Gangstermovies often tell the stories of real criminals or claim to have their basis in fact, although some experts question the validity of these depictions. As an insanely violent genre that showcases the most extreme sides of criminality, it’s not surprising that some filmmakers exaggerate for dramatic effect. However, that’s not to say gangster movies shouldn’t be held accountable, and it’s important that if something claims to be a true story, the movie should stand up against cold, hard facts.
Some of thegreatest gangster movies of all timehave been criticized for accuracy issues. Timelessclassics by directors like Martin Scorseseand Francis Ford Coppola have had their fair share ofhistorical detractors who took issues with different scenes, performances, or narrative choices. This can also be an issue for fictional films, as even if the characters were not supposed to be real, they were usually set within a context that had many real-world parallels.
10The Untouchables (1987)
Experts claim The Untouchables depicted events that did not occur
AlthoughThe Untouchablesmay have earned Sean Connery a long-awaited Academy Award, experts assert that it was far from accurate. This Prohibition-era-era gangster movie explored the criminal underworld of 1930s Chicago and the team that sought to bring the notorious bootlegger Al Capone to justice. While this led to a very entertaining and now classic gangster movie,The Untouchablesalso depicts some events that never occurred, and an analysis inThe Guardiandescribed the film as “punch-drunk with inaccuracies.”
Major issues withThe Untouchablesinclude the raid at the Canada-United States border, which never happened, and the courthouse and railway station shootouts. While Kevin Costner, as Eliot Ness, was depicted killing Frank Nitti, this also did not occur as Nitti passed away in 1943, 12 years after the real Capone trial. AlthoughThe Untouchablestook many liberties when it came to historical accuracy, this does not take away its place as a classic of 1980s gangster movies.
The Untouchables
Cast
The Untouchables, directed by Brian De Palma, is a crime drama set during Prohibition-era Chicago. The film stars Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness, a federal agent determined to bring down the notorious gangster Al Capone, portrayed by Robert De Niro. Alongside Sean Connery as seasoned officer Jim Malone, Ness forms an elite team to combat organized crime, focusing on the legal strategy to dismantle Capone’s empire.
9Black Mass (2015)
Experts claim Black Mass portrayed an inaccurate characterization of Whitey Bulger
The biographical gangster movieBlack Massstarred Johnny Depp as the real American mobster Whitey Bulger. Based on Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill’s bookBlack Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob,Black Massoutlined Bulger’s criminal history in South Boston and his eventual role as an FBI informant. While Depp’s performance received critical acclaim, one notable critic was the real Bulger, who described the movie as “pure fiction” (viaDaily Beast.)
Bulger disapproved of key plot points inBlack Mass, although his associateKevin Weeks did concede that the killings depicted in the movie did happen. However, Weeks was adamant that the characterization of Bulger was all wrong and that “the only resemblance to Whitey’s character was the hairline.” Even though Bulger was shown as an aggressive gang leader inBlack Mass, Weeks asserted: “In all the years I was with that man, he never swore at me once.”
Black Mass
Black Mass is a crime drama biography based on the true story of one of the most notorious criminals in U.S. History, Whitey Bulger. When Bulger’s turf is encroached on by a rival mafia family, the Angiulo brothers, the death of one of his own mafia family members leads him to join his long-time friend and become an informant for the FBI to exact his revenge - and push the Angiulo’s out of his turf.
8Goodfellas (1990)
Experts claim Goodfellas exaggerated some aspects of its story
Martin Scorsese’sGoodfellasis one of the most acclaimed gangster movies of all time. Ray Liotta’s incredible characterization of Henry Hill, a notorious monster who rose to prominence with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, has gained widespread acclaim. Adding to this, the characterization of Joe Pesci’s portrayal of Tommy DeVito led to one of cinema’s greatest movie quotes as he questions, “Funny how?” which became one of the most menacing and hilarious moments in gangster movie history.
Whilereal-life gangsters' reactions toGoodfellashave been extremely positive, with most mobsters asserting it was an accurate representation of a life of crime, not everyone was so quick to praise it. Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano, a former underboss in the Gambino crime family, gave his opinion onGoodfellasonThe Adam Carolla Showwhen he said, “There’s a lot of truth” in the movie, but some aspects were exaggerated for dramatic effect. WhileGoodfellasmay have changed some aspects of the truth for the sake of cinema, it’s a testament to its power that even real gangsters praise it.
