A Bronx Tale, BBC 2, 11.30,

Released 1993, written by Chazz Palmaterri directed by Robert De Niro and starring Robert De Niro and Chazz Palmaterrri.

It’s 1960 in the Bronx and everything is Italian. Lorenzo Anello (Robert De Niro) drives a city bus for a living. His son Calogero (Francis Capro, aged 9) sometimes jumps on and accompanies him, to chat about baseball and be with his dad. But he’s a smart kid. When his dad drops him off and waits until he goes upstairs to the apartment they live in Calogero takes a detour and into the saloon on the ground floor and basement where all that happens in the neighbour happens. The camera pans through the saloon as Calogero introduces us to each character. Sitting on the sidewalk Calagero explains that although Sonny (Chazz Palmatteri) the local kapo has ten fingers he only used three and he showed how Sonny used them to make his point and push them into people’s chests to belittle and remind them who was boss. When Sonny shoots dead a man wielding a baseball bat Calogero sitting on the sidewalk sees it all. The police call him to an identity parade in which all the mobsters from the bar he knows well are lined up outside. Calagero doesn’t rat; Sonny walks and the boy is a made man. Loranzo explains to his son he did a good thing for a bad man, which isn’t good. Sonny is no less philosophical and likes having the kid around and adopts him a surrogate son, which Lorenzo doesn’t like. Fast forward eight years. Calogero, now aged 17 and looking remarkable like a young De Niro (Lillo Broncato)when he is in Sonny’s company is christened the more manageable ‘C’ and is part of the gang. Sonny runs the neighbourhood, but it’s no longer the same. Blacks go to the local school and Hell’s Angels pass through growling in their colours and motorbikes. The senior mob deal with the latter; the junior mob, of fledgling gangsters deal with the former by beating them up. ‘C’ wants no part of this. He’s got a date and attracted to an Jane Williams (Tara Hicks) an African American girl he first spotted while riding on his father’s bus. What makes this film so attractive is Sonny as the paternal figure who quotes Machiavelli and gives ‘C’ tips about being his own man and finding out how to spot that special girl. Of course it will all end in tears. These old Italians always do. They cry and beg forgiveness, even as they’re shooting you. The cars, the neighbourhood, the clothes, the music, it’s all there. What’s not to like? Capisce?