Top 20 Best Gangster Movies
Published on September 18, 2007 - 102 Comments
The gangster genre is one of the most popular in modern movies and some of the best film directors alive have produced some incredible ganster movies. In fact, on the Internet Movie Database, the number 1 ranked movie is the Godfather - out of all genres. Because there are so many great gangster films out there, this was a tough list to put together. Nevertheless, I have managed to round up what I consider to be the 20 greatest gangster movies of all time. As usual, if you don’t agree with my selections or ordering, post a comment and let us all know. So, without further ado, from good to amazing, here are the top 20 gangster movies of all time.
20. Road to Perdition Sam Mendes, 2002 Amazon
Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure. However after his son is witness to a killing he has done Mike Sullivan finds him self on the run trying to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him. Jude Law co stars as a hit man hired to kill Sullivan.
Memorable Line: John Rooney: What men do after work is what made us rich. No need to screw them at work as well.
19. Donnie Brasco Mike Newell, 1997 Amazon
This true story follows FBI agent Joe Pistone as he infiltrates the mafia of New York. Befriending Lefty Ruggiero, Pistone (under the name Donnie Brasco) is able to embed himself in a mafia faction lead by Sonny Black. Ruggiero and Pistone become tight as the group goes about collecting money for ‘the bosses’. Eventually, the group become big time when Black himself becomes a boss, all the while Pistone collects evidence. However, the trials and tribulations of the undercover work become more than Pistone can bear. His marriage falls apart and to top it off, the mafia suspect a mole in the organization. The real dilemma is afforded to Pistone, who knows if he walks away from the mafia, Ruggiero will be the one punished.
Memorable Line: Lefty: How many times have I had you in my house? If you’re a rat, then I’m the biggest mutt in the history of the Mafia.
18. Miller’s Crossing Coen Brothers, 1990 Amazon
A highly styled ‘genre’ film which can perhaps be seen as a pastiche of all gangster movies. Tom Reagan is the laconic anti-hero of this amoral tale which is also, paradoxically, a look at morals within the criminal underworld of the 1930s. Two rival gangs vie for control of a city where the police are pawns, and the periodic busts of illicit drinking establishments are no more than a way for one gang to get back at the other. Black humour and shocking violence compete for screen time as we question whether or not Tom, right-hand man of the Irish mob leader, really has a heart.
Memorable Line: Tom Reagan: If you want me to keep my mouth shut, it’s gonna cost you some dough. I figure a thousand bucks is reasonable, so I want two.
17. The Untouchables Brian De Palma, 1987
1920’s prohibition Chicago is corrupt from the judges downward. So in going up against Al Capone, Treasury agent Eliot Ness picks just two cops to help him and his accountant colleague. One is a sharp-shooting rookie, the other a seen-it-all beat man. The four of them are ready to battle Capone and his empire, but it could just be that guns are not the best way to get him.
Memorable Line: Capone: I want you to get this fuck where he breathes! I want you to find this nancy-boy Eliot Ness, I want him DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the GROUND! I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna PISS ON HIS ASHES!
16. The Departed Martin Scorsese, 2006 Amazon
In South Boston, the state police force is waging war on Irish-American organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Frank Costello. While Billy quickly gains Costello’s confidence, Colin Sullivan, a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the state police as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the mob and the police that there’s a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy-and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself. But is either willing to turn on the friends and comrades they’ve made during their long stints undercover?
Memorable Line: Dignam: My theory on Feds is that they’re like mushrooms, feed ‘em shit and keep ‘em in the dark.
15. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Guy Ritchie, 1998 Amazon
Four Cockney wide-boys are tricked into owing 500,000 nicker to the local gang-land boss and porn king, ‘Hatchet’ Harry Lonsdale. With the very real threat of finger amputation looming over them the lads come up with a plan to nick the cash from their next-door neighbours: a gang of hardcase drug-dealers… Meanwhile, ‘Hatchet’ ain’t none too pleased when a pair of antique shotguns wot he wants are sold on by a pair of Scouse thieves, to be used in a “job”… The involvement of a conscientious debt-collector, some public school “chemists”, a psychotic hash-baron, a lot of guns and knives, ensures that karma is surrealistically resolved (just!) before the end credits roll
Memorable Line: Eddie: Err, bad breath, colorful language, feather duster… what do you think they’re gonna be armed with? Guns, you tit!
