Jodie Foster stars in British musical gangster movie with only kid actors. Set in New York, the film is loosely based on events from the early 1920s to 1931 during Prohibition, specifically the exploits of real-life gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran, as dramatized in cinema. Parker lightened the subject matter considerably for the children’s market. Instead of real bullets they use “splurge guns” that cover the victim in cream.
As a spoof of serious mobster movies like The Godfather, Bugsy Malone is a delight, with some excellent performances by child actors. Sure, the plot is silly, but it’s meant to be. After all, what could be less scary and threatening than a gun that shoots what looks like spit balls? And it’s fun to watch the whole cast degenerate into the equivalent of a food fight at the end. These are just kids, the film makes clear.
This is a very cute and enjoyable movie, quite possibly the only one in a very small sub-genre in the genre of gangster films-a musical gangster movie cast entirely with children. The cast is notable principally by the presence of Jodie Foster (as a side note, this was released the same year as was Taxi Driver!) and Scott Baio, the musical score was done by Paul Wiliams (who was nominated for an Oscar for his efforts here) and the costumes are quite nice. – Robert Reynolds
Starring Scott Baio, Jodie Foster.
Note: “Where the film seems less clear about the age of its stars is in its treatment of the tween girls in the film. Girls who have yet to develop any curves say they’re “watching their weight,” chorus girls perform slightly sexy dance moves, and Tallulah sings to the men that they “don’t have to be lonely.” Yikes. Kids watching it may not be aware of what that means, but parents may want to talk to their young children about it.” – Common Sense Media
Rated G. Common Sense Media recommends it for kids 8 and up.