Bugsy Malone synopsis

Bugsy Malone Synopsis - Broadway musical

Bugsy Malone sets his fabulous fable in 1929 New York, a town where nefarious crime was the order of the day. Prohibition style -but in this universe, violence is served up with pies and whipped cream instead of bullets. This gangster musical introduces us to a city divided by gang wars between two rival bosses: first is the bumbling but good-hearted Fat Sam Staccetto, who operates the popular Grand Slam Speakeasy, and second is his slick rival, Dandy Dan.

The club of Sam is a place full of life and all kinds of entertainment in a joint where showgirls dance and even the janitor dreams about being on stage. This is also a haven for Sam's gang, which comprises all kinds of unprofessional individuals. Things start to take a turn when Dandy Dan's crew reveals their new weapon: a splurge gun that shoots whipped cream :). Suddenly, Sam's crew doesn't hold a candle to them. The story takes off as Fat Sam tries to outmaneuver his rival while keeping his empire intact along with his reputation. Meanwhile, wannabe songstress Blousey Brown lands in New York with similar ambitions. She is looking for an audition at Sam's speakeasy but before long gets dragged into the gang war along with Bugsy Malone: a smooth-talking down-on-his-luck ex-boxer with his own dreams of making a fresh start.

Bugsy falls for Blousey immediately and, notwithstanding his cynical exterior, offers to take her under his wing in the cutthroat world of New York entertainment. Blousey hopes to run away to Hollywood, and Bugsy promises her he will take her someday. Their budding romance is interrupted when Bugsy finds himself embroiled in Sam's plan to overthrow Dandy Dan. Tensions rise as Sam's gang is repeatedly attacked by Dan's goons, who clean up his operations with their splurge guns. Fat Sam, needing to even things out, offers Bugsy a good price to help him steal some of the new weapons and get even. Bugsy, stuck between his devotion to Sam and his need to gather enough money for Hollywood, accepts the dangerous assignment. En route, he enlists the services of Leroy Smith, a depressed and luckless fighter with a potent punch. Bugsy recognizes potential in Leroy as a boxer and presents him to Cagey Joe, a local boxing trainer who instructs him within the infectious, energetic tune "So, You Wanna Be a Boxer?"

Back at the speakeasy, Sam's sultry, wise-cracking girlfriend Tallulah works her wiles on Bugsy, stirring jealousy in Blousey. Bugsy, ever the ladies' man, attempts to reassure Blousey of his intentions, but their love affair becomes strained. The rivalry between the gangs comes to a head as Sam's gang attempts an ambush on Dandy Dan, only to be defeated again, which leaves Sam's operation in shambles. Cornered, Sam convinces Bugsy to round up a bunch of down-and-out citizens from the local soup kitchen to aid him in storming Dan's warehouse. With Bugsy and Leroy, they can round up Dan's splurge guns in a wild and energetic raid that could only bring comic relief to such an intense rivalry. All the combatants return to the Grand Slam Speakeasy for the grand finale, where Dan's gang launches a surprise attack. What follows is a hilarious, chaotic shootout with splurge guns, whipped cream, and custard pies flying through the air. What once was an epic gangster battle now turns into a slapstick spectacle, as everybody, including the audience, realizes the absurdity of their conflict. One powerful moment has Razamataz, the speakeasy pianist, strike a single note on the piano, which quiets the mayhem.

Smothered beneath whipped cream, gang members to come to realize their shared humanity, uniting to perform the sweet closing number "You Give a Little Love." It really brings home the film's message of friendship and community. The story ends on a hopeful note, with Bugsy and Blousey finally boarding a bus headed for Hollywood. In Bugsy Malone, the traditional gangster tale has been somewhat humorously changed into a gleeful, ebullient tribute to youthful dreams and grit, wrapped in slapstick comedy and song. The finale of this musical leaves one abiding reminder in viewers' minds: in a no-nonsense world full of rivalry and ambition, compassion and friendship are what ultimately always win!
Last Update:November, 01st 2024