Goodfellas
GoodFellas chronicles the life of Henry Hill, a young Brooklynite with half-Irish, half-Sicilian heritage, as he rises through the ranks of a Mafia family. As he navigates the criminal underworld, he is mentored by seasoned gangster Jimmy Conway amidst the backdrop of organized crime in New York.
7Scarface (1983)
Experts claim Scarface propagated negative stereotypes
Scarfaceis one of the most notable gangster movies ever made, as director Brian de Palma powerfully remade the original 1930s crime classic for a new audience. WithAl Pacino in a typically over-the-top performance, his characterization of Tony Montana has become truly iconic, as the phrase “say hello to my little friend” has earned an important place in popular culture. While many aspects ofScarfacehave received widespread praise, one issue that has continually appeared was the opposition to non-Cuban actors cast in Cuban roles and the proliferation of racial stereotypes (viaGuardian.)
For all the excess and graphic violence seen withinScarface, it’s clear that gangster movies can spread negative stereotypes, as the fictional story of Tony Montana had plenty of real-world parallels.Scarfacetold the story of a Cuban migrant who arrived penniless in Miami during the Mariel boatlift only to become a notorious drug lord. This criminal reimagining of the American dream had the unfortunate negative effects of viewers associating migrants and refugees with criminal behavior, with Demetrio Perez, the city commissioner of Miami, calling outScarfacein particular(viaVulture.)
Scarface
Brian De Palma’s iconic crime drama is loosely based on the 1929 novel of the same name and follows Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino), who begins a life of crime after arriving in Miami. It chronicles his rise from a penniless thug to one of the richest and most ruthless kingpins in the world, amassing a criminal empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
6The Departed (2006)
Experts claim The Departed featured inaccurate criminal practices
The Departedfinally earned filmmaker Martin Scorsese an accolade that had evaded him his entire career by winning Best Picture and Best Director Oscars at the Academy Awards. As a gangster movie loosely based on the real-life Boston Winter Hill Gang while also acting asa remake of the Hong Kong movieInfernal Affairs, this mix of source material unsurprisingly led to some realism issues. WhileThe Departedwas a masterclass in filmmaking, ex-Hong Kong mafia member Jimmy Tsui explained why it was inaccurate in a video forInsider.
Tsui broke downthe scene inThe Departed, in which Costello’s crew meets with Chinese criminals to sell stolen microprocessors to them. Giving this scene a five out of ten for realism, Tsui said that the Hong Kong triad thinks of crime as a business and will do anything profitable, “so theydon’t care who they’re dealing with as long as it’s of interest.” However, the main issue Tsui saw with the scene was that the Americans had hired a translator to speak on their behalf, saying he’d never heard of an interpreter doing this.
The Departed
The Departed, directed by Martin Scorsese, depicts the tense interplay between the police and the Irish Mafia in South Boston. As an undercover officer infiltrates the criminal underworld, a syndicate informant rises within the police force, culminating in a high-stakes struggle to uncover the dual moles within their ranks.
5American Gangster (2007)
Experts claim much of American Gangster was fabricated
Director Ridley Scott released his own take on a Martin Scorsese-style gangster movie with the biographical crime filmAmerican Gangster. Telling the story of Frank Lucas and his criminal career smuggling heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War,American Gangsterwas a thrilling game of cat and mouse with incredible performances from Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Croweas the cop trying to take him down.
WhileAmerican Gangsterwas a commercial and critical success, Lucas himself stated that only a small portion of the movie was true and a lot was fabricated for dramatic effect (viaThe Voice.) Lucas said that there “a lot of scenes throughout the film that are not true” and there were many situations left out that he wished were included. While Lucas likely does not have much in common with Sterling Johnson Jr., the federal judge who assisted his arrest and trial, they aligned on the idea thatAmerican Gangsterwas “one percent reality and ninety-nine percent Hollywood” (viaToday.)
American Gangster
American Gangster is a 2007 crime film directed by Ridley Scott, featuring Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin in Harlem, and Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, the detective determined to bring him down. The film explores the rise of Lucas in the drug trade and the eventual intersection of their lives amidst the backdrop of a corrupt and morally complex society.
4Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Experts claim Bonnie and Clyde romanticized the couple
Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of criminal lovers on the run inBonnie and Clydewas an important factor in the romanticization of the American bandits. As a definitive release in the New Hollywood era of cinema,Bonnie and Clydebroke down cinematic taboos and was an important release within the countercultural movement of the 1960s. WhileBonnie and Clydeopened the door for a more open presentation of sex and violence in cinema, it was also not without historical inaccuracies.
