(By Greg Rourke) – Before he was Vito Corleone, before he was Travis Bickle, and long before he was Jimmy Conway, Robert De Niro made a commercial for American Motors.
Back in the 70’s, before “political correctness,” stereotyping was rampant on TV commercials. So here we have a young Bobby D as “Joey”, rolling into the old neighborhood in his spanking new AMC Ambassador. The area hoodlums have of course opened up a hydrant. His entire family comes running out of their fruit stand to ogle his luxury ride. The whole neighborhood is sitting on front stoops. Joey sounds like he means business when he warns Richie to keep his freakin’ shoes off the upholstery. Richie is resplendent in his Tony Soprano edition wife beater. Joey wants to take the whole family for a ride, but Momma feels she isn’t dressed for the occasion. Probably has the Sunday gravy on the stove anyway.
Di Niro only had five acting credits to his name when this commercial was made, and at least one of them was “uncredited”. His career took off shortly after, no doubt based on his acting chops in this classic ad. And now I have a taste for some sausage and peppers.
PRESS PLAY BELOW TO SEE ROBERT DE NIRO’S RARELY SEEN AMC COMMERCIAL –
“Ma you look beautiful.” “Well thanks Joey, too bad I can’t say the same for the Ambassador, at least it was cheap…” The poor Ambassador, it’s the AMC, that AMC guys call homely. Even though the guy on car talk had a convertible Ambassador he called “The sleek, black, beauty.”
Okay maybe only five roles and one uncredited, but those roles include the lead role in Blue Manhattan and the drug-addicted perv son in Bloody Mama. Both highly recommended.
Great commercial. No stereotype thats exactly the way those neighborhoods were and many of us wish still were. It looks like around little Italy and he was born and bred there. Ever see the movie Mean Streets? Great movie.