14. Mean Streets Martin Scorsese, 1973
In a series of character-led incidents set against the background of New York City’s Little Italy, we follow the life of Charlie, a small-time member of the wiseguy community who collects protection money. His friends Tony and Michael are part of the community, but his other friend Johnny Boy is unreliable and therefore must be shunned. Charlie’s secret girlfriend Teresa has epilepsy, and so must also be shunned. When Charlie’s uncle Giovanni offers him a restaurant - the first step up the ladder - Charlie is forced to choose between his desire for power, his love for Teresa and his duty to protect his friend Johnny Boy.
Memorable Line: Martin Scorsese: You don’t make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit and you know it.
13. Casino Martin Scorsese, 1995 Amazon
This Martin Scorsese film depicts the Janus-like quality of Las Vegas–it has a glittering, glamorous face, as well as a brutal, cruel one. Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, mobsters who move to Las Vegas to make their mark, live and work in this paradoxical world. Seen through their eyes, each as a foil to the other, the details of mob involvement in the casinos of the 1970’s and ’80’s are revealed. Ace is the smooth operator of the Tangiers casino, while Nicky is his boyhood friend and tough strongman, robbing and shaking down the locals. However, they each have a tragic flaw–Ace falls in love with a hustler, Ginger, and Nicky falls into an ever-deepening spiral of drugs and violence.
Memorable Line: Ace Rothstein: No matter how big a guy might be, Nicky would take him on. You beat Nicky with fists, he comes back with a bat. You beat him with a knife, he comes back with a gun. And you beat him with a gun, you better kill him, because he’ll keep comin’ back and back until one of you is dead.
12. Snatch Guy Ritchie, 2000 Amazon
Turkish, an unlicenced boxing promoter is pulled into trouble when he becomes involved in big time criminal Brick Top, who wants him to arrange a fight and fix it. Meanwhile, a diamond theft goes down but the 84 karat stone goes missing. This leads Avi, the boss who was supposed to receive the stone, to come to England to search for it, with the help of his cousin, Doug The Head and Bullet Tooth Tony. As events twist and turn, the two situations blend into one with a chain reaction of events carrying on for each and every character.
Memorable Line: Sol: You ain’t from this planet are you, Vincent? Who is gonna mug two black fellas, holding pistols, sat in a car that is worth less than your shirt?
11. Reservoir Dogs Quentin Tarantino, 1992 Amazon
They were six strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime: Mr. White, a professional criminal; Mr. Orange, a young newcomer; Mr. Blonde, a trigger-happy killer; Mr. Pink, a paranoid neurotic; Mr. Brown; and Mr. Blue. Hired by mob boss Joe Cabot and given fake names so no one could identify the others, they thought there was no way their heist could have failed. But after a police ambush, killing Mr. Brown and seriously injuring Mr. Orange, the criminals return to their rendezvous point (a warehouse), and realize that one of them had to have been a police informant. But who?
Memorable Line: Mr. Pink: I don’t tip because society says I have to. All right, if someone deserves a tip, if they really put forth an effort, I’ll give them something a little something extra. But this tipping automatically, it’s for the birds. As far as I’m concerned, they’re just doing their job.
10. White Heat Raoul Walsh, 1949 Amazon
Cody Jarrett is the sadistic leader of a ruthless gang of thieves. Afflicted by terrible headaches and fiercely devoted to his ‘Ma,’ Cody is a volatile, violent, and eccentric leader. Cody’s top henchman wants to lead the gang and attempts to have an ‘accident’ happen to Cody, while he is running the gang from in jail. But Cody is saved by an undercover cop, who thereby befriends him and infiltrates the gang. Finally, the stage is set for Cody’s ultimate betrayal and downfall, during a big heist at a chemical plant.
Memorable Line: Cody Jarrett: Made it, Ma! Top of the world!
9. Carlito’s Way Brian De Palma, 1993
Carlito has just gotten out of prison due to technicalities with the help of his sleazy lawyer. After a life spent trafficking heroin he decides not to pursue the life of the streets. He buys into a night club and begins saving money to move to the Bahamas, but his presence as a known player makes it inevitable that he get sucked back into his violent former life.
Memorable Line: Carlito: Who the fuck are you? I should remember you? What, you think you like me? You ain’t like me motherfucker, you a punk. I’ve been with made people, connected people. Who’ve you been with? Chain snatching, jive-ass, maricon motherfuckers. Why don’t you get out of here and go snatch a purse.
