Chazz Palminteri’s “A Bronx Tale” has had several revivals, having being performed as a solo piece and off-Broadway in 1989 and being revived on Broadway in 2007. Palminteri also toured with it and co-starred in its 1993 film adaptation, co-directed by Robert DeNiro. It is not surprising that the film and the Broadway play depicts notable similarities and differences in their cast, production, musical, and artistic settings. A Bronx Tale is a semi-autographical tale revolving around a nine-old murder witness (Calogero), who shields Sonny from apprehension and is rewarded with protection and odd jobs. The story is about coming of age for Calogero, as he encounters conflicted feelings towards two of the most important adult males in his life. Since “A Bronx Tale” is more of an urban fairy tale, it works better as a musical adaptation than its earlier stereotypical aspects. Palminteri’s skillful adaptation in the Broadway play retains the gritty language, violence, and harsh humor present in the film. Still, Thornton in the Broadway debut is more appealing and strong-voiced than the initial Calogero. The film incorporated original soundtracks themed the 60s and 70s, while the Broadway debut had its score composed by Alan Menken and lyrics written by Glenn Slater, masters of doo-wop music.
Cast
While the story’s plot is similar in the Broadway play and the movie, there are several notable differences in the cast. The plot in the play and the movie revolves around an authorial Calogero and his relationships with his two dads, one who works to keep his kid away from the tempting life of crime and his surrogate dad who strives to show Calogero the more fun but dangerous side of life[1]. The two hold distinguishable philosophies about life, with Lorenzo, Calogero’s biological dad, holding that “the saddest thing in life is wasted talent,” and Sonny, Calogero’s crime mentor, holding that “The working man’s a sucker” [2]. However, Bobby Conte Thornton plays Calogero’s character in the Broadway debut, while in the movie, Lillo Brancato and Francis Capra play Calogero’s character at different ages. Notably, the Broadway play, like the movie, does incorporate two distinctive Calogero characters based on age. The difference between the two characters playing Calogero is evident as the older Calogero is more appealing and strong-pitched than his younger counterpart in both the play and the movie[3]. Besides, Nick Cordero plays the character Sonny in the Broadway play, but in the movie, the creator, Chazz Palminteri, plays the character Sonny. Palminteri’s reliving of his life story by playing the character Sonny has a significant impact in depicting the film as autographical.
Production
Robert De Niro began crafting the movie’s screenplay after acquiring its rights from Palminteri, which was solely done on gentlemen’s’ agreement[4]. The primary requirement in the agreement was to incorporate Palminteri as the primary screenwriter and the character Sonny. The requirement was motivated by the original play that Palminteri performed as a one-person show, and which was significantly inspired by his childhood, specifically the shooting of Calogero. Using an impressive opening sequencing featuring doo-wop singers singing the film’s theme, DeNiro successfully captures every element of the 1960s Bronx. Similarly, the Broadway play is a musical that captures the grittiness of the streets of New York during the 1960s[5]. Characterized by high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from Alan Menken, the Broadway play is a remarkable story about loyalty and family.
The visual elements of a play are critical to its production. The props used in the set design enhance meaning to the play’s visuals. As Charles Isherwood stated in The New York Times, “On a stylish set by Beowulf Borrit, featuring fire escapes and stoops silhouetted against blood-red vistas of the neighborhood, the action moves at a brisk, almost cinematic clip.” From the opening image, it is evident that the audience is taken on the rough side of the 1960s’ Bronx. The Broadway play’s spectacular lighting design throws a pulsing red glow across the beautifully stacked iron fire escapes developed by Borrit in remembrance of the great Louis Sullivan[6]. The vision of a young woman on a fire escape signifies Sonny’s lost love that could have saved him from a criminal life[7]. The movie retains the original hard edge with a significant amount of graphically staged violence that renders it refreshing and gives it a sense of originality. However, the film’s quick assembling of some melodramatic events feels often unconvincing. For example, the film achieves its melodramatic climax with racial tensions in the neighborhood and the narrator’s first crush on a girl. A Bronx Tale movie is not only full of harsh humor but also arouses emotional attachment at times. The movie is filled with great dialogue lines, with DeNiro designing the right notes[8], and it boasts of mixed elements of a traditional gangster film more than the Broadway play. The movie’s performance solely makes it unforgettable, successfully balancing the crime film genre with the coming-of-age elements.
