Mean Streets (1973)

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers:

Martin Scorsese (screenplay) and
Mardik Martin (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 October 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets...

Plot:

A small-time hood struggles to succeed on the "mean streets" of Little Italy.

Plot Keywords:

Little Italy | New York | Epilepsy | New York City | Bar

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Johnny Boy
Harvey Keitel	...	Charlie
David Proval	...	Tony
Amy Robinson	...	Teresa
Richard Romanus	...	Michael
Cesare Danova	...	Giovanni
Victor Argo	...	Mario (in opening credits) (as Vic Argo)
George Memmoli	...	Joey
Lenny Scaletta	...	Jimmy
Jeannie Bell	...	Diane
Murray Moston	...	Oscar (as Murray Mosten)
David Carradine	...	Drunk
Robert Carradine	...	Boy With Gun
Lois Walden	...	Jewish Girl
Harry Northup	...	Soldier
Dino Seragusa	...	Old Man
D'Mitch Davis	...	Cop
Peter Fain	...	George
Juli Andelman	...	Girl At Party (as Julie Andleman)
Robert Wilder	...	Benton
Ken Sinclair	...	Sammy
Jaime Alba	...	Young Boy #1
Ken Konstantin	...	Young Boy #2
Nicki 'Ack' Aquilino	...	Man On Docks (as Nicki 'Ack' Aquilino)
B. Mitchel Reed	...	Disc Jockey (as B. Mitchell Reed)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vincent Price	...	Verden Fell (archive footage) (uncredited)
Catherine Scorsese	...	Woman on Landing (uncredited)
Martin Scorsese	...	Jimmy Shorts (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Scorsese

Writing credits
Martin Scorsese		(screenplay) and
Mardik Martin		(screenplay)
Martin Scorsese		(story)

Produced by
E. Lee Perry	....	executive producer
Jonathan T. Taplin	....	producer

Cinematography by
Kent L. Wakeford		(director of photography) (as Kent Wakeford)

Film Editing by
Sidney Levin		(as Sid Levin)

Production Management
Paul Rapp	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ron Satlof	....	second assistant director (as Ron Satloff)
Russell Vreeland	....	first assistant director
Paul J. Crossey	....	dga trainee (uncredited)

Art Department
Bill Bates	....	prop master
Doyle Hall	....	assistant visual consultant
David Nichols	....	visual consultant
William Sandell	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Walter Goss	....	re-recording mixer
Charles Grenzbach	....	re recording mixer (as Bud Grenzbach)
Donald F. Johnson	....	sound mixer (as Don Johnson)
Kenneth Schwarz	....	boom operator (as Kenny Schwarz)
John Wilkinson	....	re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)

Special Effects by
Bill Balles	....	special effects (as Bill Bales)

Stunts
Bill Catching	....	stunt coordinator (as Bill Katching)

Camera and Electrical Department
Norman Gerard	....	additional photography
John Murray	....	key grip
Pat O'Mara	....	assistant cameraman
Bobby Petzoldt	....	gaffer
Gene A. Talvin	....	camera operator (as Gene Talvin)
Bill Young	....	best boy
Harry Young	....	second assistant cameraman
Alec Hirschfeld	....	additional photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norman Salling	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
George Trirogoff	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Joe Cupcake	....	assistant to producer
Peter Fain	....	production coordinator
Cornelia McNamara	....	clothing consultant
David Osterhout	....	production coordinator: second unit
Neil Rapp	....	assistant to producer
Bobbie Sierks	....	script supervisor (as Bobby Sierks)
Chris Thompson	....	production secretary
George Toth	....	animal trainer
Sandra Weintraub	....	pre-production and post-production coordinator
Pamela Williams	....	assistant to producer
Dale Bell	....	production crew: New York City (uncredited)
Mitchell Block	....	production crew: New York City (uncredited)

Thanks
Paul Almond	....	special thanks
Frank Aquilino	....	special thanks (as Frankie Aquilino)
Nicki 'Ack' Aquilino	....	special thanks (as Nicki 'Ack' Aquilino)
Frankie Bananas	....	special thanks
Dale Bell	....	special thanks
Mitchell Block	....	special thanks
Dean Bojorquez	....	special thanks
Larry the Box	....	special thanks (as Larry The Box)
Hooter Brown	....	special thanks
Jay Cocks	....	special thanks
Brian De Palma	....	special thanks
Norman Garey	....	special thanks
Jenny Goldberg	....	special thanks
Alec Hirschfeld	....	special thanks
Robert Kahn	....	special thanks (as Dr. Robert Kahn)
Richard Katz	....	special thanks
John Krauss	....	special thanks
Angelo Lamonea	....	special thanks
James McCalmont	....	special thanks (as Jim McCalmont)
Bill Minkin	....	special thanks
Michael Mislove	....	special thanks
Nancy Nigrosh	....	special thanks
Lee Osborne	....	special thanks
Sally Red	....	special thanks
Bill Saluga	....	special thanks (as Billy Saluga)
William Sandell	....	special thanks (as Bill Sandell)
Catherine Scorsese	....	special thanks
Brad Shattuck	....	special thanks
George Smith	....	special thanks
Edward Stable	....	special thanks
Dita Sullivan	....	special thanks
Brian Swain	....	special thanks
Harry J. Ufland	....	special thanks (as Harry Ufland)
Anna Uricola	....	special thanks
Dominic Vaccaro	....	special thanks
Fred Vaccaro	....	special thanks
Roger Vreeland	....	special thanks
Barbara Weintraub	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (presents) (as Warner Bros A Warner Communications Company)
• Taplin - Perry - Scorsese Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1973) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros A Warner Communications Company)
• Chapel Distribution (1999) (Australia) (theatrical) (new 35mm re-issue print)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1975) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1976) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Aquarius TV (1998) (Greece) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Encore Entertainment (1994) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1986) (Greece) (VHS)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Manga Films (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• More2C (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1977) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Thorn-EMI Video (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Angel Editorial  sound effects
• F&B/Cecomobile  location services (uncredited)
• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound (as Glen Glenn)
• San Gennaro Feast Committee  special thanks

Also Known As:

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:18A (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 (re-rating) | France:-16 (original rating) | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:16 (1977) | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (1993) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Argentina:18 | Iceland:16 | Canada:R (DVD rating) | Brazil:16 | UK:18 (video rating) (1992) (1993) (2005) | UK:18 (video rating: DVD audio commentary) (2005) | Australia:R (video rating) | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | UK:18 (tv rating)

Filming Locations:

Belmont, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

Clearing the songs for use in the film ended up being approximately half of its budget.

Goofs:

Continuity: During one of the pool scenes, balls disappear and change position between cuts.

Quotes:

[referring to his epileptic cousin Teresa]
Johnny Boy:I always wondered what happens when she comes. Does she have a fit?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Next Scorsese (2006)

Soundtrack:

RUBBER BISCUIT

early Scorsese masterpiece

Mean Streets was a brilliant early film by Martin Scorsese. It was his first ever collaboration with Robert DeNiro. Their very successful partnership has produced some of the best movies ever made: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and Casino. It also helped launch Harvey Keitel to stardom.

Keitel as Charlie and DeNiro as Johnny Boy deliver great performances. Scorsese's direction is strong. Even close to 30 years ago, these three men show the talent which would eventually place them among the very best in the business. Scorsese uses a great selection of popular music in Mean Streets and that has become a trademark of his.

Mean Streets easily ranks with Scorsese's best. 9/10