The gangster genre has produced several classics over the years, including some of the most popular and exciting movies ever made. Gangster movies have been big business since the pre-Code era of the 1920s and 1930s. They have evolved over the years to contain more moral complexity, showing that gangsters aren’t always evil and cops aren’t always pure of heart. It’s no coincidence that gangster movies were at the forefront of cultural and stylistic shifts like the French New Wave and the New Hollywood era.
Movies likeThe Godfather, GoodfellasandScarfaceare bona fide classics, showing that legendary directors often do their best work in the gangster genre. The genre gives filmmakers a grounded basis for them to explore epic stories of power, destiny and the struggle between good and evil. Although the gangster genre is known for hard-hitting action and suave characters, the main appeal comes from the idea of people living by their own rules and being pushed to their limits.
Jules Dassin’sRififihelped birth the modern heist genre, synthesizing elements of gangster movies with someone new and original. It remains one of thebest heist moviesever, as well as being one of the most influential. It’s remarkable to see how many of the heist genre’s most beloved tropes spring from this seminal movie, such as the sequence in which the gang gets together, the presence of a femme fatale, and a meticulous, elaborate plan that borders on fantasy.
Rififiretains enough of its excitement to ensure that it’s far more than a historical document, and it’s still worth watching 70 years on. The long, silent heist sequence is a masterpiece in building tension, and the payoff at the end is equally satisfying. A lot ofRififi’s story can seem complicated, with a dense world of gangsters and thieves colluding with and against one another, and this is what makes the simplicity of the heist sequence so refreshing.
The Godfatheris one of themost influential gangster moviesever, helping shape the genre with its portrayal of crime family dynamics and machismo. Author Mario Puzo gained a following among real-life gangsters after he published his novel, with some people believing that he must be involved in a crime syndicate himself, considering how accurate the portrayal of the mafia is. The movie adaptation was also praised for its accuracy.
Coppola strings together a remarkable number of iconic moments that sum up the appeal of gangster movies.
AlthoughThe Godfatherhas been imitated many times, it has never been bested. This is partly because Francis Ford Coppola managed to assemble a legendary ensemble cast, with brilliant actors like Robert Duvall, John Cazale and James Caan in supporting roles. Together, they contribute to an immersive atmosphere that allows Coppola to work his magic, and he strings together a remarkable number of iconic moments that sum up the appeal of gangster movies.
FollowingThe Godfatherseems like an impossible task, butThe Godfather Part IIis every bit as powerful and exciting. It’s not just one of the best sequels ever made, but also one of thebest movies evermade. The sequel loses the power of Marlon Brando’s Vito Corleone, but Robert De Niro steps in to play a younger version of the character as he makes his first steps in the New World after fleeing Sicily.
Part IIis an outstanding crime epic on its own merits, but it also deepens the impact of the first movie.
As Michael Corleone continues his rise as Don, his story is contrasted with his father’s way of doing business. By the end, Michael is left alone, having betrayed or neglected everyone dear to him in his paranoid attempts to cling to power.Part IIis an outstanding crime epic on its own merits, but it also deepens the impact of the first movie in retrospect, capping a dramatic duology that represents the best of the gangster genre.
As the gangster genre took shape in the 1930s and 1940s, James Cagney was one of the genre’s biggest stars, alongside the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson.White Heatis one of Cagney’s best, and it anticipated the style of later gangster movies in the 1950s and beyond. Cagney plays a psychotic mobster who enjoys the violent side of his criminal lifestyle until an undercover federal agent infiltrates his gang.
15 Best Gangster Movies From The ’30s & ’40s
The 1930s and 1940s, the era of Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney, were revolutionary times for the gangster genre, packed with classic releases.
WhileWhite Heathas the intensity of 1950s crime movies and a twisty criminal plot, what makes it stand out is the focus on its main character’s psyche.White Heatdigs into a deranged criminal’s mind and displays its findings on a grand stage. Cagney is outstanding, often making unexpected choices that give his character a volatile, intimidating aura, from his gleeful train robbery to the climactic shootout with the cops.
Miller’s Crossingis one of thebest Coen brothers movies, but it doesn’t get the love that it deserves. Perhaps because it was released years beforeFargo, The Big LebowskiandO Brother, Where Art Thou,or perhaps because it was a box office flop,Miller’s Crossinghas continued to fly under the radar. It has maintained a pristine critical reputation, however, proving that its quality is not the reason why it’s so undervalued.