The cinematic language is a critical aspect of film production as it comprises conventions and systems by which movies communicate with the audience. For example, most film editors employ a continuity editing technique to smoothen their transition between shots, depicting a single action drawn from different camera angles[9]. Unlike the Broadway play that employs the four basic elements of cinematic visual language: the shot, the shot sequence, the scene, and the dramatic sequence, the movie uses cinematic language techniques, such as camera movement, mise-en-scene, sound, editing, and cinematography to help tell Palminteri’s story. Like the Broadway play, the movie incorporates the use of mise-en-scene cinematic component. The main use of mise-en-scene is in lighting, setting, and costume design. For example, low-key lighting in the film creates a depressing feeling of conflict and confusion, and the shadow effects depict the dark side of the characters. Throughout the film, Calogero is lit up with high-ley lighting, while Sonny is depicted in low-key lighting. While it is difficult to follow up a character’s life along with low or high-key lighting in the Broadway play, the film constantly uses low-key lighting to [10]help the audience understand Calogero’s disparities while deciding his preferred lifestyle. In the Broadway play, the use of costumes helps characterize and describe critical aspects of the narrative.
The play’s production comprises remarkable visual touches, including Sonny’s criminal apprentices being introduced with mug shot-style poses followed by loud sounds of flashbulbs popping[11]. The use of contrasting black and white colors in the film have racial significance. While the Broadway play does not incorporate the black and white contrast, the movie uses this contrast to depict black and white characters. However, alongside the theme of choosing between love and fear in the Broadway play, a secondary topic is racial prejudice. The play captures the racial contrasts differently from the movie. Instead of using black and white lighting to contrast black and white racial differences, the play uses different characters’ reactions towards a romance between Calogero and a black girl. Lighting in cinematology shows a change in period, for example, day and night, and a character’s mindset. In both the Broadway play and the movie, low-key lighting conveys drama[12]. However, lighting is more prevalent in the movie than in the play, since in film production, additional lighting is vital in making a film’s definition to be of comparable quality to that recorded naturally by the human eye. Therefore, lighting as a cinematic technique has a significant presence in the film than in the Broadway play.
The setting is another crucial aspect of production. While the Broadway play is set in the old streets of New York City, the movie’s setting is in Belmont and Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx. The purpose of the setting is to give a vivid description of the lifestyle in the film. In the movie, the Chez Bippy bar is a significant setting as most of the film is filmed, and most characters are introduced there. As Janet from the New York Times note, “the show totally captures the authentic rough and tumble vibe of the streets of New York during the 60’s…” [13]. The setting creates a sense of place and mood, and it may depict a character’s emotional state of mind. It may comprise a fabricated studio of authentic reconstruction of the reality of fiction, and it may also involve filming on-location. While the Broadway play is filmed in a theatre, with limited authentic reconstruction, the movie involves on-location film and fabricated studio reconstruction of reality[14]. For example, Sonny’s house is filmed at 3034 35th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York, while creators filmed the city of Island, Bronx, New York on-location. The setting of a film is crucial as it explains where and when the events took place[15]. The setting also develops the mood and tone of the literary work.
In the context of production, the last element is the use of space. The illusion of space in filmmaking enables the creators to control what the audience sees and what they want the audience to see[16]. One key method of controlling space is by using the frame. In the film, the motion-picture camera lens is used to manipulate the audience’s sense of space. The lenses capture images through a series of distinctive pictures drawn from different lenses and angles, using various movements and lighting. While A Bronx Tale movie is shot in a small space, the Broadway play is performed in a single defined space. In every particular scene, cameras capture the expression of individual actors separately, allowing the audience to evaluate the impact of actions fostering the expressions. To enable the shooting of A Bronx Tale in the small space, the creators use a monochromatic color scheme while coordinating wall and furniture colors and reflective surfaces[17]. Since the movie incorporates a great deal of narrative, space in the narrative is mediated by language, and the readers’ perceptions happen through the verbal medium[18]. However, in the theater, space is more sophisticated since it embraces several conceivable theatrical areas, and there must be a critical distinction between space on and off stage. There is a sense of dramatic tension in the Broadway play resulting from antinomy between the visible space depicted and the invisible space described.
