Godfather or Scarface?

[Erebus]

Me and my brother have had a looong argument about which was the better of the two classic gangster-movies, The Godfather or Scarface. My brother claims that the better of the two is Scarface, because, in his own words, "its got more action." I've always thought Tony Montana was a greasy 2-bit thug who got lucky. The Godfather has substance and depth. So, just wondering, which do you prefer?

[rick]

I'll go with the Don.

[StoneGold]

The only thing Scarface has on Godfather is it says fuck more times. And Take it to the Limit. Other than that, I'd stack the baptismal sequence or Sonny's death against Scarface's any day.

[hoffmandu]

Godfathers the better, no doubt about that, in almost every way. Scarface, as a character, surely has it's own appeal though.

[The Foreigner]

My brother claims that the better of the two is Scarface, because, in his own words, "its got more action."

So by his logic, Universal Soldier is leagues beyond Citizen Kane, and Under Siege kicks Casablanca's ass.

Scarface is a fine film, but your brother's reasoning is pretty lame.

The Godfather, all the way.

[Buzz Dixon]

"I'm gonna make you an offer you can not refuse..."

THE GODFATHER is pert nigh perfect, a grand opera with machine guns. SCARFACE is fun, but in a comic book kinda way.

Which, I guess, means some folks here might like it better...

[Erik Lehnsherr]

The Godfather is probably the most untouchable movie in existence except maybe when it comes to Godfather II. Scarface is a great come from behind movie about a low criminal coming up. Godfather displayed a story of where a guy who was born into a criminal family snapped and became even more ruthless than the people he was once was disgusted with during his military run.

[StoneGold]

Really what the Godfather is is Machiavelli's The Prince for Dummies. Which isn't really fair, but I heard it referred to that way once, and it stuck in my head. And it's true.

[Punch]

Scarface has sadly become one of the most overrated movies ever.

[Tages]

Which "Scarface?"

Eh, the only movie similar in subject matter to "The Godfather" that I've seen comparable in quality is "Goodfellas," both of which are far beyond both the De Palma and Hawks "Scarface" in quality.

[The Foreigner]

The Godfather is probably the most untouchable movie in existence except maybe when it comes to Godfather II. Scarface is a great come from behind movie about a low criminal coming up. Godfather displayed a story of where a guy who was born into a criminal family snapped and became even more ruthless than the people he was once was disgusted with during his military run.

Amen. And not a single frame is wasted in telling that story.

[Alex]

The takedown of the other familes in Godfather, i think is better then all of Scarface put together.
Scarface gets a few points for killing communists though.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

The Godfather is certainly a better movie by far, but Scarface is more fun to watch.

[Albert]

Godfather.

Scarface... dunno, I could never get into it, it just doesn't do anything for me. The only thing I really remember from Sacrface all these years later is the urban legend about the chainsaw scene. When it had come out, there was all this talk about them graphically showing a guys face being chainsawed off, and his shorn visage being presented to Pacino on the edge of said chainsaw. Of course, the actual scene is nowhere near that graphic.

[parrish]

Godfather.

Scarface was a movie I liked, but its one of those where I didn't see what all the fuss was about.

[enigmatic1]

Most definitely The Godfather. Scarface, to me, seemed more like a popcorn film, which did have great acting by Pacino, but I don't think it holds water to the acting, directing or story of The Godfather.

[hoffmandu]

The Godfather is certainly a better movie by far, but Scarface is more fun to watch.

I disagree, Scarface is pretty damn slow moving at times. I've seen it a handful of times and have no interest in seeing it again. Not that I'd watch Godfather over and over, but given the choice between the two I would.

[HomerJay]

Scarface has sadly become one of the most overrated movies ever.
Amen.


Eh, the only movie similar in subject matter to "The Godfather" that I've seen comparable in quality is "Goodfellas," both of which are far beyond both the De Palma and Hawks "Scarface" in quality.
Couldn't agree more. I can think of at least 5 organized-crime movies that are better than SCARFACE.

[StoneGold]

Couldn't agree more. I can think of at least 5 organized-crime movies that are better than SCARFACE.
Jane Austen's Mafia?

[Shellhead]

Couldn't agree more. I can think of at least 5 organized-crime movies that are better than SCARFACE.

That sounds reasonable. My picks for five organized-crime movies that are better than Scareface:

1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather II
3. Goodfellas
4. Miller's Crossing
5. Casino

[Slam_Bradley]

Couldn't agree more. I can think of at least 5 organized-crime movies that are better than SCARFACE.

Only five?

This isn't even close. The Godfather is superior in every conceivable way.

