New York's Little Italy district has never looked seedier or tougher than in this gripping slice-of-Mafia-life drama, the first of Martin Scorsese's many descents onto the grimier streets of the Big Apple. Shot on a shoestring budget of $600,000 with two weeks' rehearsal and six days on location in New York (the rest of the filming was done in Los Angeles to save money), it has been hailed as a masterpiece by Scorsese's most ardent fans, and gave Harvey Keitel an early leading role. All the other roles are astutely cast with special praise reserved for Robert De Niro in the difficult role of a mercurial loner constantly in debt to a slimy loan-shark (a bravura performance from Richard Romanus). The film also boasts a terrific rock score that actually heightens the effect of its dynamic images. Look out for the director in a cameo as Shorty - the killer in a car.