MEAN STREETS

year: 1973 cast: Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, Robert Romanus, David Proval rating: *****

MEAN STREETS is to mob films what AMERICAN GRAFFITI is to college: none of the characters, twenty-somethings hanging around New York, are in the mafia (like in director Martin Scorsese’s latter classic GOODFELLAS), but could be on their way. Harvey Keitel plays Charlie, who lives to know everyone. His uncle is a Mafioso and Charlie only sees the inner-workings like a kid staring through a peephole.

David Proval is Tony, a friendly but tough guy who owns the local hangout bar, providing an essential baseline. Robert Romanus is Michael, a nickle shyster and the only one with real potential at becoming a full-time goon. And Robert De Niro is a freewheeling, troublesome small-time hood named Johnny, who's basically Michael’s thesis: the longer Johnny owes, the tougher Michael gets.

The only real plot is that Charlie will do anything to keep helping Johnny out of the hole; yet Johnny likes the hole just fine… leading to an intense climax in one of the greatest indie films of the '70s and Martin Scorsese’s first real thrust as a groundbreaking filmmaker.

KEVIN CORRIGAN on how MEAN STREETS inspired his GOODFELLAS role

Since I was 13, I loved MEAN STREETS, and my favorite characters were always the long haired kids from Riverdale looking to buy fireworks and the gay guys who hitch a ride with Michael after the shoot-out in Tony's bar. 

Small roles, but great, funny, memorable scenes. 

When GOODFELLAS came along, I knew it was my chance to be like those guys. I was very lucky to get that opportunity. 

Firecracker customers from Riverdale

HARRY NORTHUP on his part as Jerry the Vietnam Vet in MEAN STREETS

Scorsese gave me the part of Jerry in “Mean Streets.” In the script, Jerry was given a homecoming party. He was wearing a suit in that scene. He was given a good time & then he fell over drunk, face-first into his cake. 

I told Marty that I would like to have Jerry dressed in a uniform. That way I could stand out from the others. I had heard Marty being interviewed & he had said, “Violence always erupts in the background.” 

This was in line with my conception of my character. I told Marty that while all these guys were philosophizing – “Art thou King of the Jews?” & “I come to bring order” – I’ll turn their picnic into a nightmare. 

I said that I will destroy the cake that they have given me, rip up the tables & attack a chick. Marty loved it. 

Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro and David Proval stuck at a light

AND NOW THE STYLINGS OF RICHARD ROMANUS AND HIS BROTHER ROBERT ROMANUS