Music
The kind of music played in the Broadway play is different from that played in the movie. A Bronx Tale movie employed its soundtrack from the 1960s and 1970s artists and bands. However, the Broadway play had its score composed by renowned composer Alan Menken, and lyrics written by Glenn Slater[19]. In the Broadway play, the action-themed in the 1960s allows the artists and composers to channel the pop styles of the 1960 era, from doo-wop harmonies to proto-rock and late-period Frank Sinatra-style balladeering. For example, “Little Shop” comprises a girl-group female chorus, and the mostly male “A Bronx Tale” has a doo-wop singers chorus. Composer Menken’s work retains his long-standing successful music career in the context of significant contributions to animated Disney musicals, such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid” [20]. In the play, Menken’s artistry enables him to channel the 1960s rock ‘n roll into the Broadway tradition. Songs like “In a World Like This” and “Call Me C” follows the audience in their mind long after leaving the theater.
Combined with Menken’s consistent tuneful and energetic score, Slatter’s unfancy but witty lyrics reflect the gritty atmosphere[21]. However, the plot begs for a strong replication of the conflict and drama, which renders Meneken short of innovative creativity. For example, the play’s musical fails to account for Calogero’s relationship with an African American woman. Besides, the struggle for his soul does not feel urgent[22]. The play’s creators could have given the dad, Lorenzo, a more stylish song than the pablum-ish “Look to Your Heart,” if they sought to depict the question of which man Calogero should choose as necessary[23].
In A Bronx Tale movie, however, original soundtracks are included from several 1960s and 70s artists and bands. For example, “Don’t You Just Know It” is written by Huey P. Smith, while “Flamenco Sketches” is written and performed by Miles Davis. The film’s musical soundtrack depicts a provocative pop culture that offers its commentary by providing Ku Klux Klan undertones in tracks, such as “Night in White Satin” [24]. A Bronx Tale comprises of musical scores themed with 1960s style doo-wop, harmonies, rhythmic snapping, and guitar strumming. The doo-wop genre of rhythm and blues music rose from African-American youth in the 1940s, featuring vocal group harmony carrying an engaging melodic sound to a little or no instrumentation[25]. Lyrics are mostly about love and are sung by a lead vocal over background vocals of repeated and varying syllables. While both the Broadway play and the movie employ the doo-wop genre, their difference is in the soundtracks’ composers. While the play utilizes Menken’s skillful craftsmanship, combined with Slatter’s witty lyrics, the film borrows original soundtracks and performances from various artists and bands familiar with the doo-wop genre.
Role of Music in Characterization
One similarity in the use of music in the Broadway play and the movie is the common convention in gangster genre films’ soundtrack. The doo-wop music genre incorporated in both the play and movie is characteristic to African American streets. By using the doo-wop soundtracks in the movie, the play summarizes the setting of the film or play in the opening sequence[26]. For example, the duet, “In a World Like This” reflects Calogero’s and Jane’s relationship. The two have different racial backgrounds, and amid the arising neighborhood tensions, the duet talks about Calogero’s realization of the destructive power of fear. Palminteri’s character has a unique flavor, from a gangster life to Sonny’s love for his right-hand man[27]. The characters remain inscribed in the audience’s mind long after the film and the play ends, and music is one element that contributes to this ingression. In his solo, “I Like It,” young Calogero, played by Hudson Loverro, reflects on his Bronx life and how he felt like the prince of his neighborhood. Similarly, in the movie, the debut, “Streets of the Bronx,” reflects the prevailing crime rates and overall life in African American streets.