8. Scarface Brian De Palma, 1983 Amazon
An update of the 1932 film, Scarface (1983) follows gangster Tony Montana and his close friend Manny Ray from their trip on the Cuban Boat Lift for refugees to their arrival in Miami. After killing a powerful Cuban figure, Montana and company gain the ability to leave their refugee camps and roam around the U.S. After unsuccessfully trying to make it legitamately in the country, Montana and Ray resort to selling cocaine to dealers around the world. Tony’s rise is quick, but as he becomes more powerful, his enemies and his own paranoia begin to plague his empire.
Memorable Line: Tony Montana: Another Quaalude, and she’ll be mine again.
7. Once upon a time in America Sergio Leone, 1984 Amazon
Epic, episodic, tale of the lives of a small group of New York City Jewish gangsters spanning over 40 years. Told mostly in flashbacks and flash-forwards, the movie centers on small-time hood David ‘Noodles’ Aaronson and his lifelong partners in crime; Max, Cockeye and Patsy and their friends from growing up in the rough Jewish neighborhood of New York’s Lower East Side in the 1920s, to the last years of Prohibition in the early 1930s, and then to the late 1960s where an elderly Noodles returns to New York after many years in hiding to look into the past.
Memorable Line: Noodles: I like the stink of the streets. It cleans out my lungs. And it gives me a hard-on.
6. Du Rififi Chez les Hommes Jules Dassin, 1955
Tony Stephanois, just out of prison and angry at his girl Mado’s infidelity, decides to join his pals Jo and Mario in an ambitious crime. With Italian safe expert Cesar, they meticulously plan the burglary of a large jewelry establishment. Not a word is spoken as the crime is carried out. And then things begin to go wrong…
Memorable Line: Louise: You’re not the only one that had an unhappy childhood, there are millions like you, and, in my eyes, *they* are the tough ones, not you!
5. Pulp Fiction Quentin Tarantino, 1994 Amazon
Jules and Vincent work as hitmen for crime boss Marcellus Wallace. Wallace is currently dealing with Butch Collidge, a boxer who failed to throw a fight after taking Wallace’s money and is now planning to flee the city, but can’t leave his father’s watch behind. Vincent faces some problems of his own when Wallace asks him to show his wife Mia a good time while he’s away. Some of these people redeem themselves and some don’t, and all meet an end appropriate to their choices.
Memorable Line: Jimmie: I don’t need you to tell me how fucking good my coffee is, okay? I’m the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Bonnie goes shopping she buys SHIT. Me, I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it I want to taste it. But you know what’s on my mind right now? It AIN’T the coffee in my kitchen, it’s the dead nigger in my garage.
4. Mou gaan dou Wai Keung Lau, 2002
Shawn Yue plays a young police officer who has been sent undercover as a mole in the local mafia. Edison Chen plays a young mafia member who is infiltrating the police force. Years later, their older counterparts, Tony Leung and Andy Lau respectively, race against time to expose the mole within their midsts and destroy him. This is the film that lead to the Departed.
Memorable Line: Keung: Remember this, if you see someone doing something but at the same time watching you… then he is a cop.
3. Cidade de Deus Fernando Meirelles, 2002
Brazil, 1960’s, City of God. The Tender Trio robs motels and gas trucks. Younger kids watch and learn well…too well. 1970’s: Li’l Zé has prospered very well and owns the city. He causes violence and fear as he wipes out rival gangs without mercy. His best friend Bené is the only one to keep him on the good side of sanity. Rocket has watched these two gain power for years, and he wants no part of it. Yet he keeps getting swept up in the madness. All he wants to do is take pictures. 1980’s: Things are out of control between the last two remaining gangs…will it ever end? Welcome to the City of God.
Memorable Line: Rocket: What should have been swift revenge turned into an all out war. The City of God was divided. You couldn’t go from one section the other, not even to visit a relative. The cops considered anyone living in the slum a hoodlum. People got used to living in Vietnam, and more and more volunteers signed up to die.
2. Goodfellas Martin Scorsese, 1990 Amazon
The lowly, blue-collar side of New York’s Italian mafia is explored in this crime biopic of wiseguy Henry Hill. As he makes his way from strapping young petty criminal, to big-time thief, to middle-aged cocaine addict and dealer, the film explores in detail the rules and traditions of organized crime. Watching the rise and fall of Hill and his two counterparts, the slick jack-of-all-trades criminal Jimmy Conway and the brutish, intimidating Tommy DeVito, this true story realistically explores the core, blue-collar part of the mob.
