Bugsy Malone (1976)

The classic gangster story of Bugsy Malone told with an all child cast.

Director:

Alan Parker

Writer:

Alan Parker

Stars:

Scott Baio, Florrie Dugger, Jodie Foster

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Scott Baio	...	Bugsy
Florrie Dugger	...	Blousey
Jodie Foster	...	Tallulah
John Cassisi	...	Fat Sam
Martin Lev	...	Dandy Dan
Paul Murphy	...	Leroy Smith
Sheridan Earl Russell	...	Knuckles (as Sheridan Russell)
Albin 'Humpty' Jenkins	...	Fizzy (as 'Humpty' Albin Jenkins)
Paul Chirelstein	...	Smolsky
Andrew Paul	...	O'Dreary
Davidson Knight	...	Cagey Joe
Michael Jackson	...	Razamataz
Jeff Stevenson	...	Louis (as Jeffrey Stevens)
Peter Holder	...	Ritzy
Donald Waugh	...	Snake Eyes

Storyline

A gangster movie where all the gangsters are played by children. Instead of real bullets they use "splurge guns" that cover the victim in cream. The story tells of the rise of "Bugsy Malone" and the battle for power between "Fat Sam" and "Dandy Dan".

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Plot Keywords:

gangster | new york city | children | dance | mugging | 

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Taglines:

Every year brings a great movie. Every decade a great movie musical!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Family | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

15 September 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Anilikoi rififides (Bagsy Malone)

Filming Locations:

Black Park Country Park, Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 7,681,000 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rank Organisation, The, Goodtimes Enterprises, Bugsy Malone Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (35 mm optical prints) 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The splurge guns did not actually fire the "splurge". Director Alan Parker first tried wax balls filled with cream but these hurt when fired, so in the end the splurge guns actually fired ping pong balls, which the actors fired at nothing and what we see on-screen is clever editing between this and shots of actors being hit by handfuls of cream thrown at them by others.

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Goofs

When Blousey and Bugsy are queuing up for the audition for the Lady Marley show, the girl behind her comes on before Blousey, even though she was behind Blousey.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Fat Sam: Someone once said, "If it was raining brains, Roxy Robinson wouldn't even get wet." Roxy had spent his whole life making two and two into five, but he could smell trouble like other people could smell gas. But believe you's me, he should've never taken that blind alley by the side of Parido's Bakery. Whatever game it was everybody was playing, sure as eggs is eggs, Roxy the Weasel had been scrambled.

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Connections

Featured in Empire: The World's Best Movie Quiz (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Fat Sam's Grand Slam"
(uncredited)
Written by Paul Williams

User Reviews

Very innovative considering it's from 1976!

I think this is an excellent movie...good clean fun and there isn't near enough of that on the screen these days! I love the music, (I have always liked Paul Williams' music) the dancing, the kids AND the pedal cars! All in all a great movie. Great costuming, too. It's hard to get pre-pubescent girls to look like vamps but those costumes did a lot in that direction.

The only part that I didn't like was the "Fat Sam" character whose "New Yawk" accent was just a little bit overdone. But I think they did a little play on that when Fat Sam said the word "personally" & Tallulah was making fun of his pronunciation!

It's a shame more of these kids didn't go on to become stars. Maybe their acting wasn't top notch but some of those faces were "wow"! Scott Biao & Jodie Foster are the only two who seem to have went anywhere with their talents.

Fair warning: The "Michael Jackson" in this movie is not the "Michael Jackson" formerly of "The Jackson Five" & known for his "Thriller" video & "other things". It's a totally different person.