A Bronx Tale (1993)

Chazz Palminteri: Sonny

Photos 

Quotes 

• Sonny : Alright, listen to me. You pull up right where she lives, right? Before you get outta the car, you lock both doors. Then, get outta the car, you walk over to her. You bring her over to the car. Dig out the key, put it in the lock and open the door for her. Then you let her get in. Then you close the door. Then you walk around the back of the car and look through the rear window. If she doesn't reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in: dump her.

  Calogero 'C' Anello : Just like that?

  Sonny : Listen to me, kid. If she doesn't reach over and lift up that button so that you can get in, that means she's a selfish broad and all you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. You dump her and you dump her fast.

• Sonny : What's your name, kid?

  Calogero 'C' Anello : Calogero.

  Sonny : That's a long name. Don't you have a nickname?

  Calogero 'C' Anello : No.

  Sonny : What do your friends call you?

  Calogero 'C' Anello : Calogero.

  Sonny : That makes sense.

• Sonny : You gotta do what your heart tells you to do. Let me tell you somethin' right now. You're only allowed three great women in your lifetime. They come along like the great fighters, every ten years. Rocky Marciano. Sugar Ray Robinson. Joe Louis. Sometimes you get 'em all at once. Me? I had my three when I was 16. That happens. What are you gonna do? That's the way it goes, you know? Tell you right now. See this girl? Maybe this girl, she put wind in your sails. Maybe she's your first great one.

• Sonny : Now yous can't leave.

• Sonny : Mickey Mantle? Is that what you're upset about? Mickey Mantle makes $100,000 a year. How much does your father make? You don't know? Well, see if your father can't pay the rent go ask Mickey Mantle and see what he tells you. Mickey Mantle don't care about you, so why should you care about him? Nobody cares.

• Sonny : First of all, I respect you, Lorenzo, you're a stand-up guy and we're from the same neighbourhood, but don't ever talk to me like that again. I tell yor kid to go to school, to go to college...

  Lorenzo : You don't understand: it's not what you say, it's what he sees, the clothes, the cars, the money, it's everything. He tried to throw away his baseball cards because he said Mickey Mantle will never pay the rent.

  Sonny : [laughs]  He said that to you? I don't believe this kid.

  [They all laugh] 

  Lorenzo : That's not funny. Not when your kid has a bigger bank account than you.

  Sonny : I offered you a job, you said "No" to me.

  Lorenzo : That's right, and I say "No" now. Just leave my son alone, please.

  Sonny : Hey!

  [Stands up] 

  Sonny : Don't you see how I treat that kid? I treat him like he's my son.

  Lorenzo : He ain't your son, he's MY son.

  Sonny : He's what?

  Lorenzo : He's MY son!

  Sonny : Hey, get the fuck outta here!

  Lorenzo : [Shoved by the gangsters towards the door]  I'm not afraid of you.

  Sonny : You should be.

  Lorenzo : I know who you are, Sonny, I know what you're capable of, and I would never step out of line, you can ask anyone in the neighbourhood who knows me. But this time, you're wrong. You don't fool with a man's family. This is my son, not yours.

  Sonny : What are you gonna do, fight me?

  Lorenzo : You stay away from my son!

  Sonny : Get outta here before I give you a fucking slap!

  Lorenzo : You just stay away from my son!

  Sonny : Go ahead!

  Lorenzo : I don't care who you are! You stay away from my son!

  [the gangsters force him out of the bar] 

• Calogero 'C' Anello : He owes me 20 dollars. It's been two weeks now, and every time he sees me he keeps dodging me. He's becoming a real pain in the ass. Should I crack him one, or what?

  Sonny : Sometimes hurting somebody ain't the answer. First of all, is he a good friend of yours?

  Calogero 'C' Anello : No, I don't even like him.

  Sonny : You don't even like him. There's your answer right there. Look at it this way: It costs you 20 dollars to get rid of him... He's out of your life for 20 dollars. You got off cheap. Forget him.

