The Watching Hour: Bugsy Malone

United Kingdom, 1976, 93 Minute Running Time
Genre/Subjects: Archival, Family Friendly, Gangster, Musical
Language: English

35mm presentation - In this unique mobster movie, Scott Baio heads up a prepubescent cast as the title character, a child gangster determined to rule over New York City. Instead of throwing fists or bullets, the Prohibition-era kiddie mobsters sling confections at one another. When Bugsy learns that a rival gang has developed a secret weapon capable of firing sweets as quick as a machine gun shoots bullets, he sets out to heist the high-tech tart-launcher. BUGSY MALONE, director Alan Parker's first feature, cleverly spoofs the rich, cliché-ridden history of films about organized crime while lightly mocking the childlike, selfish traits of grown-ups. The engaging silliness is periodically spirited forward by several song-and-dance numbers composed by bubblegum pop maestro Paul Williams.

DIRECTOR: Alan Parker
Principal Cast: Scott Baio, Jodie Foster, Florrie Dugger, John Cassisi
US Distributor: Paramount Pictures