Black Eye Specialist History
Dean Tavoularis (production/set designer) and his team spent a long time going through archival photographs to get the Little Italy scenes right. Just one true-to-life example:
A sign on the barbershop window reads ‘Black Eye Specialist’. This was a legitimate service offered by both barbers and tattoo parlours. Day workers presented themselves each morning at the docks and construction sites looking for work.
Men were often passed over if they displayed a black eye, a sign of rowdiness that may spill over into their work. Barbers would apply leeches to the bruise to suck the excess blood and finish up with some makeup to make their clients more presentable for work.
The service was considered both common and practical.
From the book The Companion Guide to the Godfather Trilogy: Betrayal, Loyalty and Family (Karen M Spence, 2025)