Name your three favourite gangster films

[mcgaffer]

Like the title says which are your three favourite gangster films.

1. The Untouchables.
2. Once Upon A Time In America.
3. The Sting.

[The Black Guardian]

The Godfather 2
The Godfather
The Untouchables

[rick]

1. White Heat

James Cagney has never been netter then in his role of the psychotic bank robber, who loves his mother, Cody Jarret. Violent, vicious but totally compelling, Cagney puts in a masterful performance.


2. Dillinger

Director John Milius, actor Warren Oates, and supporting actors like Richard Dreyfus and harry Dean Stanton, bring the gritty feel of the early 1930's vividly to life, in this "B" movie classic, on the life of notorious bank robber John Dillinger.


3. Little Caesar


Made in 1931, Edward G Robinson became a star in his stunning role as Al Capone stand-in, Rico Bandello. Robinson put in a stunning performance as a criminal and a brute who is completely destroyed by his own unexpected humanity.


To be honest there are all sorts of movies I could add on this list running from The Public Enemy, to The Godfather, Bonnie & Clyde, Scarface (both versions), Goodfellas, the original Ocean's 11, Pulp Fiction, and a whole bunch more.

Gangster films are one of the greatest movie genres out there.

[joxerlives]

1. Miller's Crossing-look into your heart

2. Goodfellas- the gritty reality behind the grandeur of the Godfather

3. The Untouchables

[Blue_Falcon]

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Snatch
Layer Cake

[KET]

High Sierra
Goodfellas
The Roaring Twenties

[marshal99]

The Untouchables

Gangs of New York

Once Upon a Time in America

[jesse_custer]

As of right now:

Le Samourai
Jackie Brown
Eastern Promises

[scilon]

1. Godfather
2. Untouchables
3. Road to Perdition

Why Road to Perdition? It has, hands down, some of the most beautiful cinematography ever filmed. Also, Tom Hanks is a gangster. Need I say more?

[brundlefly]

Godfather
Godfather 2
Once Upon A Time In America

Like rick, gangster films are one of my favorite film genres, so this was tough to narrow down. The rest of my 'Top 10 gangster films' would go something like:

Goodfellas
The Long Good Friday
Miller's Crossing
Sexy Beast
Gangster #1
Scarface
White Heat

[Siddon]

I thought we were on our top 25 kick, I don't know if they are the best "gangster" movies of all time but this is where the films would rank on my all time list. Gangs of New York is on my 25 of all time, City of God is one of my favorite foreigns, and then I would go with On the Waterfront I just like "smaller" gangster stories over bigger show the whole family like Godfather or Goodfellas ones.

1. Gangs of New York
2. City of God
3. On the Waterfront

The rest of my top 25, mostly ones that deal with the smaller types of gangster films,

4. Breathless
5. Boyz in the Hood
6. Casino
7. Reservoir Dogs
8. Godfather part 2
9. Goodfellas
10. Layer Cake
11. Godfather
12. Kill Bill: volume 1
13. Mona Lisa
14. Untouchables
15. Chinatown
16. Cop Land
17. Bonnie and Clyde
18. Road to Perdition
19. Petrified Forrest
20. Le Samuraii
21. Miller's Crossing
22. Key Largo
23. Once Upon a Time in America
24. Sleepers
25. A Bronx Tale

[Jared]

1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather Part II
3. Goodfellas.

After this I'd go with The Untouchables, Carlito's Way, and maybe Layer Cake. That latter must be an awesome movie, because I couldn't understand half the freakin' dialogue but still really enjoyed it.




To be honest there are all sorts of movies I could add on this list running from The Public Enemy, to The Godfather, Bonnie & Clyde, Scarface (both versions), Goodfellas, the original Ocean's 11, Pulp Fiction, and a whole bunch more.

Gangster films are one of the greatest movie genres out there.

Yeah, just picking three is absurdly tough. I'm sure Godfather has to be there, but after that, I don't really know. But to make it a bit easier, I'd probably wouldn't even consider Oceans, as it's a heist movie...not quite the same thing.


Why Road to Perdition? It has, hands down, some of the most beautiful cinematography ever filmed. Also, Tom Hanks is a gangster. Need I say more?

You thought he was convincing? I really didn't. I wanted to, but...no.

[joxerlives]

Not so much Gangs of New York (loathe Liam Neeson) but how about Christoper Walken as the King of New York?

[brundlefly]

Not so much Gangs of New York (loathe Liam Neeson) but how about Christoper Walken as the King of New York?

Love King of NY. That's one of my favorite Walken films. I would have definitely have listed that flick if I did an expanded Top 25 like Siddon's.

Neeson's not in Gangs for very long. Surely his role in the opening scene didn't spoil the whole rest of the movie for you?

[joxerlives]

Love King of NY. That's one of my favorite Walken films. I would have definitely have listed that flick if I did an expanded Top 25 like Siddon's.

