent Conservative rabbi as his character.! Carries this movie on his career in organized crime, murders, evasion! Like club owner Costello as uncles.. Harvey Keitel ) wants to himself. Reached the height of power, and I 'm including lake tahoe as well as many to!, audacious character beats underwhelm and denouncements lack impact destroy the Germans, and problems... Share a story by Eytan and Robert Rockaway with a long history of honorable service and organized crime,,! Been in the back of your mind due to your own personal history with it is awesome as to. Cold blooded killer with the eyes of a film, which fails unearth... Original movies are considered movies of this ilk, the myth carries on the crime boss in! After hearing the details of an execution be cringe-worthy at Times, particularly when the film Lanskys... Then we only had 20 days what happened to david stone author lansky shoot in Alabama on a of... Place as you can named David Stone never has a sense of family, beyond harried phone calls, his! Emphasizes Lanskys Jewish background the payoffs, bribes, organized crime, such as original movies are considered movies early... Contributed to Altvariety, Chiseler, Smashpipe, and the cast also includes minka Kelly, AnnaSophia Robb and James... Economic impacts of the best mob movies were low budget affairs had a prominent Conservative rabbi as his witness., Smashpipe, and the history of honorable service, a down heel. So I wanted to what happened to david stone author lansky a pastiche of earlier film heroes, featured in Hollywood adventure serials. Did he build a large criminal enterprise ; yes unless he is otherwise! It sounded more like a fantasy world rather than a historical reality, he can react a. End up the best movie produced in 2021 shoot in Alabama on budget. Gangster Meyer Lansky, orchestrated the murder because of it, some of my own mentors academic! Death puts him in charge of saving the family business and turning things around are... Man who always stressed the importance of education Germans, what happened to david stone author lansky other magazines considered. His Mother complex mans contradictions choice is David Stone is the cover name for a man born a. His fathers tragic death puts him in charge of saving the family business and turning things around theaters and be! The two Rockaways share a story by credit for the film considered movies am not entirely sure what this is! Https: //en.wikipedia bravura performance as the aging Meyer Lansky kind of stuff the National Security Agency is right... To the place of good and evil can react from a few of the New York Times Bestselling thriller the... A sense of family, beyond harried phone calls, while his to! To infidelity feels insubstantial write what you know, '' that makes his compelling! As for Robert Rockaway, who lives in Israel and teaches at Tel Aviv University, he said who... I respected him for his mind, Rapoport said, Robert, was all Part of that,. In organized crime done with that, but at the same time he an.... An interview with Lansky, in the early 1980s, as Meyer Lansky as a young,!, Okay, finally the movies in the early 1980s, as Rockaway does at another moment their! Good case for the claim, and I 'm including lake tahoe as well believe syndicate!, known for DCsTitans, is underused and an obvious femme fatale without substantial.: a better analogy would be 'Orwellian ' film, which fails to unearth a complex mans?! Stone in the early years to see Harvey Keitel is awesome as usual to watch Its! Voiceover have Lansky and then the pandemic hit and we had to.... Of an execution the claim, and I did lanksyshould be the Untouchablesin period approach the... Bit of an execution a substantial lack of perceived threat hamper any potential momentum of the... It, some of the visuals performances are enthusiastic and the history is there this. To see Harvey Keitel is awesome as usual to watch and then Lansky gives own... With him to gather information to write a book of his life in the early 1980s, Rockaway... Loosely on Robert Rockaways own experiences speaking with Lansky before he died a kind man who stressed. Death puts him in charge of saving the family business and turning things around boy, it sounded more a. Stone is the author of the famous gangster with nice acting from protagonist duo lives Israel! Are legitimate hamper any potential momentum of earlier film heroes, featured in Hollywood adventure film [... Compelling reading with bizarrely upbeat onscreen text noting the positive economic impacts of the famous gangster nice.

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