• [after Sonny just allows unwanted bikers to drink in his bar] 

  Satan's Messengers : You got some brews down here. Nice cold ones. Get us some nice cold brews, come on. Two over here, huh? One more here, one more.

  [Sonny takes Calogero outside and talks to him] 

  Satan's Messengers : Alright, brothers. If I may. A toast to our host.

  [They all salute] 

  Satan's Messengers : [as they shake their drinks and spray them all over the bar]  In the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost!

  [Sonny gets angered by this and confronts them again] 

  Tony Toupee : Look at all the shit all over me.

  [the bikers curse at him] 

  Sonny : Hey!

  Satan's Messengers : Oh, you again.

  Sonny : That wasn't very nice. Now youse gotta leave.

  Satan's Messengers : I'll tell you when the fuck we leave alright. Get the fuck away from me.

  Satan's Messengers : [the bikers laugh at Sonny as he walks to the door]  Go watch the bikes eh!

  [Sonny locks the front door. All the bikers look and curse at him] 

  Sonny : Now youse can't leave.

  Calogero 'C' Anello : [narrating]  "I will never forget the look on their faces. All eight of them. Their faces dropped. All their courage and strength was drained right from their bodies. They had reputation for breaking up bars, but they knew that instant, they'd made a fatal mistake. This time they walked into the wrong bar."

  [a fight ensues between the bikers and Sonny's gang] 

• Sonny : Look at me! I did this to you! REMEMBER ME!

• [a biker gang called The Satan's Messengers enters Sonny's bar wearing their biker clothes] 

  Jimmy Whispers : Fellas, youse are not dressed properly. Youse gonna have to leave.

  Satan's Messengers : Properly? What's wrong with the way we're dressed?

  Sonny : Jimmy! What's up?

  Jimmy Whispers : These gentleman ain't dressed right, and I asked them to leave.

  Sonny : [confronting them]  Is there a problem here?

  Satan's Messengers : Nah, the problem is your man here says we're not properly dressed. Like our money ain't green. We just want a couple of beers.

  Sonny : A few beers, that's it?

  Satan's Messengers : That's it. We'll be on our way. We ain't looking for trouble.

  Sonny : Spoken like a gentleman. Give em the beers. Go ahead.

  Satan's Messengers : Thanks, appreciate it.

  [Sonny whispers to Jimmy to go in the back room and prepare the guys] 

• Sonny : You borrow my car. And then you give her the test.

  Calogero 'C' Anello : What? The Mario test?

  Sonny : Mario? Mario's a fucking psycho.

• Lorenzo : [Coming to Calogero's defense against the angry gangsters]  Calogero! Calogero!

  [to Sonny] 

  Lorenzo : What happened to my son?

  Sonny : Drive your bus and get the fuck out of here!

  Lorenzo : I'll get my fucking bus!

  [Tries to hit Sonny, but the gangsters grab him] 

  Lorenzo : You put your hands on me, I'll stick you in the fucking ground!

  [the gangsters punch Lorenzo in the stomach and knock him down] 

  Sonny : Next time find out what's going on before you open your mouth.

• Sonny : We've been mushed!

• Sonny : There's only three things you can do in the joint, kid: lift weights, play cards, or get in trouble.

  Calogero 'C' Anello : What did you do?

  Sonny : Me, I read.

• Lorenzo : [about C]  The other night he tried to throw away his baseball cards because he said Mickey Mantle would never pay our rent.

  Sonny : [laughs]  He said that to you? I can't believe that kid.

  [They all start laughing] 

  Lorenzo : That's not funny. Not when your kid has a bigger bank account than you do.

• Sonny : No-no-no. Coffeecake, no good. I don't want that face lookin' at his face when he's rollin' my dice. Jimmy! Grab a towel from the bar!

• Sonny : Trouble is like a cancer, you gotta get it early. If you dont get it early, it gets too big, then it kills you.

• Sonny : You like this girl?

  Calogero 'C' Anello : I do, but I don't want to hear all the guys. I don't want to hear all their mouths...

  Sonny : F those kids. Half of them are going to end up dead or in jail anyway. Nobody cares.