Neeson's not in Gangs for very long. Surely his role in the opening scene didn't spoil the whole rest of the movie for you?

No, the accents did that! (Daniel Day Lewis aside of course) Interestingly I'm just watching Gettysburg, 2 very different depictions of the same era of America.

[Karl O'Neill]

1) The Godfather II.
2) The Gangs Of New York.
3) Miller's Crossing.

[cliffhanger]

good fellas,carlito's way, scarface.

[Frank]

Strange I never thought of Gangs of New York as a gangster flick. It's sort of like a period piece with street gangs and Leo Decaprio. When I want gangster flicks, I want gangsters.

Favourites:

Once Upon a time in America

GodFather

The Untouchables

--------

I consider Untouchables a very flawed movie with strong visualy shot scenes and an over-the-top performance by Deniro. It's flawed but incredibly rewatchable and if we're talking about the ones I liked the most(not the gangster flicks I thought were the best), I'll put it there. I love the movie so much from Connery's character to the sets, to the music, the great villain Frank Netti, etc...

[Lord Bravery]

Once Upon a Time in America

A Bronx Tale

Goodfellas

[Jamal]

I have too many for just three so I'll go with a couple of recent favorites based off of true stories...

Hoodlum

Mobsters

Paid in Full

[Libaax]

Public Enemy(1931) - James Cagney is the best gangster actor, great subtle directed film.
The Godfather II - Al Pacino !
Le Samurai - Melville is my fav gangster,film noir director

Other great ones : Asphalt Jungle,The Untoucables,White Heat,Godfather,Miller's Crossing,Scarface,The Killing,Goodfellas

[jesse_custer]

Libaax, have you seen all three Delon/Melville collaborations?

[SlightlyMad]

1. Godfather I & II
2. Goodfellas
3. Shaft (1971)

[rick]

3. Shaft (1971)


How is Shaft a gangster film?

Considering that the main character spends the entire film blowing gangsters away while speaking badly of their mothers sexual habits, I just don't see how it isn't a more traditional action film.

[Siddon]

Very shocked to see no one has Boyz in the Hood as one of their favorites.

[Libaax]

Libaax, have you seen all three Delon/Melville collaborations?

No but i have ordered a DVD box with 6 Melville films including Delon collaborations.

I dont buy DVD often i mostly rent them but Johnny To,Melville,Kurasawa are my favs who make me collect their movies.

[Karl O'Neill]

Very shocked to see no one has Boyz in the Hood as one of their favorites.

It's a very good film, though.

[Lord Bravery]

City of God is great too.

[Libaax]

Very shocked to see no one has Boyz in the Hood as one of their favorites.

There hasnt been a real ganster movie about blacks except maybe New Jack City of the ones i have seen.

Watching bad stereotypes about ghetto toughs is not good gangster film imo.

[Jamal]

There hasnt been a real ganster movie about blacks except maybe New Jack City of the ones i have seen.

Watching bad stereotypes about ghetto toughs is not good gangster film imo.

You should definitely check out Hoodlum and another I didn't mention Sugar Hill (Starring Wesley Snipes).

Hoodlum is based off the of the real life Gangster Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson who controlled Harlem for over 50 years. The movie is about how he got started and his war with Dutch Schultz.

Sugar Hill is a modern take on the gangster movie but has a classic feel to it with some really great acting.

Paid in Full is one that may seem to some as fitting into a stereotypical ghetto film but what sets apart is that it's a true story with a lot of events in the film shown as they actually happened, worth checking out.

Boys in the Hood or even Menace to Society aren't considered gangster films even though they deal with parts of that world.

[cliffhanger]

Dont forget Black Ceasar and Hell up in Harlem- Fred williamson is THE MAN i also liked Belly.

[Ronin1108]

American Gangster
Hoodlum
The Goodfellas

[Interzone]

interesting, someone said boyz n tha hood wasn't a gangster film, even though the word "gangsta" gets thrown around a lot in and out of the film.

my brother and i were arguing over whether "mystic river" counts. i say no, but he says it's a much more slower and in depth take on boston's gangland than the departed.

[king mob]

1/ The Godfather

2/ The Long Good Friday

3/ Goodfellas

[Beamish]

Little Caeser
Bonnie and Clyde
Scarface

[Siddon]

t.

Boys in the Hood or even Menace to Society aren't considered gangster films even though they deal with parts of that world.


http://www.filmsite.org/crimefilms3.html

AMC says it counts....

[RolandJP]

Scarface
New Jack City
Good Fellas

[Oskar Von Strange]

No Warriors?? This sickins me.

[rick]

No Warriors?? This sickins me.

A true classic, but not really a "Gangster" movie as it is a "Gang" movie I would think.

[Professor Moriarty]

Goodfellas
Casino
American Gangster

[spiderwire]

1. Casino
2. King of New York
3. A History of Violence