History Film / ABronxTale

* TooDumbToLive: [[spoiler:C's friends were so stupid with the Molotovs that they deserved to die for that alone, aside from all their other racist Jerk Assery. One idiot started ''smoking'' in the car with the Molotovs in his lap and at his feet, which was dumb enough that he's called out for it by the others. Then, Mario decides to ''roll'' a cocktail through the club door instead of throwing it so it will explode on impact. The gives one of the men inside the chance to pick it up and toss it back at the punks' car]].

The story begins in the Belmont section of the Bronx (a borough of UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity) in 1960. The main character is Calogero Anello, the nine-year-old son of Lorenzo Anello (De Niro), a poor second generation Italian-American who drives a bus in New York's mass transit system for a living. This lets the Anello family scratch out a living, but although Calogero loves his father and is treated to sermons from his father about both how to live an honest life and how "the saddest thing in life is wasted talent," the man Calogero really admires is Sonny [=LoSpecchio=] (Palminteri), the tough and intelligent mobster who runs the neighborhood and is rapidly shooting up the ranks of TheMafia.

''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 film directed by/starring Creator/RobertDeNiro and written by/starring Chazz Palminteri, based on the latter's own childhood experiences. The film is a touching, heartbreaking ComingOfAgeStory... with gangsters. Bear with us, it's ''way'' better than it sounds from description line.

''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 film directed by/starring Creator/RobertDeNiro and written by/starring Chazz Palminteri, based on the latter's own childhood experiences. The film is a touching, heartbreaking ComingOfAgeStory... with gangsters. Bear with us, it's ''way'' better than it sounds from that first line.

''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 film directed by/starring Creator/RobertDeNiro and written by/starring Chazz Palminteri, based on the latter's own childhood experiences. The film is a touching, heartbreaking coming of age story... with gangsters. Bear with us, it's ''way'' better than it sounds from that first line.

The story begins in the Belmont section of the Bronx (a borough of UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity) in 1960. The main character is Calogero Anello, the nine year old son of Lorenzo Anello (played by De Niro), a poor second generation Italian-American who drives a bus in New York's mass transit system for a living. This lets the Anello family scratch out a living, but although Calogero loves his father and is treated to sermons from his father about both how to live an honest life and how "the saddest thing in life is wasted talent," the man Calogero really admires is Sonny [=LoSpecchio=] (Palminteri), the tough and intelligent mobster who runs the neighborhood and is rapidly shooting up the ranks of TheMafia.

* AdaptationExpansion: Chazz Palminteri (who plays Sonny) originally wrote this as a one man play, and still performs it at times.

* LonelyAtTheTop: Sonny is well aware that everyone in the neighborhood, including his crew, treats him so great either out of fear or personal gain. [[spoiler:The only people who show genuine sadness at his wake are C, Mush, and Lorenzo.]]

* MachiavelliWasWrong: Sonny seems to be one of the only movie villains who actually ''understands'' Machiavelli and the advice he gave. Sonny read ''Literature/ThePrince'' in prison and takes its lessons to heart: Be feared, but not hated, treat your men well, but not so well they do not need you, it is best to be loved and feared at the same time, but is very difficult to do it, etc. Sonny and C [[LampshadeHanging openly discuss the question]] of whether it is better to be feared or loved. The way Sonny smiles when C asks the question shows how much he likes the kid. However, the film explores potential problems with Machiavelli's advice. [[spoiler:Most notably, Sonny is a believer in staying close to the neighborhood, the way Machiavelli recommends remaining close to a conquered territory in order to quickly deal with problems before they can snowball and become major issues. This does work, but it also makes it easy for someone to walk up to him in a crowded bar and shoot him in the head.]] Overall, his advice would have worked perfectly if ''nobody'' hated Sonny. Unfortunately for him, [[spoiler:killing people tends to inspire their next of kin to seek revenge.]]

* TestingTheLoveInterest: Two versions are brought up, one by Crazy Mario and one by Sonny. Both require a car, but the first involves the guy taking the girl's head when someone is driving next to them and shoving it in his lap. The driver then honks his horn to get the other driver's attention and make the girl aware they're being watched. If the girl doesn't object, so Mario reasons, then she's clearly a slut and should be dumped. Sonny's test is a lot more sane; open one of the car doors for the girl, then walk around the back and see if she'll automatically open the door on the other side for her boyfriend. If she doesn't, so the gangster reasons, then the girl is a selfish broad and should be dumped. [[spoiler: C uses that particular test with his new girlfriend, and she passes.]]

* TooDumbToLive: [[spoiler:C's friends were so stupid with the Molotovs that they deserved to die for that alone, aside from all their other racist Jerk Assery. Notably, Mario decides to ''roll'' a cocktail through the club door instead of throwing it so it will explode on impact. The gives one of the men inside the chance to pick it up and toss it back at the punks' car]].

* PragmaticVillainy: Sonny exhibits this a number of times, and is frustrated that no one else seems to catch on to the importance of it. One example is that Sonny was the only one who was willing to do business with the Black Gangs, while the more racist mobsters want nothing to do with them.

* GenreSavvy: The biker gang leader, after telling Sonny to piss off, notices Sonny locking the door: while the other bikers are laughing about it, there's obvious concern on his face. Something about this is not right. He's right -- see OhCrap below.

* BerzerkButton: Sonny will ''not'' tolerate any disrespect: towards himself or his neighborhood.

* CoversAlwaysLie[=/=]NeverTrustATrailer: Both the VHS/DVD cover and the trailer overplay the Sonny/Lorenzo conflict, and make it seem like the entire film is a face to face confrontation between the two. They share two scenes, and one of those lasts about 30 seconds. Calogero also notes that his father and Sonny never spoke once during the TimeSkip.
** Thematically though it is the conflict. They just never square off or confront each other.

* AxCrazy: C's friend Mario, who is even called Crazy Mario in the neighborhood.

* ButForMeItWasTuesday: At the end of the film, Sonny [[spoiler:is shot by the son of the man he murdered in front of C]], long after he, and the audience, had forgotten about it.

* TooDumbToLive: [[spoiler:C's friends were so stupid with the Molotovs that they deserved to die for that alone, aside from all their other racist Jerk Assery]].

* SomeOfMyBestFriendsAre: Lorenzo tells C he isn't prejudiced, noting how he gets along great with the black people who ride his bus. C calls b.s. on that since the fact Lorenzo is uncomfortable with mixed marriage proves he has some prejudice.

* AntiVillain: Sonny, of course.

* DoNotCallMePaul: Calogero gets the nickname "C" from Sonny and ends up being called that by everyone, except his father, who will not do it. And Jane, who likes "Calogero" better.

* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Count the number of times you hear C explain, "They called him [X] because..."

* BerserkButton: Don't mess with C or try to be a bad influence to him. Sonny will make you pay.