“From as far back as I remember, I always wanted to watch gangster movies.”
Clearly, that’s not the original quote, but the sentiment remains true. Audiences love gangster movies. They make money, win Oscars and become memorable pop culture artifacts.
Robert De Niro returns to the gangster genre in Barry Levinson’s “The Alto Knights," which opened in theaters March 21. De Niro plays mobsters Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, two friends turned foes in a battle for power.
In honor of this movie, we're ranking the seven best gangster movies. This list could easily feature the films of four filmmakers: Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, and Brian De Palma.
To make things more interesting, this list will only include one movie per filmmaker. Apologies to “The Departed,” “The Godfather Part II,” “Reservoir Dogs” and “Scarface.”
7. ‘Shot Caller’
After watching “Shot Caller,” two thoughts typically run through a person’s head: (1) this movie rules, and (2) why did it not have a bigger audience upon its release?
To answer the question, the production company behind “Shot Caller,” Relatively Media, filed for bankruptcy in July 2015. The film was delayed for two years until Saban Films quietly released the film in August 2017.
"Game of Thrones" alum Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who has become a B-movie veteran, stars as Jacob Harlon, a stockbroker who is sentenced to 16 months in prison after a DUI leads to the death of his friend. To survive inside, Jacob joins a white supremacist gang and learns a hard truth: the gang’s rules matter more than the prison’s regulations. Don’t expect a happy ending.
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6. ‘Road to Perdition’
“Road to Perdition” became a swan song for two legends. The gangster drama was Paul Newman’s final live-action role and Conrad L. Hall’s last movie as a cinematographer. Newman received an Oscar nomination for supporting actor, while Hall won the Oscar for cinematography, a fitting ending for a movie about reflection toward the end of one’s life.
Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) works as an enforcer for mobster John Rooney (Paul Newman). After Sullivan’s son Michael (Tyler Hoechlin) witnesses a hit, Rooney’s son, Connor (Daniel Rooney), murders Sullivan’s wife and second son. Sullivan and Michael flee, and Sullivan is dead-set on avenging the murders by killing the Rooney family. “Road to Perdition” is a powerful gangster movie and a better reflection of father-son relationships.
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5. ‘Eastern Promises’
David Cronenberg, the master of body horror, invaded the gangster genre with the Oscar-nominated “Eastern Promises.” In London, Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen) is a fixer for a powerful family in the Russian mafia. Midwife Anna Khitrova (Naomi Watts) delivers a baby from a young teenager who dies in childbirth.
Anna discovers the harrowing circumstances surrounding the teenager and how they lead back to the mafia. When Anna becomes a target, Nikolai investigates the matter and uncovers a deadly set of circumstances that could ruin the family.
“Eastern Promises” is the perfect crime thriller — a mystery that blurs the line between good and evil. There is also a fight sequence in the sauna that is genuinely jaw-dropping.
4. ‘The Untouchables’
While some might prefer the chaotic nature of a destructive gangster in “Scarface,” the better Brian De Palma gangster movie is “The Untouchables,” the Chicago crime thriller set during Prohibition.
Crime boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro) is the most powerful man in Chicago thanks to his illegal alcohol empire. Capone’s power runs unchecked because he owns most of the cops and city officials.
To take down Capone, Prohibition agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) builds a team of “Untouchables,” including Irish cop Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery), trainee George Stone (Andy Garcia), and accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith).
“The Untouchables” is the best action movie on this list, with the train station shootout being the film’s defining moment.
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3. ‘Pulp Fiction’
Is “Reservoir Dogs” a better pure gangster movie than “Pulp Fiction?” There’s an argument there, for sure. However, “Pulp Fiction” gets the nod over “Reservoir Dogs” because Quentin Tarantino essentially created his own genre of gangster movies with the 1994 Oscar winner.
Employing a non-linear narrative, “Pulp Fiction” follows the lives of two hitmen (John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson), a gangster (Ving Rhames) and his wife (Uma Thurman), a boxer (Bruce Willis), and two robbers (Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer). These characters intertwine throughout the movie, creating a series of bloody, funny, and invigorating chapters. No one does dialogue like Tarantino, and “Pulp Fiction’s” script remains one of a kind.
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2. ‘The Godfather’
Hand up, I like “The Godfather Part II” more than “The Godfather.” Despite that, “The Godfather” is the more influential entry in the gangster genre. Without the original, there is no sequel.
"The Godfather" is also considered one of the most influential movies ever made. Not bad for a movie that was almost never made.
Based on Mario Puzo’s novel, Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” is an epic saga that introduces the New York City Corleone family, an Italian-American crime syndicate run by Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). After tragedy strikes, Vito’s youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), a military veteran who has stayed out of the mafia, must join the family business. The ensuing descent into a life of crime becomes a powerful exploration of family, revenge, and betrayal.
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1. ‘Goodfellas’
If the opening line of a movie reads, “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster,” how can it not sit at the top of these rankings?
Thankfully, “Goodfellas” earns the No. 1 spot through merit. Martin Scorsese’s magnum opus explores the rise and fall of Henry Hill (Henry Liotta), an aspiring gangster who transforms into a powerful associate within the mafia.
“Goodfellas” is anchored by three tremendous performances from Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci, with the latter winning an Oscar. Speaking of the Oscars, “Dances with Wolves” beating “Goodfellas” for Best Picture remains an all-time miscarriage of justice. Scorsese never lets the audience catch their breath in “Goodfellas.” It’s a stylish, pulse-pounding crime thriller that remains unmatched in the genre.
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