The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971)

Film Overview
"The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" is an American comedy-crime film released in 1971, directed by James Goldstone and based on an unique by Jimmy Breslin. The screenplay was composed by Waldo Salt, who formerly won an Academy Award for "Midnight Cowboy". The film stars Jerry Orbach, Leigh Taylor-Young, and notable stars Robert De Niro and Jo Van Fleet in supporting roles.

Plot Summary
The film hilariously chronicles New York's turbulent Mafia scene, where contending mob bosses participate in a power battle. The primary focus is on the bumbling "Baccala Gang" led by Joseph "Big Joe" Baccala (played by Lionel Stander), trying to take control from their rivals. Kid Sally Palumbo (Jerry Orbach), a member of Big Joe's gang, is a huge talker with little to show for it, regularly stopping working objectives due to his inept crew's incompetence.

One of the movie's funniest subplots involves Kid Sally's not successful attempts to remove Big Joe. After different assassins mishandle the job, he resorts to importing an Italian "professional" who concentrates on causing "mishaps". However, even he fails to make a clean kill. Meanwhile, Mario Trantino (Robert De Niro), a young thief who has actually aligned with Kid Sally, gets romantically included with Angela (Leigh Taylor-Young), who ends up being Big Joe's child.

Characters and Cast
Jerry Orbach's efficiency as Kid Sally sticks out, delivering both humor and pathos. Despite being a criminal, his character is lovely in his incompetence. On the other hand, Lionel Stander as Big Joe Baccala mainly uses counterpoint to Orbach's character, embodying the more effective, feared mob employer. Robert De Niro's portrayal of Mario showcases the actor's early talent. Mario is a continuous outsider-- Italian however not Sicilian, participating in the mob activities however likewise separated from them, charmingly naive at times yet showing street-wise cleverness. Leigh Taylor-Young as Angela adds a conflicting love interest, providing a different viewpoint on the mob world as a child looking to escape her father's shadow.

Critique and Unique Aspects
"The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" often uses slapstick humor and comedic discussions to illustrate the organized crime's apparently menacing individuals as inexperienced clowns. This makes for a distinct viewing experience as the movie buffoons different gangster movie clichés. However, regardless of its humor, the movie likewise captures the tragedy of characters, specifically Kid Sally, caught in a life of crime they're ill-suited for.

Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" offers a comedic, almost farcical, take on the traditional mob movie category. Its cast of intriguing characters includes a set of endearing incompetents whose imagine mob magnificence appear constantly prevented by their own failures. Despite the humor, there are poignant undercurrents in the story, using reviews on organized crime, the obsession with power, and social constructs requiring people into life courses from which they discover tough to escape.

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