Memorable Line: Henry Hill: [narrating] Anything I wanted was a phone call away. Free cars. The keys to a dozen hideout flats all over the city. I bet twenty, thirty grand over a weekend and then I’d either blow the winnings in a week or go to the sharks to pay back the bookies.
1. The Godfather Francis Ford Coppola, 1972 Amazon
This was the easiest choice for me - the Godfather has to be number 1 because it is unparalleled in this genre (and virtually all others). Vito Corleone is the aging don (head) of the Corleone Mafia Family. His youngest son Michael has returned from WWII just in time to see the wedding of Connie Corleone (Michael’s sister) to Carlo Rizzi. All of Michael’s family is involved with the Mafia, but Michael just wants to live a normal life. Drug dealer Virgil Sollozzo is looking for Mafia Families to offer him protection in exchange for a profit of the drug money. He approaches Don Corleone about it, but, much against the advice of the Don’s lawyer Tom Hagen, the Don is morally against the use of drugs, and turns down the offer. This does not please Sollozzo, who has the Don shot down by some of his hit men. The Don barely survives, which leads his son Michael to begin a violent mob war against Sollozzo and tears the Corleone family apart.
Memorable Line: Don Corleone: I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.
Bonus: Bugsy Malone Alan Parker, 1976 Amazon
I added this bonus movie so there was at least one for the kids. A gangster movie where all the gangsters are children. Instead of real bullets they use “splurge guns” that cover the victim in cream. The story tells of the rise of “Bugsy Malone” and the battle for power between “Fat Sam” and “Dandy Dan”.
Memorable Line: Dandy Dan: Okay fellas, this is our moment. Keep a cool head and keep those fingers pumpin’, ’cause remember, it’s history you’ll be writin’.
Notable Others: Sexy Beast, Get Carter
Sources: Wikipeda, IMDB, RottenTomatoes
Technorati Tags: crime, gangsters, movies
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1. Travis - September 18th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Mr Frater this list is so much better.
Well done!
2. jfrater - September 18th, 2007 at 7:23 am
Travis: glad you think so
Thanks for the suggestions - I tried to take in to account the comments on the defunct post.
3. Bill - September 18th, 2007 at 9:20 am
much better. all is forgiven.
4. rp - September 18th, 2007 at 9:58 am
I still don’t understand the absence of Godfather II. It’s as good as the original, and much superior imo to say… Reservoir Dogs.
5. Matt - September 18th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Still no Layercake or Sexy Beast? Meh. Well, I’m gonna go make my own list. Yeah, I’ll show you. And then my list and your list can duke it out. Maybe they can have a knife fight, with a dance number mixed in, and some song about a girl named Maria. Wait, hmm, suddenly I have an idea for my own gangster movie.
6. jfrater - September 18th, 2007 at 10:36 am
rp: I left it off because I already included one of the set. I was implying with the inclusion of the Godfather that the trilogy was all brilliant.
Matt: hey - you can’t have everything in life! Oh - and btw, my list would whip your lists a**!!
7. rp - September 18th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Oh, ok.
8. Jackie - September 18th, 2007 at 11:12 am
A good list, but you say that you didn’t include Godfather II because Godfather covered both and still name 4 Scorsese movies. Personally I think the themes in all Scorsese’s films are all very similar (mind you I haven’t seen departed)
True Romance is an underrated Gangster movie
If you wanna see a comic strip spoof of Pulp Fiction.
Please visit http://DateStory.Net/StoryList.aspx?Story=4545580
9. tjgrs - September 19th, 2007 at 9:11 am
pretty good listthough i personally would have ordered it differently. Donnie Brasco, Road to Perdition and The Departed, in my opinion, should all be moved up. Road to Perdition is my favorite Tom Hanks movie for two reasons, it’s a role the type you never real see him play in any other movie. I think a History of Violence should get an honorable mention too. But ovewrall greatlsit
10. jfrater - September 19th, 2007 at 9:50 am
tjgrs: Thanks
11. inanytime - September 19th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Cidade de Deus is the only one worth watching.
12. Wolfe - September 20th, 2007 at 8:09 am
WTF? No Usual Suspects, History of Violence or L.A. Confidential.
13. Sam - September 20th, 2007 at 9:04 am
Wolfe: L.A. Confidential was a gangster movie?!
