Published via Ecency

(source:tmdb.org)

It could be argued that the 1970s represented the zenith of creative freedom in the world’s cinema because many strange, bizarre and sometimes even dangerous ideas found their way to be represented on screen like never before and never again. A gangster film with a cast made entirely of children is one of these ideas, and it was realised by British director Alan Parker in Bugsy Malone, his feature film debut.

The plot is set in 1929 New York and the title character, played by Scott Baio, is a penniless boxing promoter. He might have problems with finances, but he is good with the ladies and this becomes apparent when he comes to the speakeasy bar run by his friend, gang boss Fat Sam (played by John Cassisi). He sees Blousey Brown (played by Florrie Dugger), an aspiring singer seeking a job there, and falls in love with her. Their romance is sabotaged by Tallulah (played by Jodie Foster), Fat Sam’s girlfriend and main singer, who likes to flirt with Bugsy. Meanwhile, Fat Sam is involved in an escalating war with rival mob boss Dandy Dan (played by Martin Lev).

Whether the audience will accept or reject Bugsy Malone depends on how seriously one takes the basic premise. There will be some viewers who might be troubled by the sight of children being dressed up like adults, made up like adults, talking like adults or acting like adults—or at least, adults in the classic Hollywood 1930s gangster films this film tries to spoof. There are likely some viewers who will be troubled by the sight of pre-pubescent girls dressed up like showgirls. Mercifully, Parker discards seriousness by making Bugsy Malone a musical. After that, it is easier to interpret this film as nothing more than children’s play in which children simply try to have some fun mimicking adults. This effect is further achieved by replacing “Tommy Guns” with so-called “splurt guns” that fire whipped cream instead of bullets and having protagonists drive 1920s “toy” cars that use pedals instead of a motor. It mostly works as a joke, but this is not enough for feature-length and after a while all those “clever” scenes become slightly repetitive. The film also suffers because of its children’s cast, which is by definition inexperienced, and it is hardly surprising that only Baio and Foster (who delivers the only truly memorable performance) continued their professional careers as adults. The general impression is saved by a likeable musical score and songs by Paul Williams, although the use of adult singers for the child actors to lip-synch to is rather awkward. Despite these flaws, Bugsy Malone was relatively successful, earning a Golden Globe nomination and later gaining a sort of cult status as well as various stage adaptations.

RATING: 5/10 (++)