Film was filmed largely on a purpose-built period backlot that recreated parts of 1860s Lower Manhattan, allowing large crowd scenes, gang confrontations, and street-level details to be staged with tight control. The story follows a young man returning to a violent neighborhood to face the group tied to his father’s death, against a backdrop of political corruption, immigration conflict, and the Civil War-era draft riots.

Filming locations:

Cinecittà Studios (built New York backlot)

In the movie

Scene where the constructed Five Points-style streets and surrounding blocks used for key gang territory moments, including public confrontations and large crowds; the controlled backlot environment also supported the cemetery-edge viewpoint used with visual effects to show the changing Manhattan skyline over time.

In reality

The scene was filmed a major film studio complex in Rome with extensive sound stages and outdoor backlots, historically used for large-scale productions; the site supports full street builds, controlled lighting, and heavy set dressing for period recreations.