14. Wolfe - September 20th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Organized crime run by the cops.
15. jfrater - September 20th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Gee - I can only fit twenty on the list! You guys are very demanding
16. popcornninja - September 20th, 2007 at 10:52 am
It’s hard to do these types of lists. Myself and others might disagree about some of the selections, but you did a great job! Keep up the good posts!
17. jfrater - September 20th, 2007 at 11:11 am
thanks popcornninja
Nice site btw.
18. jay - September 25th, 2007 at 1:36 am
Other good ones are Long Good Friday, Sexy Beast, Face, Gangster No. 1..
19. jfrater - September 25th, 2007 at 1:52 am
jay: thanks for the extras - well worth the mention.
20. suj - September 28th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
good stuff!!!make list of alfred hitchcock as well..
21. jfrater - September 28th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
suj: I think that is an excellent idea
22. nothanks - October 1st, 2007 at 6:57 pm
A Bronx Tale!
23. Maxine - October 4th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Road to Perdition doesn’t even merit 20th on the list. Usual Suspects a far better film.
24. T2O - October 5th, 2007 at 4:28 am
Disagree with Pulp Fiction.
It’s a movie without meaning and/or plot and the “great revelation” at the end - for anyone that hasn’t fallen asleep in the meanwhile - does not in any way justify the 1.5 hr. boring torture of the nonsensical dribble in the meantime.
25. jfrater - October 5th, 2007 at 7:03 am
Maxine: The Usual Suspects is definitely a great film.
T20: wow - I am amazed you feel so strongly about it - I really enjoyed it and didn’t feel it needed to have a specific “revelation” - so few films do these days.
26. WatAbout - October 5th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Great list! Snatch is my favorite movie of all time, and Pulp fiction is definitely top 20. Does Heat count as a gangster movie? If it does it should be in the top 5 of this list for sure.
27. WatAbout - October 5th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Also, Get shorty and all three Ocean’s are great, though i don’t know if they make the list.
28. jfrater - October 5th, 2007 at 10:10 am
WatAbout: I probably wouldn’t count Heat as a gangster movie - even though it has two actors I adore (Pacino and DeNiro) who are in so many films of that genre. You just can not go wrong picking out a film with either of them in it (except maybe Meet the Fockers - if you are not interested in comedy). And the Oceans are okay - sure, though I still am not sure they would be counted as gangster rather than heist movies. And Get Shorty… the less said the better
29. karlontxo - October 12th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
gosh, i just realized the films i like the most are gangster genre…
30. jfrater - October 12th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
karlontxo: mine too.
31. Cherry - October 14th, 2007 at 10:26 am
speaking from a caribbean point of view, i think Shottas would be good on this list
http://www.sonypictures.com/ho.....index.html
32. Cherry - October 14th, 2007 at 10:30 am
PS, i think the whole movie is on youtube
33. Parahnus - October 28th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
#4 Was Hella Fucking Good
34. Clues - November 9th, 2007 at 3:25 am
What….No Johnny Dangerously?
Gangster Comedy has to be hard to pull off.
Great List seen and love most of them
Cued up my net flicks with the ones I haven’t seen
35. scottg - November 13th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Still think WITNESS TO THE MOB is one of the best gangster movies around well put together with some excellent acting and the story has a good deph to it
36. Eric - December 8th, 2007 at 10:59 am
What the fuck, what about blood in blood out or American Me, ya’ll don’t know jack shit bitches!!!
37. norte14 - December 11th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
hell no !
1.blood in blood out
2.american me
3.why we bang
4.colors
5.scarface
dats sum white boy shit list
38. deklares - December 12th, 2007 at 3:43 am
what about blow?…. good list all the same
39. gangster_movie_fan - December 16th, 2007 at 8:15 am
I think, that Donnie Brasco should be in top5
40. Bonzai - December 18th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Donnie Brasco and Goodfellas amazing movies. A bronx tale is worth a watch too. There is a smaller title movie called Deuces Wild that is great, a little different as they are against gangsters selling dope on the streets, but form a gang themselves to accopmplish this end.
41. ups - December 22nd, 2007 at 5:18 am
wtfs the departed doing in there above the goodfellas, scarface and casino… the departed was fukin shit n shudnt even b on the list
42. scottg - December 22nd, 2007 at 5:33 am
Yep departed was crap
43. superdogg - December 25th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Wot about Menace ii Society and Boyz n the hood?
