mentor-protégé relationship

His films consistently explore the formative relationships between older and younger characters, most notably in 'The 400 Blows' and 'Small Change,' examining how mentorship shapes identity and growth.

His lyrical films like 'A Summer at Grandpa's' and 'Dust in the Wind' delicately portray intergenerational transmission of wisdom and emotional bonds between mentors and students.

His films 'Raging Bull,' 'The Irishman,' and 'Casino' deeply examine complex mentor-protégé dynamics marked by ambition, moral compromise, and the weight of inherited violence and legacy.