Rosina, Calogero’s mother, brings warmth and sensitivity to her monologue about Lorenzo’s youth, accompanied by the soundtrack, “Look to Your Heart.” The song urges Lorenzo to reflect on his past when advising Calogero about crime life. It is about Lorenzo’s undying love for his son despite engaging in crime. A Bronx Tale is not only relatable to the audience but also takes them to a reflection of family, friendship, coming of age, love, racism, and crime[28]. In all the relatable themes, music plays a critical characterization role. In both the play and movie, every character is depicted by the meaning of a specific song. For example, Calogero is nicknamed “C” after he begins performing odd jobs, such as rolling dice for luck. This character is depicted in the number “Roll ‘Em” in the Broadway play. While an initial listening may fail to show standout songs in the Broadway play, it has some fun and reflective soundtracks. For example, Sonny’s “Nicky Machiavelli” reflects on Sonny’s criminal success[29]. In the song, Sonny reveals his source of success and his hardcore character. Besides, “One of the Greatest Ones” reflects the humorous and romantic character of Sonny. He uses the song to advise Calogero in a sweet and funny voice. The song could also reflect Sonny’s lost love that might have saved him from criminal life, as depicted in the song’s vision of a young woman on a fire escape[30]. Therefore, music in the Broadway play and the movie plays a critical role in reflecting specific characters.
In sum, A Bronx Tale’s Broadway play and film depict notable similarities and differences, especially in the context of production, cast and creators, music, and role of music. Both the play and movie employ soundtracks of gangster genre films and use music to reflect characters. While both Palminteri and DeNiro do not take active acting roles in both the play and film, they are actively involved in producing both works. However, there are significant differences between the play and the film in the context of production, performance, and music. While the film uses original soundtracks from various 1960s and 70s artists and bands, the Broadway play incorporates its soundtracks from Alan Menken and lyrics from Glenn Slater. For anyone seeking to understand the value of film and theater performance in depicting societal issues, comparatively through the perspectives of two eras, they should watch A Bronx Tale’s Broadway play and film.
[1] Isherwood, Charles. “Review: ‘A Bronx Tale: The Musical’ Doo-Wops Down Mean Streets.” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Last modified March 1, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/theater/review-a-bronx-tale-the-musical-doo-wops-down-mean-streets.html?auth=login-email&login=email
[2] Maslin, Janet. “Review/Film: A Bronx Tale; De Niro on Each Side of Camera but Artfully Out
of the Way, Too (Published 1993).” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos.
[3] Ibid, 1
[4] Jones, Chris. “‘A Bronx Tale’ an Old-school Memory of New York.” Chicagotribune.com. Last modified December 2, 2016. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/sc-bronx-tale-broadway-review-ent-1201-20161201-column.html.
[5] Gay, Wayne L. “Review: A Bronx Tale | Performing Arts Fort Worth | Bass Performance Hall.” TheaterJones.com. Last modified July 25, 2019. https://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20190723020306/2019-07-25/Performing-Arts-Fort-Worth/A-Bronx-Tale.
[6] Ibid, 1
[7] Isherwood, Charles. “Review: ‘A Bronx Tale: The Musical’ Doo-Wops Down Mean Streets.” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Last modified March 1, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/theater/review-a-bronx-tale-the-musical-doo-wops-down-mean-streets.html?auth=login-email&login=email
[8] Jones, Chris. “‘A Bronx Tale’ an Old-school Memory of New York.” Chicagotribune.com. Last modified December 2, 2016. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/sc-bronx-tale-broadway-review-ent-1201-20161201-column.html.
[9] Klein, Gabriele, and Sandra Noeth. Emerging Bodies: The Performance of Worldmaking in Dance and Choreography. transcript Verlag, 2011.