44. piklu - December 26th, 2007 at 6:32 am
1. godfather[like u gave]
2. godfellas[–do–]
3. scarface [it should be up there]
rest i think the list is wonderful
but BLOW & AMERICAN GANGSTER is missing in the list .. and to forget i think DONNIE BRASCO deserves a better rating mugghead fellas
45. nas - January 1st, 2008 at 9:23 pm
im not happy with this list scarface should be up number 3 at least
46. Snowkid32 - January 2nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
For a second, I was like WTF WHY IS GOODFELLAS NOT THERE?
Than, it was happily #2! =]
oh, and American Gangster sucked. No offense.
47. Liyla - January 3rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I Love Your List, It’s The Best List I Have Seen So Far!! Thanks For Making Godfather # 1, And I Was Also Happy To Also See Carlito’s Way ( The Movie Is Excellent ) I Will Always Believe That All Three Godfather’s And Scarface Are The Best Gang Movies!!
48. Jehad - January 3rd, 2008 at 8:11 pm
City of God shouldn’t be that high on the list. Scarface and Carlito’s way should be moved higher on the list.
49. ledgic - January 3rd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Goodfellas…. all time best gangster movie!!! hands down
50. Kevin - January 5th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Really good list, but of course no fan of gangster movies is going to agree totally on the twenty best. I would replace Road to Perdition, Casino, The Departed, Lock Stock…, and Once Upon a Time… with Godfather II, State of Grace, King of New York, Fresh, and The Krays. (p.s. LOVE that you had Miller’s Crossing in - think it should have been in the top five).
51. jaimoe0 - January 7th, 2008 at 12:40 am
“Sonatine” is an excellent gangster movie about a Yakuza who goes to Okinawa thinking he’s mediating a war, but he’s being set up for a hit. Excellent film if you don’t mind reading subtitles.
52. sue - January 11th, 2008 at 8:18 am
ok besides the fact that i am absolutely in love with leo dicaprio and i go out of my way to watch everything he’s ever acted in,im not being biased when i say the departed is the best gangster movie i’ve ever watched! thanx for putting it here! its an all round excellent list
53. richard - January 19th, 2008 at 2:35 am
donnie brasco should be top 3 and goodfellas should be first
54. richard - January 19th, 2008 at 2:36 am
and blow should be up there somewhere. i agree with the rest of the list though
55. jhonny - January 20th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
some of these movies are not even gangster you forgot american me,blood in blood out,a bronx tale,bulevard nights,dueces wild, all of these movies are much more gangster that snatch and the departed you now nothing about gangster.
56. jhonny - January 20th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Miller’s Crossing,Cidade de Deus,Pulp Fiction you call that gangster please im not so sure if its you that should be making this list. ive seen some comments and some of these people dont now what gangster is. the only reson some of these people give good comments is because their favorite actors are in the movie iven though the movie sucks
57. Kevin - January 26th, 2008 at 10:08 am
jhonny,there are many different types of gangster movies to like - stylish old-time Irish/Italian gangster ones like Millers Crossing, ones that blow you away by showing you a world you didn’t even know existed, like Cidade de Deus, and more modern day raw ones like American Me (which I agree, is a really good gangster movie). Hopefully, no one commenting here does “know what gangster is” - because we’re not gangsters, or gangster wanna-bes, we just like these movies.
58. delioglan - February 3rd, 2008 at 8:54 am
Scarface
Memorable Line, Tony Montana: If you are fuckin’ with me, than you are fuckin’ with the BEST!!
pardon me if it is not exactly the same as he shouts to Sosa’s men..
59. Mullaccio - February 3rd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Quality list. I would have the great Japanese movie “Brother”
60. islanderbst - February 3rd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
any love for “the boondock saints”?
not a true gangster movie perhaps but a crime drama with gangster elements about brothers killing crime lords
they have lines, including their ” and shephards we shall be” prayer, that rival anything tony montana says in scarface
61. ckhigh - February 11th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
The Departed sucks, the best part about it is the sound track. Boondock Saints could have 20 and The Departed should be kicked off. I liked the move about the drunk hit-man better than The Departed. Even Fargo, which isn’t exactly a gangster movie, was better than The Departed. People only like it because of Matt, Leo, and Jack.
62. tom - February 14th, 2008 at 4:55 am
im surprised layer cake isnt even in the list
63. alper - February 14th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
the shoottas yok burda biraz ayıp olmuyor mu ?
