Early Scorsese Crime Drama That Gives The Godfather’s Vibes Is Easily His Best

Known as the industry’s acclaimed giant, Martin Scorsese made his name synonymous with quality movies of all genres. His masterpieces include psychological thrillers Taxi Driver (1976) and Shutter Island (2010), crime drama Goodfellas (1990) and last year’s Western hit Killers of the Flower Moon.

However, even if you think that Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle is literally you, you may have missed Scorsese’s earlier work that also deserves your attention. This unfairly forgotten 1973 drama can beat his most popular films by its rewatchability and overall greatness.

If you think it’s just another movie about mobs confronting other mobs, don’t be misguided. Indeed, the main character Charlie is not as powerful and confident as brutal protagonists of typical crime flicks, the truth is that he has his own Achilles' heel.

Charlie’s seemingly comfortable position as a nephew of a powerful mafioso is troubled by his relationship with an epileptic girl, who is rejected by his family. Besides, he spends lots of time with his reckless gambling friend Johnny Boy, who owes a fortune to loan sharks.

Following the duo’s attempts to find a way out of the mafia’s showdowns and to come out clean, this movie gives an unprecedented insight on how the crime world is built.

Besides, it is the Godfather-like setting that makes this flick more convincing and captivating. Set in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York, it has the head of the gang being reminiscent of Michael Corleone and adds to its mobs some southern charm.

If you’re a fan of buddy comedies like Russell Crowe’s Ryan Gosling ’s The Nice Guys (2016), you should also give Scorsese’s gem a try. The obvious chemistry between the Charlie and Johnny Boy actors is enhanced by crisp dialogues and top-notch jokes they deliver, but it doesn’t interfere with the movie’s deep dramatical aspect.

Titled Mean Streets, this 94%-rated crime movie stars Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro in his first collaboration with Scorsese. Its atmosphere, setting and soundtrack later inspired a lot of filmmakers, including Paul Thomas Anderson and Quentin Tarantino.

Therefore, instead of rewatching Taxi Driver and Goodfellas, you can check out this hidden treasure of a crime film, as Mean Streets is available for streaming on Prime.