Before becoming one of Britain’s most respected directors, Alan Parker started his career in advertising, crafting memorable commercials before transitioning into film. He would go on to direct acclaimed works like Midnight Express (1978), Fame (1980), and Mississippi Burning (1988), but Bugsy Malone (1976) was where it all began—his feature debut and one of the strangest film concepts ever put to screen.
The idea came to Parker during a long car ride, where he entertained his kids with a made-up gangster story inspired by 1930s crime films. His eldest son had a suggestion—what if all the characters were played by children? Parker liked it so much that he turned it into a full movie, with producer Alan Marshall backing him up. And so, his first film became a musical gangster movie starring an all-child cast, where instead of bullets, the gangsters fire whipped cream. Instead of rough-looking men in suits, we get kids dressed up like them, acting tough. And if that wasn’t odd enough, when the characters sing, it’s adult voices coming out of their mouths. It’s playful, ridiculous, and surprisingly well-written, featuring some clever dialogue (“You’ve got lovely brown eyes.” “They will be lovely BLACK eyes if Fat Sam catches us.”) and a few truly catchy songs— with the titular “Bugsy Malone” standing out as the best.
The plot is exactly what you’d expect from a classic gangster movie. There’s a big boss, a rival gang, a smooth-talking hustler, and a girl with dreams of becoming a singer. But whether Parker intended it or not, casting kids in these roles adds a new layer to the genre. The rivalries start to resemble schoolyard squabbles, the threats feel more like dares, and the big, dramatic conflicts suddenly seem a little silly. Gangsters, when stripped of their violence and mystique, are nothing more than glorified bullies. Parker set out to make a gangster film that kids could enjoy, but in doing so, he also ended up cleverly deconstructing the genre.
But the big question is: does it actually work as a movie? Well… not always. The biggest issue is that the three main characters—Bugsy, his love interest Blousey, and gang boss Fat Sam—lack the presence to ground the film. Visually, they fit their roles, but their performances feel forced, and their lip-syncing is extremely awkward. Since they take up a large portion of the film, and there are long scenes focused on Bugsy and Blousey’s romance, it becomes easy to lose interest.
Sure, it’s a kids’ movie, but the film itself shows why the concept had real potential, especially in its two strongest performances: Jodie Foster and Martin Lev as rival boss Dandy Dan. Foster plays Tallulah, the film’s femme fatale, and from the moment she delivers “You wouldn’t give me the time of day”, you completely see what Parker was going for. Her presence alone elevates the film. The villain scenes are also extremely entertaining, and whenever Lev is on-screen, the movie has a real spark, proving why it has such a lasting fanbase.
Despite its flaws, Bugsy Malone has left a surprising legacy. In 2003, it was voted 19th on Channel 4’s list of the 100 greatest musicals, as chosen by UK viewers. In 2008, Empire ranked it 353rd on their list of the 500 greatest movies of all time. It also performed well at the 30th British Academy Film Awards, receiving eight nominations, including Best Film and Best Supporting Actress for Jodie Foster—though the latter was shared with her Taxi Driver performance.
At times, Bugsy Malone feels like a big-budget school play, but the concept is so unique and charming, and Foster is so fantastic, that it makes it worth checking out. Go for the curiosity of the concept, the great individual scenes and ideas, creative dialogue, and catchy songs—just be prepared to zone out when the main couple are sharing the screen, and maybe cringe a little at the bad lip-syncing.