Hoodlum (film)

Hoodlum is a 1997 crime drama film that gives a fictionalized account of the gang war between the Italian/Jewish mafia alliance and the Black gangsters of Harlem that took place in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The film concentrated on Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (Laurence Fishburne), Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth), and Lucky Luciano (Andy García).

Plot

After being paroled from Sing Sing, Bumpy Johnson (Laurence Fishburne) returns to Harlem to resume his old life. He is welcomed back by his cousin, Illinois Gordon (Chi McBride) as well as Stephanie "Madame Queen" St. Clair, the monarch reigning over the numbers racket in Harlem. The psychopathic Dutch Schultz (Tim Roth), a Mafia associate who reports to mob boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano (Andy Garcia) runs the numbers rackets in downtown New York. His gang has been crowding into Harlem, terrorizing residents to only play the numbers with his operation.

While hanging on the stoop one afternoon with Illinois and his girlfriend Mary, Bumpy meets one of Mary's friends, Francine (Vanessa Williams). She and Illinois talk trash to each other, with her disapproving of the 'numbers' rackets Illinois is involved in and him defending it as the only way to make ends meet in the Depression. Bumpy introduces himself to her and is obviously interested. They meet again in a nightclub and dance together. Bumpy walks Francine home and they debate the effect of gambling in Harlem on its citizens. At her door, she says that he could do anything he wanted. He responds that he has written some poetry and then recites a poem to her, about her beautiful eyes.