October 18, 1993 -- Veteran actor Robert DeNiro's first attempt to direct and star in a film is a very nice piece of work.

DeNiro's film, ``A Bronx Tale,'' is one of those New York stories that reminds one of the work of Martin Scorsese. Scorsese, one of the best directors in Hollywood, has worked with DeNiro on a number of films dating back at least 20 years to ``Mean Streets,'' another New York story. DeNiro must have been taking notes, and who better to imitate than a master of the New York film genre.

This is one of those rare films about a father and son's relationship and it is exceptionally well done. Although DeNiro plays the father, his role in the film is almost that of a supporting actor. The real stars of the film are Chazz Palminteri, who plays a local crime boss (and who wrote the play on which the film is based, as well as the screenplay) and Francis Capra, who plays DeNiro's son, both turn in excellent performances and they carry the film.

DeNiro's son idolizes Palminteri so much that when he witnesses a murder he lies to police, saying he can't identify Palminteri as the killer in a lineup. His father tells him it is all right that he didn't tell the truth, because it is sometimes necessary to do such things to get along in the neighborhood.

Nevertheless, DeNiro makes it clear to his son that he doesn't want him hanging out with Palminteri, or accepting money and favors from the mob. His son disobeys him and hangs out with the gangster, who becomes his mentor. An odd triangle is formed. Both the gangster and the father love the boy and both urge him to go to school and not to get caught up in a ``bad'' crowd. Both see this young, promising, intelligent lad as themselves at an early age and both want him to avoid the mistakes they made at his age. Both men try to give him the benefit of their wisdom and the boy does manage to benefit from the wisdom of both men.

The film, in part based on DeNiro's and Palminteri's own lives, is warm, thoughtful, funny and tragic. It is a real slice of life. It is a story too seldom told on film, of both adults and teenagers treated with dignity and respect. This film rates an A.

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