Mean Streets

Mean Streets is a 1973 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and cowritten by Scorsese and Mardik Martin. The film stars Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro. It was released by Warner Bros. on October 2, 1973. De Niro won the National Society of Film Critics award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as John Johnny Boy Civello.

Charlie Harvey Keitel is a young ItalianAmerican man who is trying to move up in the local New York Mafia but is hampered by his feeling of responsibility towards his reckless younger friend Johnny Boy Robert De Niro, a smalltime gambler who owes money to many loan sharks. Charlie works for his uncle Giovanni Cesare Danova, the local caporegime, mostly collecting debts. He is also having a secret affair with Johnny Boys cousin Teresa Amy Robinson, who has epilepsy and is ostracized because of her conditionespecially by Charlies uncle. Charlies uncle, a dignified man who takes his role as caporegime seriously, also wants Charlie not to be such close friends with Johnny, saying Honorable men go with honorable men.Charlie is torn between his devout Catholicism and his Mafia ambitions. As the film progresses, Johnny becomes increasingly selfdestructive and disrespectful of his creditors. Failing to receive redemption in the church, Charlie seeks it through sacrificing himself on Johnnys behalf. ........

Source: Wikipedia