[Jared]

Scarface is built entirely upon Pacino chewing the scenery. Some scenes, like the climatic gun battle, are over-the-top to the point of almost being farce. It's a fun movie, but not a great one. If it hadn't been so latched onto years after its release by rappers, it wouldn't even be as widely remembered as it is today. On the other hand, Carlito's Way is a better movie, and highly underrated to this day.

The Godfather has supererb acting and writing in every aspect. It's a bonafide masterpiece, along with Part II.

[Shellhead]

Scarface is built entirely upon Pacino chewing the scenery.

A long time ago, Al Pacino was a good actor. Then he got lazy, and started shouting his lines in lieu of actual acting. The only great Pacino performance that I've seen in decades was in Insomnia.

[HomerJay]

That sounds reasonable. My picks for five organized-crime movies that are better than Scareface:

1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather II
3. Goodfellas
4. Miller's Crossing
5. Casino
Exactly the five I first had in mind. I would also add:
- Donnie Brasco
- Heat (ok, more heist than organized crime)
- The Departed

[StoneGold]

Wait, what if you include Godfather III?

[Buzz Dixon]

Wait, what if you include Godfather III?As Coppola himselve once observed, "One of 'em has gotta be the third best..."

[Shellhead]

The timing on this thread is great. Just last night, I bought a boardgame called Blood Feud in New York, which looks sort of like a Mafia version of Risk, only faster because you can take out a rival just by killing that player's mob boss.

http://files.boardgamegeek.com/bggimages/pic67950_sized.jpg

[TheLazy]

Godfather, but personally I prefer Goodfellas to either. I think it presents a more fallible portrayal of humanity, in that no-one is a villain, but everyone is evil. But thats just me I suppose.

Scarface is good for a night in with the lads, but asside from that, it has no substance. Hell, watching the cut scenes from GTA: Vice City is better than watching Scarface.

:)

[Tages]

Exactly the five I first had in mind. I would also add:
- Donnie Brasco
- Heat (ok, more heist than organized crime)
- The Departed

-A Bronx Tale, though that's more coming of age than mob pic. Still better than "Scarface."

[comicbookcrazy]

the godfather all the way and the sequal is brill i mean its the only sequal to a film to win an oscar and tony montana in scarface was a thug who could have prevented his downfall but none the less is pretty good but defintly the godfather the 3rd won was a bit dissapointing but oh well

[TheLazy]

-A Bronx Tale, though that's more coming of age than mob pic. Still better than "Scarface."

Things to do in Denver when your dead?

:)

[Tages]

the godfather all the way and the sequal is brill i mean its the only sequal to a film to win an oscar

Not for almost three years now. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/)

[rick]

Not for almost three years now. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/)



Godfather II is still the only sequel to win the Oscar for Best picture though.

Edit: No, I take that back, I forgot that Lost in Translation didn't win.

[Jared]

Bah! ROTK hardly counts in my book, since everyone knows it was really recieving a Best Picture for the entire trilogy. That's why they swept all their categories that year, rather than the previous two.


Lost In Translation shouldn't have won anyway, since Sophia Coppolla had to atone for her performance in Godfather III.

[The Foreigner]

Return of the King is a little different when you consider that the other two previous films didn't win Best Picture (Which, as mentioned, is sort of an indication that it was an honor placed on the whole trilogy), as opposed to The Godfather and The Godfather Part II both winning.

The Godfather is the only series of films in which more than one entry has won Best Picture; that's the difference.

[BlairH]

- Heat (ok, more heist than organized crime)


Heat has -quite possibly- the best gun battle in any movie ever.

[P-Man]

Even though Godfather and it's sequel are leagues better, I'd rather watch Scarface on any given day. Pacino's crazy over acting is entertaining as hell. That's the thing about Scarface. . . it ain't great, but it's damn sure entertaining.

On the subject of gangster type movies as a whole, Carlito's way really is underrated. It's unique in that Carlito isn't some huge powerful kingpin who controls senators and owns mansions, he was just a sort of low-level criminal type. Much more reaslistic in that way.

[Nefarius]

Godfather is better and had some very classic scenes(i love the death of all the rival bosses at the end of Godfather) but i think that Scarface is more entertaining.I loved Montana's character and his rise and fall.Of course i see the last scene at the mansion a little bit over the top,but as a whole Scarface was an entertaining movie.Not a great cinematci success but entertaining.I think that P-man is right about Carlito's Way.It's a great movie and i really become "one" with the character.Carlito's efforts for leaving his underworld roots was touchy and the end piss me off.I really wanted to kill Benny Blanco.At least i would prefer to let Carlito die from the Italians and not from a jerk like Benny.