One major error that was explored by author Jeff Guinn in his bookGo Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clydewas the presentation of Frank Hamer as a vengeful bungler who was captured, humiliated, and released by Bonnie and Clyde. In reality, Hamer was a decorated Texas ranger who came out of retirement to hunt the couple and had never previously met them before he and his posse ambushed and killed them in 1934. The presentation of a previous relationship between the bandits and Hamer gaveBonnie and Clydea narrative background that was false.
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde, released in 1967, follows the tumultuous partnership between Bonnie Parker, a disenchanted waitress, and Clyde Barrow, an ex-convict. Set during the Great Depression, the film chronicles their notorious crime spree across America, featuring robberies and car thefts, as they capture public attention and infamy.
3Gotti (2018)
Experts claim Gotti was wrong on all fronts
The story New York City mobster John Gotti was told in the widely derided biographical crime movieGotti. With John Travolta in the title role,Gottireceived an abysmal0% on Rotten Tomatoesas audiences, experts, and reviewers all agreed this movie was packed inaccuracies (viaCollider.) Often described as the worst gangster movie of all time,Gottifailed to live up to the greatest heights of the genre as it, unfortunately, faltered in its attempt to reach the level of classics likeThe GodfatherandGoodfellas.
Asa loose dramatization of Gotti’s rise as the boss of the Gambino crime family, many instances inGotticame across more like a bad parody in aSaturday Night Livesketch than a genuine presentation of a real man’s criminal story. While Travolta was probably the best thing about the film, a committed performance was not enough to save this disastrous movie. PerhapsGotti’smost egregious error was that it presented its title character as a likable man and failed to hold its subject properly accountable.
Gotti
John Travolta stars in the biographical crime drama Gotti as John Gotti himself and explores the life of the notorious mafia boss during his criminal empire in New York City. The film sees Gotti reminisce on his past while visiting some of the critical moments in his life in the present as he attempts to maintain control of his business.
2The Irishman (2019)
Experts claim The Irishman did not tell the accurate story
Martin Scorsese triumphantly returned to the gangster genre with the crime epicThe Irishmanon Netflix. This highly anticipated film not only reunited Scorsese with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci but also featured the director’s only collaboration with Al Pacino. At an impressive 209-minute runtime,The Irishmanpowerfully explored the real story of gangster Frank Sheeran, his involvement with mobster Russell Bufalino, and their association with the union leader Jimmy Hoffa, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1975.
WhileThe Irishmanreceived widespread praise as a late-career triumph from Scorsese, one gangster who took issues with the film was Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano (viaVulture.)Gravano said in an interview thatThe Irishmangot a lot wrongand that Sheeran “did not do the shooting” and he was “not the guy who killed Jimmy Hoffa.” While Gravano outlined his own theories for what truly went down, the real historical record has never been set in stone, so that’s just his opinion.
The Irishman
Based on the nonfiction book “I Heard You Paint Houses” by Charles Brandt, The Irishman follows Frank Sheeran and his time working for the Italian mafia. In recounting his past, the mob hitman recalls his possible involvement with the slaying of Jimmy Hoffa.
1The Godfather (1972)
Experts claim The Godfather was a little over the top
Francis Ford Coppola revolutionized the gangster genre and forever influenced how the Italian mafia would be depicted on screen withThe Godfather. As one of the greatest movies ever made, this adaptation of Mario Puzo’s original novel showcased Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) as the leader of the notorious Corleone family and laid the groundwork for his son Michael’s eventual rise as depicted inThe Godfather Part IIandPart III. WhileThe Godfatherwas an undisputed classic in gangster cinema, some have criticized it from a realism perspective.
The American crime boss and former caporegime in the Colombo crime family, Michael Franzese, has given his opinion on countless mob movies on his personal YouTube channel. In an interview withInsider, Franzese praisedThe Godfatheras a classic of the genre but took issue with the scene where Jack Woltz (John Marley) woke up to find a decapitated horsehead in his bed. Franzese said thatgangstersduring the time would use different forms of intimidation but described this moment as “a little over the top.”
The Godfather
The Godfather chronicles the Italian-American Corleone crime family from 1945 to 1955. Following an assassination attempt on family patriarch Vito Corleone, his youngest son Michael emerges to orchestrate a brutal campaign of retribution, cementing his role in the family’s illicit empire.