64. G - February 16th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Also very good…simple, small, desperate…
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie John Cassavetes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.....ese_Bookie
65. jay fee - February 17th, 2008 at 7:58 am
revolver and american gangster shuda been added. departed was a gud movie. i think u shud add “find me guilty” also, if it can be taken into consideration as a gangster movie.
66. wilson - February 20th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
i dont agree with everyone sayn departed is crap. but nowhere near as good as some make it out to be.
haha and city of god that high up the list? come on. ahead of once apon a time in america? even scarface and carlitos way r better. and dont understand why the great donnie brasco only made 19th.
i would remove road to perdition and the departed to replace with : the newer Carlitos Way - Rise to Power (is newer but story is set when he was younger)
and also either Shottas or The Kray’s
67. usman riaz - February 22nd, 2008 at 9:13 am
yeah dis list is gud…hmmm but iw’d like to add one good movie…”Blow” staring johnny depp…give it a place plz…
68. SlickWilly - February 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 am
Whats with all these people saying “gud” and “shud” and “dis?” You would think some people on these boards never took a damn english class in their entire lives.
“gud” = “good”
“shud” = “should”
“dis” = “this”
“plz” = “please”
Just for future reference.
69. Shelden - February 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
I don’t know why ‘Lock Stock’ and ‘Snatch’ make it in to the top 20, they are not really gangster movies more comedies.
There are far better real British Gangster Movies such as:
Brighton Rock
Get Carter
The Long Good Friday
Mona Lisa
Sexy Beast
Gangster Number 1
Layer Cake
Nothing Personal
Eastern Promises
The latest release is the Bank Job, which looks promising, while Guy Ritchie releases RocknRolla later this year,
Look out in 2009 for Ray Winstone and Iam McShane teaming up again (both were excellent in Sexy Beast) in ‘44 Inch Chest’.
A good comedy Gangster film starring Colin Farrel and Ralph Fiennes in the soon to be released ‘In Bruges’.
A couple of other Classic British Gangster Movies include -
The Villian - Richard Burton
The Hit - Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Tim Roth
Performance - James Fox
70. Shelden - February 22nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
There is also a planned sequal to ‘Layer Cake’, according to press reports.
71. Shelden - February 22nd, 2008 at 2:47 pm
A couple more Notable Brit Gangster Films
‘Essex Boys’ (2000) - Sean Bean plays menacing psychopath Jason Locke.
‘Face’ (1997) - Ray Winstone and Robert Carlyle.
‘Croupier’ (1998) - with Clive Owen and Alex Kingston (ER)
‘The Krays’ (1990) - The film did manage to express some of the chilling aura that surrounded the twins.
72. smitty - February 24th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
This is definetly one of the better list’s that I have seen….but there are quite a few movie’s that definetly should have been mentioned, Blood In Blood Out & Menace II Society for starters..
73. Chriss - February 26th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Where Is “The Warriors”?
And “Green Street Hooligans”?
There Like My Fav Movies Goshh lol
74. Chriss - February 26th, 2008 at 5:38 am
I Dont Mind Some of These Movies But I Just Dont like Gang Movies With Guns Too Much I Prefer A Nice Fucken Punchup
I Guess Im Just Sick & Twisted…
75. Rza - March 2nd, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Y’all said a lot of the greats but….
“Blue Hill Avenue”…I cant believe no1 said that shit, specially if you’ve been on bluehill that shit is no joke everyday someone gets killed
“Fresh” is a good movie the young buck set everyone up
“Departed” sholudnt be up there that movie aint on that level and im born n raised in the bean
I dont see how you can have some of the movies you do but not consider “Heat” a gangster movie come on now!
Green Street Hooligans is fire but if Heat aint gangster then i cant see that bein gangster
I could go on for days but whoever said “get carter” you gave me a good laugh Sly sucks and so does that movie
76. thegame89 - March 4th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
buddy man you forgot one of the craziest gangstermovies called “heat” with robert deniro fuck man you should watch it!!!!!
77. odog - March 11th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
what about colors
78. AC-1 - March 17th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
RZA - He was talking about the original ‘Get Carter’.
Another classic of a similar period is Lee Marvin’s ‘Point Blank’
“There are two kinds of people in his up-tight world: his victims and his women.”
Cool new British/Jamaican gangsta flick set on the mean streets of Brixton London: ‘Rollin with the nines’
79. Spectator - March 25th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Scarface is way too high on the list. The most overated gangster flick in my opinion. Would love to see an American Me, or Boondock Saints on the list. Your top two reflect mine, great choice.
