Bugsy Malone (1976)
Movie Info
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Cast
as Bugsy
as Tallulah
as Blousey
as Fat Sam
as Leroy
as Fizzy
as Dandy Dan
as Knuckles
as Knuckles
as Smolsky
as Yonkers
as Doodle
as Bronx Charlie
as Velma
as Angelo
as Snake Eyes
as Ritzy
as Fizzy
as Benny
as Shoulders
as Razamataz
as O'Dreary
as Bangles
as Baby Face
as Benny Lee
as Velma
as Louis
as Laughing Boy
as Dancer
as Jackson
as Lena Marelli
as Producer
as Assistant
as Louella
as Barman
as Roxy Robinson
as Sarsaparilla Man
as Ballet Dancer
as Lorretta
Critic Reviews for Bugsy Malone
All Critics (18) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (3) | DVD (2)
Bugsy Malone is like nothing else. It's an original, a charming one, and it has yet another special performance by Jodie Foster, who at thirteen was already getting the roles that grown-up actresses complained weren't being written for women anymore.
Parker's script is as sharp as a wiseguy's suit, his attention to period and genre detail a constant joy, and he coaxes scarily poised performances from his young performers.
This original concept, a gangster musical spoof with all the roles played by children (Jodie Foster among them), never found its audience, but it's worth checking out.
Jodie Foster stars in goofy kid mobster movie.
The songs and set pieces are still fresh and infectious and most of the child cast are mesmerisingly good. I defy anyone not to be caught up in the charm and nostalgia.
There's little here that delivers even the bare minimum for a musical or a comedy
Audience Reviews for Bugsy Malone
Two rival gangsters battle for turf and a new, strategically important armament during the Prohibition Era -- a cliche if the entire cast weren't children. It's a great idea: children playing the parts of hard-hearted gangsters implies that many of plots of the classic gangster films depend upon adults' childish behavior. The idea spoofs gangster movies perhaps in the way that Prizzi's Honor intended, and making the film a musical only adds to the film's conceit. And the film deals with gangster violence creatively: director Alan Parker couldn't have a child version of Joe Pesci stabbing the hell out of somebody with his mother's kitchen knife without significant ethical problems with the depiction of children and violence. So he had the tommy guns fire cream pies. Genius. And fun. The problem, however, is that the plot falls apart in the second act. Fat Sam is losing his turf war, and he ends up recruiting the lower classes to stockpile his army, but these characters come out of nowhere. Blousey - a character who would've been better played by Jodie Foster - and Bugsy's courtship fails to compel because her rejection of him comes off as entitled and bitchy. Also, the music is all lip syched with the voices provided by adults. This is the beginning of the film dropping its intelligent conceit, a denigration that is made complete during the final shootout. By the end of the film, it has broken all its own rules, and I couldn't help but feel quite disappointed. Overall, it's a great idea, but a great idea can only carry a film so far.
Super Reviewer
A smartly made musical set at the time of absolute depression. All the cast are children and Bugsy Malone is one of the few films in which child actors I believe should win or at least be nominated for great acting achievment awards.
Super Reviewer
Good kiddie-gangster-musical flick as what I see is how do we show killing and brutal acts of violence - only bring out the custard pies and cream-firing splurge guns of course! Genius! This is a spoof of gangster films and film noir where all the roles of the gangsters, flappers, bartenders and hitmen are played by child actors at over aged 12. The outstanding presence though is that of post-Taxi Driver Jodie Foster, who swans through the film as showgirl Tallulah looking vastly more experienced and world-wise than her amateur co-stars. Writer-director Alan Parker should be applauded for creating such an accessible tongue-in-cheek take on the topic that usually makes for the murkiest, most un-child-friendly film. Definitely enjoyable for the young and old alike, and perfectly played out in period costume and setting.
Super Reviewer
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