[10] Soloski, Alexis. “A Bronx Tale: The Musical review-shrink-wrapped in by its own nostalgia.” The Guardian. (2016). https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/dec/02/a-bronx-tale-the-musical-review-new-york-robert-de-niro
[11] Maslin, Janet. “Review/Film: A Bronx Tale; De Niro on Each Side of Camera but Artfully Out
of the Way, Too (Published 1993).” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Last modified September 29, 1993. https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/29/movies/review-film-bronx-tale-de-niro-each-side-camera-but-artfully-way-too.html
[12] Soloski, Alexis. “A Bronx Tale: The Musical review-shrink-wrapped in by its own nostalgia.” The Guardian. (2016). https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/dec/02/a-bronx-tale-the-musical-review-new-york-robert-de-niro
[13] Maslin, Janet. “Review/Film: A Bronx Tale; De Niro on Each Side of Camera but Artfully Out
of the Way, Too (Published 1993).” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Last modified September 29, 1993. https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/29/movies/review-film-bronx-tale-de-niro-each-side-camera-but-artfully-way-too.html
[14] Tomatis, Jacopo. “”This is our music”: Italian teen pop press and genres in the 1960s.” IASPM Journal 4, no. 2 (2014): 24-42.
[15] Reid, Craig D. “Fighting without fighting: Film action fight choreography.” Film Quarterly 47, no. 2 (1993): 30-35.
[16] Issacharoff, Michael. “Space and reference in drama.” Poetics today 2, no. 3 (1981): 211-224.
[17] Lena, Jennifer C. Banding together: How communities create genres in popular music. Princeton University Press, 2012.
[18] Klein, Gabriele, and Sandra Noeth. Emerging Bodies: The Performance of Worldmaking in Dance and Choreography. transcript Verlag, 2011.
[19] Jones, Chris. “‘A Bronx Tale’ an Old-school Memory of New York.” Chicagotribune.com. Last modified December 2, 2016. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/sc-bronx-tale-broadway-review-ent-1201-20161201-column.html.
[20] Jones, Chris. “‘A Bronx Tale’ an Old-school Memory of New York.” Chicagotribune.com. Last modified
December 2, 2016. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/sc-bronx-tale-broadway-review-ent-1201-20161201-column.html.
[21] Isherwood, Charles. “Review: ‘A Bronx Tale: The Musical’ Doo-Wops Down Mean Streets.” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Last modified March 1, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/25/theater/review-a-bronx-tale-the-musical-doo-wops-down-mean-streets.html?auth=login-email&login=email
[22] Ibid, 1
[23] Maslin, Janet. “Review/Film: A Bronx Tale; De Niro on Each Side of Camera But Artfully Out
of the Way, Too (Published 1993).” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Last modified September 29, 1993. https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/29/movies/review-film-bronx-tale-de-niro-each-side-camera-but-artfully-way-too.html
[24] Gay, Wayne L. “Review: A Bronx Tale | Performing Arts Fort Worth | Bass Performance Hall.” TheaterJones.com. Last modified July 25, 2019. https://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20190723020306/2019-07-25/Performing-Arts-Fort-Worth/A-Bronx-Tale.
[25] Soloski, Alexis. “A Bronx Tale: The Musical review-shrink-wrapped in by its own nostalgia.” The Guardian. (2016). https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/dec/02/a-bronx-tale-the-musical-review-new-york-robert-de-niro
[26] Reid, Craig D. “Fighting without fighting: Film action fight choreography.” Film Quarterly 47, no. 2 (1993): 30-35.
[27] Klein, Gabriele, and Sandra Noeth. Emerging Bodies: The Performance of Worldmaking in Dance and Choreography. transcript Verlag, 2011.
[28] Maslin, Janet. “Review/Film: A Bronx Tale; De Niro on Each Side of Camera But Artfully Out
of the Way, Too (Published 1993).” The New York Times – Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos. Last modified September 29, 1993. https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/29/movies/review-film-bronx-tale-de-niro-each-side-camera-but-artfully-way-too.html
[29] Jones, Chris. “‘A Bronx Tale’ an Old-school Memory of New York.” Chicagotribune.com. Last modified December 2, 2016. https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/sc-bronx-tale-broadway-review-ent-1201-20161201-column.html.
[30] Gay, Wayne L. “Review: A Bronx Tale | Performing Arts Fort Worth | Bass Performance Hall.” TheaterJones.com. Last modified July 25, 2019. https://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20190723020306/2019-07-25/Performing-Arts-Fort-Worth/A-Bronx-Tale.