P.S. A Bronx Tale not being on the list is almost unforgivable
80. tc - March 27th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
where the hell is Boyz N the Hood!!!
atleast top 10 r u kidding me!
81. SHOT CALLER - March 31st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I honestly like tha list good movies but tha order i think that scarface and like resivoir dogs should be at least top 5 like i know others have there opinion but like everybody loves scarface not 1 person i have mut to this day said bad stuuf bout it and (quintin tarintino and robert rodriguez gods in tha making seriesly)
82. SHOT CALLER - March 31st, 2008 at 10:19 pm
ya and tc you are hella right like ther are much better movies to be places on tha list like some of tha oldies or gooders but like bout all tha others tha are 10 000 times better like boyz n tha hood but glad to see the departed made it but shouldve been top 10 or even 5 fo sho
83. BIG AL - April 2nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Yes some of the movies mention were alright, but in the near future Detroit Michigan will tell the real stories of true gangsters the way they lived them from the past to this very present day the motor city will forever be the number (#1)Gangster town in America starting with The Purple Gang of the past to The Underground Cartel of today.
84. Spectator - April 7th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Before you sign off on detroit u should do some reasearch on ny’s organized crime past. Look up Charles “lucky” luciano and you’ll see how even the federal gov acknowledged his power.
P.S. there would have been no Frank Sinatra without him.
85. pale ink - April 9th, 2008 at 2:29 am
you wanted to know so don’t get mad, you have some great titles on there, but a few great ones are missing!!
“THE GODFATHER II” should be added to this list. it’s far superior to 90 percent of the films on that list! the only follow up masterpiece in gangster film history, a recontinuation, a respawning of the elegant mafia tale that inspired half of the films on your list! (while i’m at it, the godfather III is a hollywood yolk up…and you don’t need to read the novel to know).
“Bonnie and Clyde” - one of the most memorable films i’ve ever seen… and one of the most influential films of the late 60’s, maybe you haven’t seen it but you need to… because bonnie and clyde isn’t only one of the top CRIME films of all time, but its one of the top twenty films in ANY genre…(aside from the aesthetic and historical importance) violence, comedy, romance and tragedy… and done so stylish for 60’s film.. you’ll never root for the badguys more..
“Heat” is painfully missing from this list… (this is one of the first, few films that revealed the personal lives of the criminals not only on the job, but OFF the job, one of the best character analysis’ in crime of the 90’s) great director and a great cast as well… how can you forget heat? tsk tsk tsk.
there’s five or six titles on your list that i don’t agree with but everyone’s different, i think you did a pretty good job…
(the Godfather, Goodfellas and City of God are the best crime films on your list)
when my screenplays get sold and produced.. hopefully they’ll be on your next list… lol
86. Hogie - April 11th, 2008 at 5:45 am
CASINO - RISE OF THE FOOT-SOLDIER - AMERICAN GANGSTER should be in there
87. Thomas - April 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am
American Gangster was garbage.
88. Fullo - April 19th, 2008 at 6:44 am
American gangster is a savage film! luv de ewld gangster films
89. burtos47g - April 27th, 2008 at 9:16 am
rofl for number 1 if use think the godfather trilogy is the best RONG only part one is good and its not that good that its better than blood in blood out
blood in blood out is the best
and pulp fiction is stupid lol no plot at all
american me shud be there aswell
ty
90. jae - May 3rd, 2008 at 12:02 am
dunno if its been mentioned but the departed was based off a hit chinese triad movie called infernal affairs
91. Marco - May 5th, 2008 at 7:01 am
One of the best list I’ve seen. Although to me Boondock Saints needs to be somewhere in there. And I’m not sure about City of God being that close to 1. Other honorable movie titles, Taining Day and The Warriors. Can you dig it?
92. raging bull - May 9th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
great list..
top notch without a doubt..
93. noodles - May 9th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
once upon a time in america is the best gangstar movie ever made
94. Tony motana - May 10th, 2008 at 7:26 am
i think that SCARFACE shold be number one because it has action all the way throughout…honestly you guys have got this so rong
95. Carmella - May 10th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Can’t believe Scarface, Carlito’s Way and Casino isn’t right up close with The Godfather..
96. noodles - May 13th, 2008 at 6:24 am
THIS LIST IS SHIT
ONCE UPON A TIME IN A AMERICA HAS TO BE NUMBER 1