Mean Streets (1973)

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers:

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

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 | Epilepsy | New York City | New York | Bar

Awards:

2 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 (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

Also Known As:

Season of the Witch (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

112 min | Spain:107 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Glen Glenn Sound)

Certification:

Hong Kong:III | Argentina:18 | Iceland:16 | Canada:R (DVD rating) | Brazil:16 | 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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Taplin - Perry - Scorsese Productions

Trivia:

The voice over narration in the opening of the movie ("You don't make up for your sins in Church; you do it on the street; everything else is bullshit and you know it...") is actually not said by Harvey Keitel (the character we are intended to believe is thinking these thoughts), but director Martin Scorsese. Scorsese felt that using a separate voice to make the distinction between Keitel's thoughts and actions was necessary. Scorsese borrowed this technique from Federico Fellini, who used it in I vitelloni (1953).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Charlie is in the back seat of Michael's car (after the bar shooting scene), his audio is slightly off.

Quotes:

Tony DeVienazo: Stay out of my place, I know your face!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HBO First Look: The Departed: Facing a Loaded Gun (#13.15)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

I MET HIM ON A SUNDAY

For Most Directors This Would Be Their Peak... For Scorsese It's a START!

MEAN STREETS (4+ outta 5 stars)

Maybe the film doesn't look like so much these days... since most of the story techniques, film stylings and intense performances have been re-done and over-done to the point of cliche... but when I first saw this movie... WHAM! I was blown away! And, now having seen it some half a dozen or more times, I still find it riveting... the dialogue, the camerawork, the way music is utilized... just brilliant! Martin Scorsese directs the first big, big film for Harvey Keitel and Robert DeNiro... they all did great work here... and, incredibly, got even BETTER as years went by. Keitel plays the good Catholic who feels the need to look out for crazy psycho punk Johnny Boy (DeNiro) who is in debt to every loan shark in town... and shows no signs of paying any of them back. Fabulous quotes galore... most of them laden with profanity: "I f*** you right where you breathe!" "What's a mook?" "You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bulls*** and you know it."