Scarface

Ahead of our mobster day with THE GODFATHER-trilogy, we screen Howard Hawks’ SCARFACE, a gangster film that (together with William A. Wellman’s THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931) would set the tone for what would become one of the most important genres in film.

Hawks’s pre-Code gangster pic stands up brilliantly, thanks to dynamic directing, film noir cinematography and a convincing performance from Paul Muni that makes his successor Al Pacino seem almost restrained. By depicting the Prohibition, speakeasies and bootlegging, SCARFACE isn’t restricted by the censorship that would make its entrance in cinema soon after.

SCARFACE follows the Italian immigrant Antonio “Tony” Camonte and his violent rise through the ranks of the Chicago gangland. The ambitious Tony lives by the slogan “The World is Yours”. After Tony kills his boss Big Louies Costillo on behalf of mobster Johnny Lovo, he’s promoted to Lovo’s righthand man. The warning to stay away from rival gang leader O’Hara, is merely a suggestion to Tony and he kills him anyway. Adding insult to injury, Tony openly pursues Lovo’s mistress. It doesn’t take long before Tony achieves his goals and claims Lovo’s place. “Listen, in this business there’s only one law you gotta follow to keep out of trouble,” Tony tells his crew. “Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doing it.” However, it’s only a matter of time before his hubris announces the end of his reign…