A perfect pairing of sound & vision. Johnny Boy & The Rolling Stones.

Charlie (Harvey Keitel) is a man on the edge of organised crime. He's level headed and cool under pressure. Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro) is his wannabe gangster best friend who constantly has him on edge. Johnny's a firecracker and capable of literally anything. Because of him Charlie can't even relax and have a drink in his local. Look at his face when Johnny walks in to the sound of Jumpin' Jack Flash, arms around two women and in full on jack the lad mode. The red light in the bar matches Charlie's mood, the slow pan along the bar mimicking the feeling of impending doom that he always has around his friend. Another friend Tony ( David Proval who played Richie Aprile in The Sopranos ) laughing away to himself because he knows how things end up around Johnny.

That famous guitar riff kicking off the pan. It's just perfect ain't it. The first outing for what would become Scorsese's signature style. Slo-mo, music and moody surroundings. So perfect that it's a scene he has re-used again and again throughout his career, Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed etc. This scene also marked the first time he used a song by The Rolling Stones in his films. It's a pairing that has proved to be fruitful to both parties.

Watch the scene below.



It's great when you can pinpoint the second someone's career kicks off into overdrive ain't it. Robert De Niro had been in a few films already but this scene is the moment people started really taking notice of him. Harvey Keitel might have the lead but it's De Niro's Johnny Boy who steals the show. This film was released in 1973. In 1974 he played young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part 2 and that was that. A star was born.

Previous Parts

Watership Down
Casablanca
Zodiac
Jackie Brown
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Deliverance
The Omen
Copland
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Once More With Feeling
The Mission
Before Sunset
Carlito's Way
A Knight's Tale
Platoon
Before Sunrise
Rushmore
An American Werewolf In London
Dazed And Confused
Boogie Nights
Raging Bull
Almost Famous
Once Upon A Time In The West
Goodfellas
Last Of The Mohicans