Famous Mafia Movies
For years, Hollywood has tried it's best to portray what it thinks really goes on in the world of Organized Crime. Here are some of the better examples of Hollywood Mafia.
The Godfather
Clearly, this is standard bearer of Mafia movies. There has never been a Mafia movie to capture the imagination of a nation like "The Godfather". The movie focuses on the Corleone Family, and it's trials and tribulations. The movie stars Marlon Brando as one of his most famous roles as the head of the family, the Godfather Don Corleone. It also made a star out of Al Pacino, who plays Michael Corleone. Many other stars of the era make appearances in the movie. The storyline follows Don Corleone, as he goes head to head with the other families in the city. After rejecting their offer to enter the drug world, an attempt is made on his life. It is at this point that the decision is made to strike back against the other dons. This gives us one of the most compelling scenes in movies history, the duel between the murders of the bosses and the christening of the baby. The Godfather is far and away the best Mafia movie out there.
Casino
Casino, while not considered by most of Hollywood to be the best, is my personal favorite Mafia movie. The movie stars Robert DeNiro as Sam "Ace" Rothstein. He is sent from Kansas City by his boss to Las Vegas to run the skimming operations out there. Mickey, played by one of the best Mafia movie actors out there, Joe Pesci, joins him. The movie follows Ace as he battles the law, he hotheaded friend Mickey, and most importantly, is wife Ginger. Ginger (played by Sharron Stone) wants to be a good wife for Sam, but she is still addicted to her ex-pimp-boyfriend, played by James Wood. Directed by Martin Scorcese, the visuals of Casino are very captivating. In The end, Mickey is killed, Ginger throw her life down the drain on drugs and lowlifes, and Sam lives out his life as a small betmaker in Vegas. You can catch Casino a good bit on the USA network.
Hoodlum
Hoodlum gives a new perspective on the usual Mafia movie. The movie follows the story of "Bumpy" Johnson (played by Lawrence Fishburn), a numbers runner in Harlem who controls most of that market in the area. Dutch Shultz decides that he wants to take that operation for himself and the Dutchman will stop at nothing to get his way. All of this battle is overseen by Charles "Lucky" Luciano (played by Andy Garcia). Luciano eventually sees that the greater danger in this situation is the erratic and volatile Dutchman. In the end, Luciano orders the hit murder of Shultz, and "Bumpy" is once again secure in Harlem. This movie actually draws on some real life figures from the time, like Luciano, Shultz, and District Attorney Thomas Dewey. The murder of Shultz actually resembles the real-life murder of the Dutchman, which took place in a bathroom restaurant.
Goodfellas
Goodfellas is an example of another great Martin Scorcese Mafia movie. Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci once again turn in great performances as members of organized crime. The movies follows the life of Henry Hill (played by Ray Liota), from the time he enters the criminal world as a teenager, to the point when he finally gets out as a government informant. We see him go from extreme highs of wealth and success, to the lows of drugs and affairs. This movie is as good as it is long. Running close to three hours, this is an epic story in every sense of the word. Robert DeNiro gives a great performance, as a one time trusted friend turned suspicious enemy. And Pesci, as the volatile Tommy DeVito, makes you laugh and cringe at the same time on many occasions in the movie. This is a definite must see for anyone interested in some of the more realistic downsides of life in the Mafia.
Scarface
Al Pacino once again takes on the role as a member of organized crime. That's about where the comparisons end. Scarface is absolutely nothing like any of the movies above. The only thing it has in common is that it talks about organized crime. That's it. Scarface follows Pacino, who plays Cuban refugee Tony Montona. From the minute he gets off the boat, he is looking for a way to make a buck. Soon, he joins and rises in the ranks of the powerful Miami drug environment. Soon, he has positioned himself at the top of the game. This, of course, eventually leads to his downfall and murder. What can you say about this movie besides that it's a great guy movie to watch? There are a lot of guns, which leads to a lot of violence. With Pacino delivering classic lines like, "Say hello to my little friend", this is a must see when you've got a bunch of the guys over and you're trying to think of a movie to watch to kill some time. Not recommended for a girlfriend or the family.
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