A Bronx Tale (1993)

A father becomes worried when a local gangster befriends his son in the Bronx in the 1960s.

Director:

Robert De Niro

Writers:

Chazz Palminteri (screenplay by), Chazz Palminteri (based on his play)

Stars:

Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, Lillo Brancato

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert De Niro	...	Lorenzo
Chazz Palminteri	...	Sonny
Lillo Brancato	...	Calogero (Age 17)
Francis Capra	...	Calogero (Age 9)
Taral Hicks	...	Jane
Kathrine Narducci	...	Rosina
Clem Caserta	...	Jimmy Whispers
Alfred Sauchelli Jr.	...	Bobby Bars
Frank Pietrangolare	...	Danny K.O.
Joe Pesci	...	Carmine
Robert D'Andrea	...	Tony Toupee
Eddie Montanaro	...	Eddie Mush
Fred Fischer	...	JoJo the Whale
Dave Salerno	...	Frankie Coffeecake
Joseph D'Onofrio	...	Slick (Age 17)

Storyline

The Bronx, New York, 1960. 9-year-old Calogero grows up admiring and fascinated by the local mob boss, Sonny. Calogero's father, Lorenzo, wants to have nothing to do with the mob and does his best to keep his son away from Sonny and mob business. However, it may prove a losing battle.

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Plot Keywords:

bus driver | italian american | father son relationship | year 1960 | burnt body | 

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Taglines:

One man lives in the neighborhood, another man owns it. A devoted father battles the local crime boss for the life of his son.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and several scenes of violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some scenes were filmed at William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City.

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Goofs

When Lorenzo and Rosalina talk on the fire escape about the numbers job, Lorenzo leans forward twice.

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Quotes

Lorenzo: Sometimes in the heat of passion, the little head tells the big head what to do, and the big head should think twice about what you are doing.

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Connections

Referenced in Mike & Mike: Episode dated 23 August 2016 (2016)

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Soundtracks

Don't You Know?
Written by Bobby Worth
Performed by Della Reese
Published by Alexis Music, Inc.
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Music

User Reviews

In life, there's no such thing as heroes or villains but idols

A Bronx Tale tells the story of a boy growing up in the Bronx that must face tough decisions between a mobster and his father the working man. Robert De Niro, in his directorial debut, shows an inside view of the mafia in the neighborhood and how an individual child idolize them just like the way the film GoodFellas showed how a kid wanted to be a gangster.

Chazz Palminteri plays Sonny, the kingpin in the neighborhood, who is not only a feared man in the Bronx but also kills a man in the streets and Lorenzo's (Robert De Niro) son, Colgero, is the witness. Lorenzo's son doesn't rat on anybody and Sonny considers the kid an okay person where he'll take care of him like a father would for his son if he does certain favors that would make Lorenzo uncomfortable.

Colgero sees different point of views from his two "fathers" where Lorenzo, his real father, is an honest bus driver who likes what he does in making a living prior to standing by in his codes of morality while Colgero sees Sonny as something of a hero since he's not a sucker like those who have to wait for bum paychecks where all he does is make a living by either killing or stealing where having power makes a man.

As Colgero grows into a teenager in the 60's, both his real father (Lorenzo) and his idol (Sonny) want the best for him with different standards and don't want to see him in the wrong direction. At the same time Colgero falls in love with a woman, a young black girl, at his high school where interracial relationships is consider a no-no to both the black community and the Italian neighborhood. It doesn't bother Colgero one bit while asking both his father and idol for advice where he's growing up to be a man.

"A Bronx Tale" is not only a life lesson movie, but a coming of age story where not only does Colgero witness everything in front of him from death to prejudice but it's about how two men from separate worlds want the best for this kid.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

1 October 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Bronx Tale

Filming Locations:

4408 30th Avenue, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,716,456, 3 October 1993

Gross USA:

$17,287,898

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,287,898

Company Credits

Production Co:

Price Entertainment, Penta Entertainment, Tribeca Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1