Best Gangster Movies (1 Viewer)

[Lew Crippen]

This morning's Dallas Morning News had an article on the evolution of the family in gangster movies. This occasioned by Road to Perdition.

A sidebar to the article contained yet another top 10 list: the best gangster flicks. Their top, The Sopranos, I exclude as it is not a movie, but as the list also has a two for one, its back to a top ten. The others in the order listed:
1.GoodFellas
2.The Godfather, Part 1
3.The Godfather, Part 2 (original list had both ranked together at 3)
4.Public Enemy
5.Miller’s Crossing
6.Scarface
7.Menace II Society
8.The Long Good Friday
9.The Killer
10.White Heat

Not a bad list, imo.

Your comments and additions and deletions expected.

 

[Jan H]

The Killer is the John Woo version, no?

Good list, I would replace Scarface (if it's the Pacino version) with Once Upon a Time in America. Otherwise, there are some really good movies on that list.

 

[Lew Crippen]

The Killer is the John Woo version, no?

Of course. I think that it’s the writer’s intent to have a diverse list.

 

[Jim_K]

Its a good list but Woo's Killer needs to go.
Other worthy traditional Gangster films would be: Once Upon a Time in America, Casino, Donnie Brasco
For British mobster films I like Stephen Frears The Hit as much as The Long Good Friday.
The Yakuza for the Japanese Gangster film.
Plenty of Noir Gangster films. Off the top of my head - Kiss of Death '47, The Killers '46 & Point Blank
Not sure which version of Scarface they listed. The Hawks version is a classic. DePalma's version is also excellent. The Untouchables is just a fun Old Fashioned Gangster throwback film which I also enjoy.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Scarface (if it's the Pacino version)

No, it’s the 1932 version directed by Howard Hawks, with Paul Muni. The article notes that Muni’s character has a thing for his sister. It does not mention the supporting cast, with notables such as George Raft and Boris Karloff.

I have to believe that John Woo was influenced by this film. IMO dePalma should have tried another project.

Hope that I did not miss any other duplicates.
:b

 

[Jack Briggs]

Goodfellas is wonderful. Screened the thing twice last week, in fact.

 

[george kaplan]

I think Goodfellas is great, but I'd rank it at number 3, after the 2 Godfather films. And if the list did include tv shows, I'd put Wiseguy on it, even above the Sopranos.

I don't know if Rififi counts, but if so, I'd put that on the list also.

And, just because I like to take a broad view of things, and think outside the box, I'd also stick in Analyze This.

And frankly, I prefer The Killers (1946) to the Killer.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I'd put Wiseguy on it, even above the Sopranos.

Ah yet another fan. I’ve not seen an episode since the original run, so I don’t know if my memory can be trusted, but I think that Sopranos might have an edge in acting. And in character development.

The atmosphere of Wise Guys was for me a major part of its appeal. AndI loved the way it ended, even if it was a bit of a steal from Stanley.

 

[Chuck C]

Where's Casino? :frowning:

 

[Alex S]

The Godfather I & II should be 1st and 2nd.
They are easily the best 2 gangster films ever made.
None of these other films come close to them.

 

[Michael*K]

Goodfellas is hands down the best. I really like both of the first two Godfather films but they can't hold a candle to Scorsese's classic. Casino on the other hand, was a complete embarrassment.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I really think that Once Upon a Time in America belongs on the top ten list!
The first two Godfather movies and Goodfellas all deserve to occupy the top three spots (although I am not sure in what order)!

 

[Jeff_A]

on the other hand, was a complete embarrassment.

Complete embarrassment? I, for one, completely disagree.

 

[Patrick McCart]

I'll go with Goodfellas.

 

[Brook K]

The Godfather films are my favorite.

I liked Casino quite a bit and on initial viewing preferred it to Goodfellas, though I've since seen the light.

Better choices for Asian gangster films would have been Afraid To Die or Sonatine.