It's a tale of contempt and corruption, extortion and fraud and disruption, the dinosaurs roam, testosterone foams, below the streets, where the sewers and the rats run.

The overwhelmingly brilliant performance comes from Al Pacino, although he would go on to play the same character in most of his future films, and the rest of the cast essentially play themselves or a role they would also perpetually play, just watch any and all of their subsequent offerings.

Does it work as well today? I'm not sure it survives the test of time as well as other films of the era or before, some of the editing jumps about erratically and women are generally treated like brood mares who live in ignorance of their surroundings - just as long as there's a good sing song, a dance, and a cake, at a christening or a wedding even better.

I fondly remember Edward G. Robinson films being better than this, Jimmy Cagney even, George Raft was the best mob villain by a country mile.