The Coen brothers show their love for older gangster classics while reinventing film noir for a more modern audience.
Miller’s Crossingwas the Coen brothers' third movie, but their confident style is already clear to see. They bring their own stylistic flourishes to the gangster genre, showing their love for older gangster classics while reinventing film noir for a more modern audience. There are moments of comedy, but overall,Miller’s Crossingis much more serious and dramatic than other Coen brothers crime movies.
Few directors have mastered the gangster genre as definitively as Martin Scorsese, who has classics likeCasino, The IrishmanandThe Departedto his name.Goodfellasis arguably his crowning achievement in the gangster genre, and one of the most popular crime movies of all time. The story follows real-life gangster Henry Hill, starting with his teenage aspirations of getting involved in organized crime and ending with his settled life in witness protection. The intervening years are a roller-coaster of money, partying, prison and murder.
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Goodfellasis filled with great quotes, lively music choices and moments of shocking physical humor. All in all, it’s one of the most relentlessly entertaining crime movies ever, as Scorsese rattles through events at lightning speed. There’s a lightness to most of the story, showing the dizzying highs of life in the mob. Of course, this merely sets up the crushing lows, and Scorsese knows how to deliver a hammer blow when he wants to.
Guy Ritchie’s second movie builds on the complex criminal fun ofLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,weaving a tangled web of different characters fighting over the spoils of a diamond heist.Snatchis the best example of Ritchie’s rapid-fire dialogue, and he manages to cram in plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, punctuated by his stylistic splashes of brutal violence.
10 Great Gangster Movies Everyone Always Forgets About
While some gangster movies are well-known across the board, other great crime films lack the same kind of ever-present cultural relevance.
Snatchis one ofGuy Ritchie’s best movies, and one of the best British gangster movies ever. The British gangster genre has its own conventions and archetypes.Snatchcherry-picks the best ones and spins them into a hilarious crime caper that harks back to the days of Ealing comedies likeThe LadykillersandThe Lavender Hill Mob.It’s a beautifully constructed mess that bounces around between its various criminal characters, building toward an irresistible crescendo.
Years after playing Michael Corleone, Al Pacino added another iconic gangster to his repertoire.Scarface’s Tony Montana is a Cuban immigrant who becomes disenfranchised by the false promise of the American Dream and turns to a life of crime to get the life he believes he deserves.Scarface’s shocking violence never loses its potency, especially in the iconic final showdown, as Tony sits alone in his mansion with a mountain of cocaine.
Scarfaceis an emotionally raw character study that plays out like a classic tragedy.
Scarfaceis a remake of a classic gangster movie of the same name from 1932, and there have been a couple of failed attempts to produce another remake in recent years. It’s hard to envision a new movie topping the 1983 version in terms of sheer excitement and karmic resonance. For all its bloodshed and surprising comedy,Scarfaceis an emotionally raw character study that plays out like a classic tragedy.
Brian De Palma made another gangster classic four years afterScarface,althoughThe Untouchablesis a much different movie. For starters, the movie primarily focuses on law enforcement, rather than the gangsters themselves. Another key difference is thatThe Untouchablesis based on a true story, with Kevin Costner’s Elliot Ness hunting down Robert De Niro’s notorious bootlegger and gangster Al Capone, who happened to be nicknamed “Scarface” by the press.
10 Gangster Movies Criticized By Experts
While some of these films were among the greatest gangster stories ever told, experts have pointed out historical inaccuracies and realism issues.
The Untouchableshas just enough of a focus on Capone and his criminal associates to count as a gangster movie, and it plays out like a game of wits and wills between two men on opposite sides of the law. This contest frequently turns violent, and this is where De Palma showcases his flair for jaw-dropping action.De Niro’s flamboyant performance also helps bring Capone and the prohibition era to life.He plays up Capone’s public persona as a silver-tongued man of the people.
Get Carteris a masterpiece of pared-back action, with Michael Caine starring as a London-based gangster who returns to his hometown of Newcastle to find that his brother has been murdered. His vengeful rampage leads him deep into Newcastle’s criminal underworld, as he crosses paths with seedy gangsters on their home turf, but he never considers retreating to the safety of London.
The role of Carter suits Michael Caine well. He’s a man who prefers action over words, and Caine gives him a stone-faced swagger that builds up the mystery behind the character. Although an American remake with Sylvester Stallone failed to recapture the impact and intensity of the original,Get Carterhas aged well. Its practical effects and smart pacing make it quite unlike any gangster movies being made today.
