Cinema: Little Caesars in Never-Never Land

BUGSY MALONE Directed and Written by ALAN PARKER

One thing is sure: Bugsy Malone will get the drop on you. No amount of careful description or enthusiastic reassurance can make adequate preparation for it. Doubts will never be completely stilled, but then the movie's fine edge of surprise cannot be dulled either. It is altogether a unique and wholly improbable enterprise.

First of all, Bugsy Malone is a gangster movie, done in the vintage style. So far so good.

It is also a musical. Curious, but not without precedent.

Most everything is played straight.

Fair...

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