Carlito's Way in the first place. The film is based mainly on "After Hours", but used the title of the first novel to avoid it being confused with Martin Scorsese's 1985 film of the same name. "Carlito's Way" received a mixed response from critics, with a similar lukewarm result at the box office, but has subsequently become a cult film. Both Penn and Miller received Golden Globe nominations for their performances. A prequel titled "", based on the first novel, was released direct-to-video in 2005. In 1975, after serving 5 years of a 30-year prison sentence, Carlito Brigante is freed on a
Carlito's Way with a hot-headed young gangster from the Bronx named Benny Blanco. Carlito also rekindles his romance with his former girlfriend Gail (who calls him “Charlie”), a ballet dancer who moonlights as a stripper. Kleinfeld develops a love interest with Benny's girlfriend, Steffie, a waitress at the club. Benny's frustration with Carlito's constant rejections boils over and he confronts Carlito one night at his table. Carlito publicly humiliates Benny, who reacts by manhandling Steffie. Fueled by his now-extensive use of alcohol and cocaine, Kleinfeld brazenly pulls out a gun and threatens to kill Benny, but Carlito intervenes. Despite being personally threatened