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| A Bronx Tale | |
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| Directed by | Robert De Niro |
| Produced by | Robert De Niro Jon Kilik Jane Rosenthal |
| Written by | Chazz Palminteri |
| Starring | Lillo Brancato Chazz Palminteri Robert De Niro Taral Hicks Francis Capra |
| Cinematography | Reynaldo Villalobos |
| Editing by | David Ray |
| Distributed by | Savoy Pictures |
| Release date(s) |  September 14, 1993 (Toronto Film Festival) September 29 April 20, 1994 June 24 July 28 August 5 September 16 January 13, 1995 June 8 August 3 August 18 |
| Running time | 121 minutes |
| Country | U.S.A. |
| Language | English/Italian |
| IMDb • Allmovie | |
A Bronx Tale is a 1993 film set in New York City during the turbulent era of the 1960s. It was the directorial debut of Robert De Niro, and follows a young man as his path in life is guided by two father figures, played by De Niro and Chazz Palminteri. It also includes a brief appearance by Joe Pesci. It was written by Palminteri, based partially upon his childhood.
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Plot
The movie opens in 1960 with Lorenzo Anello's (Robert De Niro) son Calogero (Francis Capra) witnessing a murder committed by the local Mafia boss, Sonny (Chazz Palminteri). When Calogero chooses to keep quiet when questioned by police officers, Sonny takes a liking to him. Calogero starts visiting Sonny and his crew regularly in the bar downstairs, much to the dismay of his father, a hard-working bus driver struggling to make ends meet. Eight years later, in 1968, Calogero (now played by Lillo Brancato Jr.) has grown into a young man. He will eventually have to make the choice between his two mentors. He also pursues an interracial relationship with a black girl named Jane Williams (Taral Hicks), and he has to cope with this while being in the company of racist friends who coincidentally attack the girl's brother and his friends, and who later plan to raid a black neighborhood (Harlem, New York).
The film contains several violent scenes, including a savage beating of a biker gang by the Mafia to the tune "The 10 Commandments Of Love" by The Moonglows, and Calogero's friends' tragically botched incursion into the black neighborhood.
Settings and filming locations
A Bronx Tale was filmed in three New York City neighborhoods. Though set entirely in the Bronx, only one of these locations was actually in that borough. The Fordham neighborhood in which Cologero lives was actually filmed in Astoria, Queens; the black neighborhood said to be on and around Webster Avenue was actually filmed at East 15th Street and Gravesend Neck Road in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn; finally, the scene set on the Bronx's City Island was actually filmed in that location.
Sources
Palminteri adapted the screenplay from his one-man show of the same name. The show had successful runs in Los Angeles and Off-Broadway. Palminteri would not sell the rights to his story unless he could write the screenplay and was guaranteed the role of Sonny. At one point he was offered one million dollars, but refused because his conditions were not met. Later, De Niro saw the show and approached Palminteri. He said he knew about Palminteri refusing to sell the rights. For the rights he told Palminteri he would act in the movie and meet Palminteri's conditions if he could direct. De Niro said he was good to his word with only a handshake from Palminteri.
Palminteri based the character of Calogero on himself; his real first name is Calogero.
Joe Pesci filmed his entire part in one day.
A scene was written where the Don would visit Sonny, he was to be played by Frank Vincent, the idea however was eventually scrapped but Vincent still got paid.
See also
References
"Louis Inglese, 70" GangLand The Online Column March 3, 2005 by Jerry Capeci
External links
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- This page was last modified on 6 January 2009, at 20:58.
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