in Hollywood and beyond, gangster movies have always been well-received and well-sold. The criminals portrayed in these stories may be among the worst of humanity. But as long as such people are in the movies instead of our streets, we can not ignore them. The gangster genre plays an important role in the history of Hollywood cinema, where some of the best gangster and mafia films have been made, gangsters whose reaching out of nowhere is an unpleasant aspect of the American dream.
At best, gangster films can use murder and violence at the center of their story to create stories of victory and defeat, passion and betrayal. In the following, I want to acquaint you with the top 9 films of the gangster genre that must be seen before death.
9-Miller's Crossing
The Coen Brothers masterpiece of 1990 is among their best works. Influenced by the noir writings of Dashiell Hammett and starring Gabriel Byrne as Tom Reagan, a gangster adviser who plays a key role in a gang war, he is involved in the visual festival. As can be seen in the work style of the Coen brothers and their innovative tendencies, the simple story of Miller's Crossing becomes a very complex and dark story with personal revenge and numerous confrontations. Albert Finney and John Polito play masterfully as the leaders of two rival gangsters, one an Irish father figure and the other an intolerant and capricious Italian who is good at drawing.
8- Once Upon A Time In America
First of all, let us say that Sergio Leone's epic masterpiece is not suitable for thin-hearted and emotional people. The latest work by the famous Italian director is an epic film in the true sense of the word, albeit a very long one, which depicts a significant part of US history in four and a half hours. Robert De Niro played many unique roles during his heyday, but few of his roles can be compared to the main character in Once Upon A Time In America, Noodles, who becomes more and more unpleasant and mean during the film. There are many murders in this film and sexual violence reaches its peak. Wherever the Noodles go, they go through self-destruction and eventually fall into the mire themselves. James Woods also plays a stunning role as a friend of the Noodles.
7- White Heat
The gangster genre has always been popular and will likely be popular forever, but the James Cagney era in particular was the heyday of the genre. The famous actor, with his fluid, lively and emotional games, stabilized the gangster characters in the form of an insensitive, arrogant and constantly grinning character, and of course, he was very charismatic. Movies like The Public Enemy and Angels With Dirty Faces made Cagney famous, but White Heat should be considered his best work, which was one of Cagney's last works in the gangster genre. In this film, Cagney plays the role of a ruthless criminal leader who has almost no positive and defensible personality traits. Cody Jarrett has a deep relationship with his mother, and this relationship has led to a terrifying team, but the film specifically examines Jarrett's character in a shocking way for today's audience.
6- Gangster No. 1
At the turn of the 21st century, British gangster films were heavily influenced by Hollywood cinema, and in particular by Quentin Tarantino. Paul McGuigan in 2000 with the film Gangster No. 1 took the same path and made a film that is a dark and glamorous analysis of the life of the crazy leader of a mafia group who plays him with the dazzling skill of Paul Beatty. The film begins with the image of an unnamed gangster in the old age, played by Malcolm McDowell, and the story is told in his language. This gangster is more of a creature than a human, an insensitive and empathetic person who only cares about increasing his power and wealth. He is chosen by a mafia leader and quickly and obsessively tries to imitate his mentor. It would not be an exaggeration to say anything about the charm of Beatty's acting in the film. Long and slender, with insensitive eyes, Beatty walks proudly, but sometimes she returns to her former form, and as her mental state deteriorates, her face turns into a frightening and sudden scream. Watching this movie is worth the time, so do not miss it.
5- Mesrine
Gangster movies will be popular biographies forever, because without exception, gangsters are fascinating characters who live in a world different from ours. Although the cinematic version of their lives is not always attractive and successful (for example, Gotti), the two-part film Mesrine by Jean-François Richie in 2008 about the famous French gangster Jacques Mercin is one of the best in the genre. Using the ever-loving and charming Vincent Kessel in the lead role, the film explores Mersin's life from his initial acquaintance with violence to his adventures during the Algerian war and his subsequent assassination by police in 1979.
Mersin's life has all the charms and twists and turns to create a rich story that we have rarely seen in other gangster films. In this film, we see plots and failures, escapes from prisons and numerous confrontations, while Mersin uses the media to the beauty and delicacy of a violin, a notorious hunter who wants the world to see him when he commits another robbery. The play of Kasel and other actors in this film, including Gerard Depardieu and Matthew Almaric, is commendable.
4- Sonatine
Takeshi Kitano, a prominent Japanese filmmaker who has shown his skills in the field of cinema in various genres, has often explored the underground world of the Yakuza, but his best gangster film is Sonatine, made in 1993. Like many of Kitano's other films, this one is the perfect combination of humor, melancholy, and shocking violence, with Kitano himself playing the role of the charismatic and stoic protagonist with unparalleled skill. In his gangster film, Kitano plays Murakawa, a middle-class member of a mafia who escapes with his group to a beach house after being sabotaged on a mission. In this new world, violence roams everywhere, and the wanderings of the Morokawa group are always accompanied by dark events. Many of Kitano's films are like a dream, they go from one sequence to another in a very attractive way, and they play beautifully with the audience's expectations.
3- The Long Good Friday
John Mackenzie's 1980 film The Long Good Friday, which depicts the conditions of a nation, stars Bob Haskins, one of the top five endings in the history of cinema. This film addresses some of the most important issues and fears of the British people at that time; These include the Irish Liberation Army, police corruption, Thatcherism, and the ruthless entry into the realm of capitalism, and the combination of these components turns into a dark and shocking gangster film that is ultimately perfect. In The Long Good Friday, Haskins plays Harold Shand, a British gangster under pressure from all sides. His goal is to take his mafia business to a legitimate business, but a series of murders cause him to lose control of his plot, forcing him to return to the world he wants to escape from.
2- The Godfather
The father of all mafia movies is the Francis Ford Coppola mafia odyssey that changed the face of Hollywood cinema forever. With the likes of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, and most of all, reviving the heyday of Marlon Brando, The Godfather trilogy should be considered three of the most important films in the history of cinema. Although the third part is not as big as the first two parts, the third part also has memorable moments and Andy Garcia's role in the film cannot be ignored. However, the main essence of this trilogy should be found in the first two films. The first is a classic gangster movie, while the second looks more complex and violent. However, both should be considered defining the cinema of the 70's, when Coppola was the king of filmmaking and huge budgets were spent on gangster films, a time when there was no news of franchises and sequels.
1- Goodfellas
Scorsese's masterpiece in the mafia and gangster genres is a dark and pessimistic view of the life of a low-level criminal group whose charm lies in its unwillingness to moralize events. In Goodfellas, the characters have a luxurious life, but eventually their choices come back and fall on their backs. This film is the story of low-class gangsters and therefore finds itself deprived of the glory of other films in this genre. In this situation, two of the three main characters in the story are not even suitable options to join the Mafia. Based on true stories and written in collaboration with veteran Mafia journalist Nicolas Pilgi, the film is more credible and realistic than any other gangster film in the history of cinema. Combining exciting soundtracks with impeccable performances by Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, Goodfellas has become a real phenomenon in cinema that is equally funny, dramatic, inspiring and shocking. Although the length of the film is more than two hours, it passes very quickly due to the charm of the story. Casino, which was a sequel to this movie, is a good movie, but only The Sopranos can be considered the real successor of this movie.
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Hope you like this list🤗
