Nunzio

I remember seeing Nunzio on WHT (Wometco Home Theater) which was a pay TV service that pre-dated cable. The film left such an impression on me that I haven't forgotten it to this day.

I won't go into the plot as it's been covered here but David Proval's performance as a mentally challenged delivery boy is heartbreaking and pitch perfect.

His brother, played by the excellent James Andronica (who also wrote the script), loves Nunzio and protects him, as any big brother should.

While the script may be formulaic, it works.

David Proval and James Andronica are clearly committed here and the way they captured the lives of these characters was terrific. It feels very genuine and authentic as NYC is practically a character in and of itself.

If you can see this film (there are a few websites streaming an old WHT version, but the quality is poor), check it out, you won't regret it.

The fact that this movie hasn't been released on DVD/Blu-ray is very sad.

Nunzio is a little-seen drama which tells a standard underdog story a husky, mentally-challenged deliveryman (David Proval) who dreams of being a superhero. Teased by the local hoods, his older brother Jamesie (James Andronica, who also wrote the screenplay) protects Nunzio to the point of smothering him.

Although the movie is rather sappy, Proval dose a very good job of keeping most of the ham in check (unlike co-star/screenwriter Andronica). In addition, Jazz singer/Corelone matriarch Morgana King was a welcome sight playing the mother of Nunzio and Jamesie.

Note: There was one specific scene that to this day still makes me uncomfortable even though it was important to the plot and put this movie in MPAA rating limbo. The film was originally rated R because of a sex scene between the main character and a neighborhood girl. According to the original NY Times review by Janet Maslin, that scene was edited down so the movie can get a PG rating. When the movie was shown on cable TV, the R-rated version was shown at night and the PG-rated version was shown during the day. I would have to agree with Maslin that if you took the sex scene out, the scenes after the incident made no sense at all.

Universal released Nunzio to theaters in 1978 but has never released the movie to DVD. I wonder why? Ever since his 1973 debut in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets, Proval has been a very dependable character actor an has appeared in numerous movie and TV projects including his memorable role as Richie Aprile in The Sopranos. I would think Universal would have considered releasing Nunzio to DVD to take advantage of Proval's Soprano buzz and show how talented the actor was to people who have never seen or heard of Nunzio. Sometimes some marketing strategies makes too much sense.

I watched this movie years ago. It made a lasting impression on my mind. It shows how a brothers love can deflect the crap thrown by bullies at his mentally challenged brother. This classic could be remade. I am not sure how you would make it better, but, if it is brought up-to-date and put back into circulation that would be OK. The story line is the key. What a great eclectic group of people. The story does not fall short of showing that the Handicapped mean well and if asked can participate to a high level.

I loved this story and want to order a copy. It is a classic, just most people don't know it. GREAT MOVIE....Talented talented people. Find it, watch it and be humble...

Yes I am a sucker for these Italian NYC dramas. And even more so for 70s kitsch. But, this aside, I still find this to be a great film. People bust on Andronica's acting, which I actually thought was good, at least in the playground scene-and Proval did one helluva job. Much better than Richie Aprile, anyway. A film such as this could never be made today. Too many politics. But I love this film. It's dated, simple, and made during a time when things could be a little more simple and a little less intellectualized.

A good and forgotten film. I saw this as a kid when it was on Wometco Home Theatre back in the 70's. David Proval stars as Nunzio, a mentally challenged man whose life the film focuses on. Many years after seeing this moving, I met my wife who has a mentally challenged brother. As the years passed, I remembered this movie as Nunzio and my brother-in-law were very much alike and had the same issues. The film does an effective job showing not only what a mentally challenged person goes through, but also that person's family as well. Just like my brother-in-law, Nunzio has capabilities but, most of the time, is unable to use them constructively. The film shows that there is not much that can be done for such people and it can become a frustrating situation for that person's family. Sadly, the film also shows how mentally challenged people are often bullied or taken advantage of by others. David Proval is outstanding as Nunzio. Due to the limited release of this film, he did not receive the credit that he should have for his performance. The move is on You Tube so check it out.