What's your favorite gangster movie?

[red dog 1]

Last edited Sat Mar 31, 2018, 06:56 PM - Edit history (2)

20 votes, 1 pass | Time left: Unlimited
	Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
	0 (0%)
	The French Connection (1971)
	1 (5%)
	The Godfather (1972)
	7 (35%)
	The Godfather Part 2 (1974)
	1 (5%)
	Scarface (1983)
	0 (0%)
	Goodfellas (1990)
	4 (20%)
	Pulp Fiction (1994)
	1 (5%)
	Casino (1995)
	3 (15%)
	White Heat (1949)
	2 (10%)
	Little Caesar (1931)
	1 (5%)
	1 DU member did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[dameatball]

1. The one where James Cagney is up on the tower at the end

[red dog 1]

3. Yeah, I thought about putting "White Heat" up there

but which one do I take down to make room for it?

[dameatball]

12. You don't. I just have problems following basic instructions.....:))

[jmowreader]

17. Easy: The Untouchables

I know it's about the war against Al Capone, but it's more "police procedural" than "gangster movie."

[BeyondGeography]

2. White Heat

Famous for its Top-O-The-World-Ma ending but brilliant throughout. Incredible pacing by Dir. Raoul Walsh. Epic Cagney and Virginia Mayo playing the bad girl to a tee.

[red dog 1]

4. If this were your thread, which film would you remove to make room for White heat?

[BeyondGeography]

6. Maybe Pulp Fiction but I would let it be

People can add in the thread. There’s just too many great ones. Half the list could just be Cagney/Bogart/Edward G. Robinson titles. Then there’s foreign-made gangster films. It’s an impossible task.

[red dog 1]

8. Interesting!

I loved Pulp Fiction, but if it doesn't get any votes in the next hour or so, I may take it down, and replace it with James Cagney.

[BeyondGeography]

9. So did I, for the first hour

I know people, real movie buffs, who swear by it, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it get some support. I’m always up for a Kahuna burger.

[red dog 1]

10. Yeah, a Big Kahuna burger ...for breakfast!

[dameatball]

15. I deleted my post saying that Bonnie & Clyde was more a hoodlum movie than gangster, then......

....i realized that "White Heat" probably was as well. So I am going with "The Godfather"....a movie that still ages well

[red dog 1]

20. White Heat is now poll option # 9

(So you can vote for it now)

[BeyondGeography]

21. Done

Hey, check out Rififi sometime if you haven’t already. A must for any gangster film fan.

[red dog 1]

22. Thanks, I will do that

[Codeine]

46. Ive always thought of Rififi as more of a heist film.

I do love me some heist films.

[BeyondGeography]

55. There is a difference, I agree

between crooks who come together as a gang for a one-time job and the full-timers who have multiple scams going simultaneously à la the Scorsese organized crime films, all of which I have enthusiastically devoured. Even White Heat is more of a heist film than a gangster film if one is going to be strict about the definition. When you do searches in those titles they do often show up as gangster films though. So does Sexy Beast, which is another one I wondered about.

I think I’m in favor of that because “gangsters” and gangsterism are things that are more prevalent in society than many people think (this isn’t directed at you of course), and maybe that’s because in their minds they only apply to big criminal groups, so they shouldn’t be too narrowly defined. I remember hearing the violinist Yehudi Menuhin ask in defense of a otherwise good-hearted conductor who had performed for the Nazis, “What would you do if gangsters took over your country?” It gave me newfound understanding sympathy for Germans who were caught in the middle, which still does happen to people around the world all the time. Not that I would argue for Hitler films to be included here, but long live the gangster genre in all its forms because, for all their entertainment value they tell you a lot about the human condition as well.

[hibbing]

5. Scarface

I know some think the Al Pacino Scarface is cheesy, but it is a movie. I will watch if flipping.


Peace

[BeyondGeography]

7. What about Ernie?

[Enoki33]

11. Out of the Past. 1947.

I’m a film noir buff.

[wishstar]

45. Good choice- I just saw Out of the Past for first time not long ago on TCM

Don't know how I had missed it before as I love film noir and Robert Mitchum

[longship]

13. Love Bogie, Edward G, but Goodfellas is the bomb gangster flick.

First, it's Scorsese. The cast is universally both ultra smarmy and brilliant. Lots of scene stealing, with Pesci the champion in that regard. Nevertheless, the story is based on real events, related by Henry Hill in his book, played by Ray Liotta in the film.

It is nearly flawless as a gangster film.

I have never seen any of The Godfather series. I just cannot stand Marlon "Mumbles" Brando.

[Aristus]

43. 'The Godfather' is worth a look, even if you dislike Marlon Brando.

Although I expect it may improve your opinion of him.

It's sad that he became such a punchline, because when he was on his game, he really was an astonishing actor.

