“Mean Streets” follows the story of Charlie Cappa (Harvey Keitel), a middling figure in his uncle’s organized crime outfit in the impoverished streets of Little Italy. “You don’t make up for your sins in a church,” Charlie narrates to start the film, “You do it on the streets.”
Scorsese and cinematographer Kent Wakeford team to perfection in showcasing the grit and decay of 1970’s New York. The era is marvelously entombed with the story taking place on the darkened streets, shadow filled alleys, and seedy lounges and backrooms of the city in a time before the prevalence of guns in which fisticuffs were the preferred go to method for settling disputes. The representation is so surreal you’ll get goose bumps as you watch.
Charlie goes through the usual motions of a young man looking to advance in the family business. His hesitance comes from an unwelcomed conscious that attempts to steer him to the teachings of the Roman Catholic church, and to his best friend Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro) a hot headed wildcard with a short fuse and a large breadth of gambling debts dispersed to various thugs around the city.
The balancing act for Charlie goes a step further, as it includes keeping true to the honor of the code of the streets, and to his uncle’s illicit business.
Keeping to just over two hours is a shocker from Scorsese, a man who has made a career of single scenes that can run nearly as long. Scorsese’s usual style of Italian family issues, professional criminals, and tough characters is there, along with a set of rudimentary credits that open the story with a great song playing. With name placards on the screen to identify the main cast and stars before they were stars, “Mean Streets” is almost akin to an indy film, and its all the better for it.
“Mean Streets” will blow you away with the performance of its cast. De Niro is one of my all time favorite actors, and manages to keep his larger than life presence subdued enough in the supporting role of Johnny Boy to let Keitel shine. The affinity between the two is one of the best on screen relationships I have ever witnessed. Charlie is a calm and cool leader. Johnny Boy is a walking catastrophe and ticking time bomb.
The friendship the two have is genuine. One scene depicts Charlie chastising Johnny Boy for wasting money at a bar just minutes after a dangerous loan shark had come looking for him. Though no blood relation, Charlie treats Johnny Boy like a best friend and a brother. I watched the scene three times.
The supporting cast is masterful as well. The great Richard Romanus – a career character actor for mafia type roles – plays the loan shark Michael. “The Sopranos“ alum Tony Proval fits perfectly as Charlie’s friend Tony, who owns the pub where much of the story takes place.
And though only in one scene, George Memmoli is unforgettable as Joey, a typical shady character who brings new meaning to the word slimeball. Each member of the cast is a perfect fit. The story is ripe with dialogue and Scorsese put together a host of talent that knows how to deliver it.
“Mean Streets” is a classic film, and one that can be appreciated less so for the plot than the presentation. It’s an intellectual man movie – but a man movie nonetheless.
by – Matt Christopher
