Boulder’s Seven Best Gangster Movies
Seven Best Gangster Movies!
We love gangster movies. Let’s take an overview of American Gangster Movies, perhaps the greatest of all cinema genres!
The Rise of Gangster Films: From Classic Origins to Modern Interpretations
Gangster films have captivated audiences for nearly a century, creating a blend of crime, drama, and moral complexity that has left a lasting imprint on cinema. The genre’s origins trace back to the early days of Hollywood, where filmmakers began exploring the underworld of organized crime during a time when Prohibition, economic struggles, and corruption were widespread in America.
The Early Days: The Public Enemy and Scarface
The gangster film emerged in the late 1920s and early 1930s, with two landmark films setting the stage for the genre: The Public Enemy (1931) and Scarface (1932). These films, released during the Great Depression, reflected the harsh realities of the time, where crime was on the rise, and moral ambiguity was often the norm.
The Public Enemy, directed by William A. Wellman and starring James Cagney, follows the rise and fall of a Prohibition-era gangster. Cagney’s portrayal of Tom Powers—bold, ruthless, and emotionally distant—defined the gangster archetype for decades to come. The film’s unflinching portrayal of violence, especially the famous “grapefruit scene,” shocked audiences while cementing its place in cinema history.
Scarface, directed by Howard Hawks and produced by the legendary Howard Hughes, pushed the envelope even further. Starring Paul Muni as the ambitious, bloodthirsty Tony Camonte, Scarface was a thinly veiled critique of real-life figures like Al Capone. The film’s raw portrayal of crime, including the use of machine guns and violent gang wars, prompted controversy and demands for censorship, but it remains one of the most influential films in the genre.
The Impact of the Production Code
As gangster films gained popularity, their depiction of crime and moral ambiguity began to worry government officials and religious organizations. The Hays Code, or Production Code, was enforced in 1934, placing strict guidelines on how crime could be portrayed on screen. This led to a temporary decline in the grittiness of gangster films, as filmmakers were required to show that crime never paid, ensuring that gangsters always met a grim end.
Despite these limitations, directors like Michael Curtiz and Raoul Walsh continued making films that showcased gangsters, though often in a more sanitized or moralized context.
A New Era: The Godfather and Goodfellas
The gangster genre saw a resurgence in the 1970s with the release of The Godfather (1972), directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Based on the novel by Mario Puzo, The Godfather redefined the genre by offering a more nuanced and humanized portrayal of organized crime. The film’s focus on family dynamics, loyalty, and the corrupting influence of power set it apart from its predecessors. Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Vito Corleone, the stoic patriarch of a mafia empire, became an iconic image in cinema.
This revival continued with Goodfellas (1990), directed by Martin Scorsese. While The Godfather focused on the inner workings of a powerful crime family, Goodfellas took a grittier approach, offering a documentary-like look at the lives of mid-level criminals. Based on the true story of Henry Hill, the film explores the thrill, violence, and inevitable downfall of those caught up in the criminal underworld. Scorsese’s use of fast-paced editing, voiceovers, and an eclectic soundtrack helped to redefine the gangster film for modern audiences.
Modern Interpretations
I love stories of low-life criminals. Elmore Leonard is THE teller of those tales. Anything that he wrote the screenplay for is on my list of loved movies.
Today, gangster films have evolved to include more diverse perspectives and settings. Films like American Gangster (2007), starring Denzel Washington, and The Irishman (2019), directed by Scorsese, continue the tradition of exploring the personal and moral complexities of life in organized crime. Meanwhile, international gangster films, such as City of God (2002) from Brazil or Gomorrah (2008) from Italy, offer fresh takes on the genre, examining crime from different cultural perspectives.
The allure of gangster films lies in their exploration of power, loyalty, and morality. From the early days of The Public Enemy and Scarface to modern interpretations, the genre remains a vital part of cinematic history, continually reflecting society’s fascination with the darker sides of ambition and control.
By examining how the gangster film has evolved, we can see that while the characters, settings, and stories may change, the core themes of ambition, violence, and moral ambiguity continue to resonate with audiences around the world.
Lenny Lensworth Frieling
Shared Knowledge Is Power!
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