I saw him in a film called 'A Dry White Season' in which he plays a South African civil rights lawyer. This was after he started his descent into obesity, self-indulgence, and incomprehensibility. He still gave a magnetic, jaw-dropping, convincing performance. No fireworks, no pyrotechnics, no scenery-chewing; just an authentic, fully-realized character.

[longship]

47. He is still Mumbles to me.

I just don't like his characterizations.

Sorry, my friend. I have no intentions of seeing The Godfather.

My best to you.

[Aristus]

48. You're missing some other incredible performances.

Al Pacino, James Caan, John Cazale, Diane Keaton, Abe Vigoda, Sterling Hayden...

[longship]

49. I'll live through it.

I just cannot stand Marlon Brando. I want nothing to do with his films.

I guess that's my bias and my loss.

I freely admit that it's a helluva a place for a film fan to be in.

[Aristus]

50. Fair enough...

n/t

[Sinistrous]

16. The Maltese Falcon

[SeattleVet]

18. The Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight

Based on Jimmy Breslin's novel.

[Upthevibe]

23. As first I voted for Goodfellas but

I think Casino is absolutely one of the best out there so I changed my vote. I've watched it many, many times. I think it's very underrated!

[FromMissouri]

36. "Casino"

My lawyer and judge friends in Kansas City swear it's almost all true. I used to shop at the market in Northeast where the crime families picked up their cuts from Vegas, as portrayed in the movie. Best Italian sausage I've ever tasted. Kansas City Prime... One time in the eighties I phoned a lawyer friend who did some defense work for various -uh- wise guys, and he answered with, "Our phones are being tapped by the Organized Crime Task Force." You get used to living in a cops and robbers movie.

[NBachers]

54. I always thought casting Don Rickles as the casino manager was a stroke of genius.

[trueblue2007]

24. DONT LIKE THEM.

[cemaphonic]

25. Millers Crossing

[lapfog_1]

26. All The Presidents Men

[dameatball]

27. Pretty miuch any meeting of the current cabinet...oh wait....you said favorite....nevermind

[Thx]

28. I liked Casino

better than Goodfellas, all though they are both excellent. (maybe it's the added feature of Las Vegas that tips the scales for me.)

Modern gangster movies have some advantage in that they can depict violence directly (if one considers that a good thing.)

"The Roaring 20s" had both Cagney and Bogie, but I guess my pic for classic gangsters would be "Scarface" with Paul Muni.

So many great ones though, crime drama and further into film noir are my favorite classic genres.

Thx

[Lint Head]

29. Little Ceasar with Edward G. Robinson.

[red dog 1]

33. Good pick!

I may yet put that one up as a poll option

[Lint Head]

38. Robinson was a really good actor for his day. Or any time for that matter. He was always believable.

He had 'that' perfect face and expressions. Even with his lesser roles, later in life, he was interesting to watch.

[red dog 1]

40. I just made Little Caesar a poll option, so you can now vote for it

[Lint Head]

42. THX!!

[Thx]

35. It was going to be

Scarface or Little Caesar for me.

Edward G. Robinson will always be a favorite, so it was hard not to pick Little Caesar.

Paul Muni was a great actor, but he sometimes took roles that were challenging as an actor, but didn't translate well at the box office.

Here is a powerful performance from Robinson in "Tales of Manhattan" 1942.

Full movie available at youtube.

Thx

[Lint Head]

37. Yes!

[Thx]

39. Charles Laughton

had a great performance in that movie as well.

His skit starts at about 54 minutes.

Thx

[red dog 1]

41. Little Caesar is now poll option # 10

[BeyondGeography]

58. The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse

Props to you for the Edward G. appreciation. He was one of the true greats IMO. His versatility was on full display here:

[ret5hd]

30. The nightly news

[Thx]

31. Kiss of Death 1947

Richard Widmark did too good a job portraying this psychotic gangster, it tainted him for a time.

Thx

[enid602]

32. Spankster

The Art of The Deal. Oh. . . that was just a book.

[red dog 1]

34. When they make a movie about the Trump Crime Family, that will be a "gangster movie"

[hurl]

44. I kind of think Blue Velvet qualifies

Not sure, bit if it did, that's my favorite.

[Snackshack]

51. Favorite one?...

Hmmmm. Too many good ones to have just one.

-Heat
-Reservoir Dogs
-Wyatt Earp...🙂

[TalenaGor]

52. Bugsy Malone!

Aside from having Scott baio in it lol

[KT2000]

53. Live by Night

have watched it a couple times and love the nuance. The Irish and Italian gangs fight it out in Boston.The KKK were hired guns for an Irish gang in Florida. Ben Affleck, Sienna Miller, Elle Fanning, Chris Messina, and Zoe Saldana, and Chris Cooper were great.
I think this is America's history, but now corporations have taken the place of the powerful gangs.

[pansypoo53219]

56. no married to the mob?

or pulp fiction, bonnie & clyde the only other 1 i saw.

[Lars39]

57. Some Like It Hot