Mean Streets (1973)

Synopsis

Charlie (Harvey Keitel) is an Italian-American man who is trying to move up in the local mafia and who is hampered by his feeling of responsibility towards his childish and destructive friend Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro) a thug who owes money to many loan sharks.

Charlie works for his uncle Giovanni (Cesare Danova), the local caporegime, mostly collecting debts.



He is also having a hidden affair with Johnny Boy's cousin, Teresa (Amy Robinson), who has epilepsy and is ostracized because of her condition — especially by Charlie's uncle.

Charlie is torn between his devout Catholicism and his mafia ambitions. As the film progresses, Johnny becomes increasingly self-destructive, growing continually more disrespectful of his creditors.

Failing to receive redemption in the church, Charlie seeks it through sacrificing himself on Johnny's behalf. At a bar, a local loan shark (Richard Romanus) comes looking for Johnny to "pay up" but to his surprise Johnny insults him calling him a "jerkoff".

The loan shark lunges at Johnny who retaliates by pulling a gun on him and threatening to kill him.

Charlie and Johnny flee from the scene with Teresa and are pursued by the loan shark and his henchman, who shoots Charlie in the hand and Johnny in the neck, causing the car to crash.

The three survive and the film ends with an ambulance arriving at the scene and paramedics taking them away. -- Wikipedia

Cast: Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, David Proval, Amy Robinson, Richard Romanus, Cesare Danova, Victor Argo, George Memmoli, David Carradine, Robert Carradine

Cannes (Quinzaine des Réalisateurs), New York, Berlinale (Retrospective)

Read about this film