Characters:

-Calogero "C" Anello-

The main and narrarator, C is a confused young man. He is confused about why his friends hate the black people in the neighborhood next to theirs, and he is confused about whether his father is right about trusting and befriending the local mafia boss, Sonny. C gained Sonny's trust when he was nine years old. C was sitting on his stoop, when he witnessed Sonny murder another man. When the police came to ask C to point out who killed the man, C did not rat out Sonny. From that point on, Sonny gave C his gratitude and brought him along when he hung out with his friends. Young Calogero is played by Francis Capra, and the older Calogero is played by Lillo Brancato Jr.

-Lorenzo Anello-

Robert DeNiro plays as C's father. He is an honest worker and drives the public bus for a living. He lives in his Bronx apartment with his wife and his son. He is a good father and wants the best for C. He encourages C to not point out Sonny on the lineup, because he does not want any complications with his son's future. Little does he know that C was going to have complications nonetheless. Lorenzo doesn't get along with Sonny at all, and often tells him to stay away from his son and his family.

-Sonny(no last name specified)-

Sonny is played by Chazz Palminteri is a ruthless killer and enforcer. He protects his Bronx neighborhood from other rivaling mafia families and takes good care of the citizens. The residents of the neighborhood often trust Sonny and his crew more than they trust the police.

-Sonny is killed at the end of the movie by an assassin who's father was killed by sonny 9 years earlier.

-"Slick"-

Slick is a friend of C, and a scumbag. He is extremely racist and always makes a point of beating up the black kids when they ride bicycles through their neighborhood.

-Slick is killed with the rest of C's friends when a black kid who they were trying to kill throws a molotov cocktail at the boys' car and burns them alive

-"Crazy Mario"-

Mario is exactly what his name describes him as...crazy. He is absolutely out of his mind, and loves to mess with local town merchants.

-Mario is killed in the same car as Slick.

-Jane Williams-

Jane is a colored girl that Calogero describes as being tall, classy, and beautiful. She lives in a colored neighborhood of the Bronx within walking distance of Calogero's neighborhood. She likes Italian men, and dates Calogero.