For a lot of us, as far back as we can remember, we always wanted to watch gangster movies. What’s not to love about films chock-full of high drama, high glamor, and moral ambiguity? Considering the glut of truly great mobster movies we have to choose from — anywhere from Touch of Evil to The Godfather trilogy to The Departed — our fascination with the criminal underpinnings of society writ large has proven time and time again to be both a source of entertainment and a critique of the times we live in. (And sometimes, they even feature real-life former gangsters themselves.)
It’s no surprise, then, that an abundance of classic gangster films for us to gorge upon means that some would-be standouts don’t get the attention that they truly deserve. Indeed, the standard is set so high that imperfect movies, compared to classics anywhere from Goodfellas to Gangs of New York, can get lost in the fray, even if they contain truly outstanding or award-worthy performances. It can also mean that gangster flicks, which stand completely on their own merit, can be overshadowed by pillars of the genre. So with that in mind, here are eight great gangster movies that no one ever talks about anymore, but most certainly should be.
8
‘Hoffa’ (1992)
Jack Nicholson’s Take on ‘The Irishman’
With Jack Nicholson starring as the titular Jimmy Hoffa, it’s hard not to tear your eyes away from his riveting performance as the real-life union leader who became enmeshed with the mob, and ultimately disappeared (or, as a mafioso might put it, “was disappeared”). As Nicholson told The Independent following the release of the film, he considered his work in Hoffa as “some of the best [I’d] ever done.” Keeping in mind the actor’s storied career, this makes Hoffa a total must-watch. (And we’d argue he gives Al Pacino’s take on Hoffa more than a run for its money.)
7
‘Miller’s Crossing’ (1990)
The Coen Brothers’ Mafia Movie is Criminally Underrated
Is it surprising to anyone that the Coen Brothers released a gangster movie right at the height of their Barton Fink era? Bless them for it, because Miller’s Crossing, which was conceived and executed alongside the genesis of Barton Fink, is an absolute neo-noir classic. Starring Gabriel Byrne and set in the 1920s, Miller’s Crossing is a Prohibition-era dive into the Irish mafia, filled with match-fixing and stylistic hijinks only the Coen Brothers could conceive.
Miller’s Crossing was unfortunately a box office flop, though its critical accolades, which were high upon its release, have only grown over time. Its bona fides alone make it well worth a watch.
6
‘Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger’ (2014)
Documentaries Are the Perfect Source for Mob Drama
You didn’t expect a documentary to pop up on this list, right? But when it comes to director and true crime auteur Joe Berlinger‘s Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger, it’s almost impossible not to place it in the pantheon of deeply watchable but underrated gangster flicks. The eponymous Bulger, who ruled Boston’s (and much of New England’s) underbelly with an iron fist and, as the doc examines, did so under the cover of law enforcement. The story of Bulger, who went underground and evaded the FBI for almost two decades before finally being caught in 2011, is heightened by what was then Bulger’s looming trial for myriad charges.
Even though the outcome is no surprise to us now — Bulger was found guilty of dozens of counts of money laundering, racketeering, and had his hand in at least nineteen murders — and that the one-time King of South Boston died in 2018, Berlinger’s documentary is still palpable with tension.
5
‘Legend’ (2015)
If You’re Looking For Peak Tom Hardy
Skipping across the pond — because yes, the U.K. has its own share of gangsters — brings us to Legend, the 2015 biopic about perhaps the two most infamous well-dressed ruffians in British history: Reggie and Ronnie Kray. Legend is a pure Tom Hardy vehicle, with the actor starring in the dual roles of the crime syndicate kingpins known as the Kray Twins (and yes, they were real-life, actual twins).
Vicious and violent, the Kray Twins dominated the London scene in the 1960s, and no one brings them to life quite like Hardy, who won a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor. If you’re curious as to what mobster life was like in Mod-era Britannia, Legend is a wholly unique glimpse.
4
‘Gotti’ (2018)
John Travolta Takes on an Infamous Mobster
John Travolta has never looked as grim and menacing while stepping into the shoes of a crime boss so infamous that he’s known widely and simply by his last name. Gotti is a cookie-cutter biopic, sure, but it’s no wonder that Travolta was courted for the lead role from the very beginning.
As John Gotti, Travolta is perhaps the sole commanding force in an admittedly two-dimensional, buffoonish flick. But as far as underrated performances go, it’s worth seeing the Pulp Fiction star alone (even with some pretty alarming prosthetics he wears along the way).
3
‘Serpico’ (1973)
An Al Pacino Sleeper Pick
Technically, Sidney Lumet’s Serpico isn’t categorically a mob movie, but as I’ve argued before, it absolutely should be — at least, if you consider the police to be the biggest gang of them all. Starring Al Pacino as the initially bright-eyed cop Frank Serpico, the movie details his disillusionment with the NYPD throughout the course of his career, so much so that his life is put in jeopardy. What makes this movie all the more harrowing is that it’s completely based on a true story. If you’re looking for something outside the box that will make you think twice about the idea of a police state, Serpico is an absolute go-to.
2
‘King of New York’ (1990)
One of the Character Actor GOATs Leads the Charge
Starring Christopher Walken in one of his best performances to date, it would be an absolute crime not to include the neo-noir King of New York on this list. Alongside stars like David Caruso, Steve Buscemi, and Laurence Fishburne, King of New York tells the tale of Frank White (Walken) as he attempts to outwardly clean up his act as a big-time drug lord following a prison stint while surreptitiously attempting to reassume his throne as an NYC kingpin. Aside from its stellar cast (which also includes Giancarlo Esposito and Wesley Snipes), King of New York offers a polished look with a dark tone — perfect for viewers who are ready to dive headlong into a gangster-riddled rabbit hole.
1
‘Scarface’ (1932)
‘Scarface’ Existed Before Tony Montana
When most people think of Scarface, the image of an absolutely coke-addled Al Pacino firing bullets from a machine gun, hellbent on destroying everything in his path, comes to mind. But most forget that the 1983 version of the movie (which, let’s not forget, is an absolute cultural touchstone) isn’t actually an original. Tony Montana would be nothing without the original Scarface IP.
Directed by Howard Hawks and starring Paul Muni and Boris Karloff, the original Scarface is the blueprint for many a mobster movie that came after it. Set in Chicago’s Italian community during Prohibition, Scarface follows the same basic plot beats as its descendant, but is cloaked in true black and white glamor. If you’re going to call yourself a Scarface fan, watching the original 1932 version is a total must.
Did we get this one right, or is there a movie you think deserves to be included on this list? Let us know in the comments.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
