‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan
September 19, 2023 · A Bronx Tale (1993) · Crime · Drama · 1:57:53 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsA Bronx Tale influenced The Sopranos more than any other movie, with Sonny and Tony Soprano being very similar characters▶ 24:18
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsBaseball nostalgia in 1961 (Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak being more significant when baseball dominated), narrator working in the movie, Terrell Hicks quote about interracial relationships, guy with nickname 'Zero', Beatles and Jimi Hendrix music▶ 1:12:35
Chris RyanMafia movies where guys say 'Get the fuck out of here!' (100% hit rate), Donald Byrd song that plays in the movie▶ 1:14:35
Sean FennesseyCasting of the young people (Lilo Brancato, Terrell Hicks), Donald Byrd's 'Christ the Redeemer' song▶ 1:14:49
Van LathanInterracial relationships (now seen everywhere in Target commercials and prescription drug ads), racism persisting, stop snitching/neighborhood omerta culture in hip-hop▶ 1:15:29
Big Kahuna Burger Award
Bill SimmonsDiscusses Little C serving coffees, once a week steak, and Shea Bippy bar as potential options▶ 1:16:43
Great Shot Gordo Award
Bill SimmonsSonny getting shot, when it slows down and Sonny does the 'come here, come here' gesture▶ 1:17:23
Chris RyanThe lineup shot where all the mobsters are lined up down the sidewalk, looking directly into camera▶ 1:17:12
Sean FennesseyScene where young C and friends chase the bus with the black kid, but C turns around to see his father De Niro in the window giving him a sign, showing C caught between two worlds▶ 1:17:55
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsC using the N-word and how it's handled in the story; also mentions the door test not aging well and C's long running scene at the end▶ 1:18:16
Chris RyanThe door test and generally misogynistic language like 'look at those broads over there'▶ 1:20:51
Sean FennesseyMolotov cocktailing an entire neighborhood and shooting people in the street in broad daylight▶ 1:21:04
Van LathanThe racism stuff - specifically how C's use of a racial slur isn't properly addressed in the relationship▶ 1:21:01
Ron Burgundy Flute Award
Chris RyanInitially suggests the Francis Capra section to get to the Broncato section, then agrees with the very beginning▶ 1:21:21
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsLillo Brancato — Discusses Catherine Narducci bringing her son to audition for Collerito, Frank Vincent was supposed to appear as a Mafia boss but scene wasn't filmed, Philip Garbarino lost the Collerito role to Lillo Brancato Jr. and was given Sonny's killer role instead▶ 1:23:52
Chris RyanComments on pronunciation of Collerito and suggests it would have been tough to cast established actors in the racist friend roles▶ 1:24:09
Van LathanKathrine Narducci — Notes Catherine Narducci played Artie's wife in Sopranos and discusses her character's storyline with Tony and Carmella▶ 1:24:21
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsChazz Palminteri — No for De Niro and Pesci, Yes for Broncato, Yes for Chaz Palminteri (this movie), Yes for crap scenes and father-son movies, No for Kathleen Narducci and Italian movies▶ 1:29:17
Chris RyanChazz Palminteri — Agrees this is Chaz Palminteri's apex (over Bullets Over Broadway nomination), discusses bus drivers in movies▶ 1:29:21
Sean FennesseyBullets Over Broadway — Bullets Over Broadway (1994) for Chaz Palminteri due to Oscar nomination▶ 1:29:34
Racehorse Name Award
Bill SimmonsSuggested multiple options: Kologito, Three Great Women (for a filly), considered Kryptonite but thought it was bad, and praised Satan's Messenger as a great racehorse name▶ 1:32:11
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsInitiated the category, listing potential actors (Wayne Jenkins, Frank Vincent, etc.) and asking if the movie would be improved with their inclusion. He acknowledges Chris Ryan's preparation and seems generally positive about the idea.▶ 1:39:25
Chris RyanWayne Jenkins as the fruit peddler, delivering a colorful, profanity-laced monologue about peaches and a horse-drawn cart.▶ 1:39:33
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsHow would the movie be different if Chaz sold the script to De Niro with Scorsese directing - believes it would be more exciting with better action scenes like the biker fight becoming one of the best six-minute scenes of the 90s▶ 1:44:57
Chris RyanWho plants the car bomb - believes it was the Hells Angels/Satan's messengers, not the same person who assassinated Sonny▶ 1:42:35
Sean FennesseyThinks car bomb was planted by the same kid who killed Sonny as a failed first attempt, and agrees Scorsese would have made it more exciting and thrilling▶ 1:43:10
Van LathanDiscussed car bomb perpetrator (thinks it was another crew that tried car bomb then sent assassin) and questioned why bikers were in the Bronx▶ 1:43:23
Movies Referenced (38)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodfellas (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 23 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 20:11 |
| Casino (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:00:25 |
| The Godfather (1972) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:21 |
| This Boy's Life (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 35:37 |
| John Wick (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:26:42 |
| The Irishman (2019) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 38:50 |
| The Whale (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 57:59 |
| Cape Fear (1991) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 35:27 |
| Catch Me If You Can (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 3:21 |
| Django Unchained (2012) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:30:32 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 43:17 |
| He Got Game (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 3:21 |
Directors Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 10:01 |
| Andrea Bias | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | Black Adam, A Simple Favor, The Intern | ▶ 0:03 |
| Baron Davis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | That's My Boy | ▶ 1:47:39 |
| AFI | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 39:47 | |
| Joe Lewis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Little Miss Sunshine | ▶ 54:16 |
| Michael Mann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans | ▶ 1:31:59 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 5:12 |
| Tennis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:12:18 |
Actors Referenced (55)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert De Niro | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 36 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver | ▶ 2:43 |
| Chaz Bono | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 34 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 28:39 | |
| Mariachi El Bronx | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 25 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | We Bought a Zoo | ▶ 2:45 |
| Eddie Montanaro | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | A Bronx Tale | ▶ 58:32 |
| Joe Pesci | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman | ▶ 15:52 |
| Mickey Mantle | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 11:02 | |
| Ben Harper | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Fighter, State of Play | ▶ 15:17 |
| Frank Vincent | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons | Goodfellas, Casino | ▶ 1:24:47 |
| John Wayne | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance | ▶ 25:39 |
| Deion Sanders | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Draft Day | ▶ 56:05 |
| Rob Schneider | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Hot Chick | ▶ 1:28:56 |
| Danny Trejo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Predators | ▶ 58:32 |
Writers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Kennedy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | ▶ 12:15 | |
| Andy Greenwald | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:03:14 |