Inexplicably beloved,
especially by European fans, this bizarre family film is a musical homage to
’30s gangster movies that stars a cast of children whose singing voices are
dubbed by adults. Befitting the juvenile cast, certain elements of criminal
culture are softened, so instead of shooting each other with bullets, the
crooks blast each other with “splurge guns,” which shoot gobs of whipped cream.
Similarly, drivers propel cars by pushing bicycle pedals. Yet instead of
completely reimagining the universe of old James Cagney flicks in order to suit
kids, writer-director Alan Parker simply slots juveniles into adult clothes and
situations. So, for instance, star Scott Baio wears pinstriped suits, and
costar Jodie Foster, playing a bad girl, walks around with feather boas and
whorish makeup.
The weirdest aspect of the movie, however, is how straight
Parker plays the material. Even though he includes campy dialogue and goofy
slapstick, Parker employs such a painterly visual quality that if adults
occupied the evocative frames instead of children, Bugsy Malone would seem positively dour. The same is true of the
picture’s musical aspect. One of the best songs, “Tomorrow,” is the lament of
an African-American janitor upset that a nightclub owner won’t allow the
janitor to audition for a dancing job. This is kid stuff? Why any of this
seemed like a good idea is a mystery, and why Parker considered himself suited
to preteen entertainment is equally incomprehensible. Lest we forget, the man’s
next movie was the brutal prison drama Midnight
Express (1978), wherein Parker proved more adept with rape
scenes than with “splurge guns.”
Nonetheless, given Bugsy Malone’s cult-favorite status and the impressive credentials
the movie accrued during its original release—including a Golden Globe
nomination for Best Picture (Musical/Comedy)—it’s clear that many viewers have
discovered virtues in Parker’s oddball endeavor. Presumably, much of the
affection fans feel toward Bugsy Malone
stems from the unique gifts of tunesmith Paul Williams. Williams’ Bugsy Malone
numbers range from perfunctory musical-theater songs to standouts including
“Tomorrow” and the ballad “Ordinary Fool.” Hearing these songs delivered
by adult singers reveals that Williams was operating at a more sophisticated
level than the movie itself. Other points of interest include the presence of Baio,
who transitioned from this movie to a lengthy run as streetwise kid Chachi
Arcola in the TV series Happy Days,
and that of the incomparable Foster, whose other 1976 releases included Freaky Friday and Taxi Driver.
Bugsy Malone: FUNKY
As a child this movie left me confused and slightly unnerved. Revisiting it some years later I felt the same. Something just doesn't sit right, or maybe nothing does. I can see how, on paper at least, the concept may have seemed good. The resulting movie however is a strangely discomforting experience. The only thing I can compare it with are those 30's and 40's comedies which would have a midget in the role of a child.
ReplyDeleteAgree that this is a strange project. Just watched it again and discovered something I liked as well as something I disliked--liked that Parker kept in the shots of the children breaking character and laughing; disliked that the guns sounded real.
ReplyDeleteMy father did publicity on this at Paramount and as evident on film, the kids had a blast making this, especially the end segment. Also, I grew up in Bay Ridge along with John Cassisi, whom we saw on the streets all the time getting recognized, he was a nice kid!