Who's That Knocking at My Door? (1967)

Who's That Knocking At My Door is the directorial debut for Martin Scorsese, who also wrote the screenplay for this independent film. J.R. (Harvey Keitel) and his teenage pals hang around their neighborhood in New York's Little Italy. The boys pass their time drinking, cruising and picking up "broads" for sex while aspiring to a married life to the stereotypical virginal "good girl." On the Staten Island Ferry, he meets an educated, well spoken cinema buff (Zina Bethune). When she makes an amorous pass at J.R., he is shocked by her forward behavior. He and his buddies run off to a small town, where the loutish urbanites are uncomfortable out of their element. A remorseful J.R. tries to patch things up with the girl, who was the victim of rape earlier in her life. She rejects J.R. and ends the relationship because of his immaturity and mood swings. To satisfy the people who bankrolled the project, Harvey Keitel was flown to Holland where Scorsese was making an advertisement. A gratuitous sex scene was filmed with Ann Colette as part of an erotic dream sequence. Scorsese hated the end result of this forced insertion. He would go on to become one of America's best cinematographers in the years to follow. Harvey Keitel would also become a highly sought after actor in many films.