Mean Streets

Charlie (Harvey Keitel) is a young Italian-American man in New York City. He is hampered by his feeling of responsibility towards his reckless younger friend Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro), a small-time gambler who owes money to many loan sharks.

Charlie works for his uncle Giovanni (Cesare Danova), a powerful loan shark and political fixer, mostly collecting debts. He is also having a secret affair with Johnny Boy's cousin Teresa (Amy Robinson), who has epilepsy and is ostracized because of her condition—especially by Charlie's uncle. Charlie's uncle also wants Charlie not to be such close friends with Johnny, saying "Honorable men go with honorable men."