America became infatuated with gangsters in the early 1900s, thanks to real-life mobsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano. Their headline-grabbing crimes, their glitzy lifestyles, their notorious reputations--Americans just couldn't get enough of it. In response, Hollywood started pumping out gangster movies, showcasing all the glam and murder on the big screen.
The gangster movie is one of film's oldest genres and has been around since before the Golden Age of Hollywood. 1906's The Black Hand is considered by many to be the first, or at least the oldest surviving, mob movie. Since then, the gangster film has gone beyond the genre, influencing every corner of cinema. Let's go back in time 100 years, before there was color or words, and take a look at the best gangster films from each decade.
10 1920s - Underworld (1927)
Underworld might be a silent film, but don't let that fool you. There's still plenty of gunfights and murder. Featuring silent stars Clive Brook, Evelyn Brent and George Bancroft, Underworld tells the story of a former lawyer who gets mixed up with a mob boss and falls in love with his girlfriend. Its distributor, Paramount, had little expectations for the film. But Underworld became a huge hit, prompting Paramount to arrange around-the-clock showings.
9 1930s - The Public Enemy (1931)
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While the first sound movie, or talkie, came out in 1927, it wasn't until the 1930s that sound became more widely used. This decade saw a boom in talkies, and also in gangster movies. Classic Hollywood stars became linked to this genre, like Edgar G. Robinson and, of course, James Cagney. With his wiseass smirk and tough guy persona, Cagney perfectly encapsulated the gangster archetype. He starred in a number of classic mob movies during the 30s, though The Public Enemy has to be his crowning achievement.
It captures the rise of Irish-American gangster Tom Powers (Cagney) during America's Prohibition era. One of cinema's most famous scenes appears in this movie--when Powers aggressively smashes a grapefruit into his girlfriend's face. It's a jarring moment, even by today's standards. The Public Enemy is a milestone in the gangster genre; it's inspired every mob movie that's followed and even got a shout-out in an episode of The Sopranos.
8 1940s - High Sierra (1941)
Director Raoul Walsh is legendary in Hollywood. Of the 150 movies that he directed during his career, High Sierra might just be his best. This film gave Humphrey Bogart, the greatest actor of classic Hollywood, his breakthrough and turned him into a leading man. High Sierra tells the story of gangster Roy "Mad Dog" Earle (Bogart), who gets involved in a jewel robbery after being released from prison. The film takes place in the Sierra Nevada, where it was famously shot on location
7 1950s - On the Waterfront (1954)
You can be forgiven for not seeing the earlier films on this list. But if you're a movie buff, then On the Waterfront is an essential viewing. It stars a young Marlon Brando in one of his greatest roles. It also gave Eva Marie Saint her film debut. On the Waterfront is different from other movies on this list. It focuses on union violence and corruption among the waterfronts of Hoboken, NJ. Its main character, former boxer and longshoreman Terry Malloy (Brando), isn't a gangster, though he's connected to the mob through his brother Charley. By the end of the film, Terry stands up against mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb), engaging him in one of the most epic, adrenaline-pumping brawls in cinema.
It also features this iconic, heart-breaking line from Brando, which you've likely heard before: "I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody..." Of its twelve Oscar nominations, On the Waterfront won eight awards, including Best Actor for Brando, Best Supporting Actress for Saint, Best Director for Elia Kazan, and Best Picture. It's another significant milestone in the gangster genre and is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.
6 1960s - Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were different sorts of gangsters. They were smalltime store and bank robbers who captured national media attention, mostly because of their young romance. Arthur Penn's Bonnie and Clyde follows their crime-ridden love story, all the way to its bitter but iconic ending, with Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty respectively playing the titular characters. This biography isn't just one of the best true crime or gangster movies. It's viewed as an important milestone in cinema, being one of the first films of the New Hollywood era--a movement from the mid-1960s to early 1980s that saw a reinvigorated and distinct style of filmmaking.
Bonnie and Clyde romanticizes the gangsters' murderous relationship and blends graphic violence with sex, which is something that was never done in classic Hollywood. It influenced filmmakers across the industry, inspiring them to be more open to sex and violence in their movies. To this day, Bonnie and Clyde is seen as one of the greatest films of all time.
5 1970s - The Godfather (1972)
This was a tough one. There's a fierce debate among fans as to which Francis Ford Coppola movie is better: The Godfather or its sequel The Godfather: Part II. Both of them are considered to be among the greatest films ever made. But if we have to choose one, then we're going with the original. The Godfather follows the powerful Corleone crime family, serenading its characters with that legendary score. It's packed with famous moments, like its opening scene, the baptism sequence, and that chilling, final shot. It also features many quotable lines, like "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" and "Leave the gun. Take the cannolis."
The Godfather boasts an all-star cast that includes Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. It gave both Diane Keaton and John Cazale their first major film roles. And of course, we can't forget Marlon Brando, who created one of the most iconic gangsters and characters ever with Vito Corleone. His portrayal earned him the Oscar for Best Actor. The film also won Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.The Godfather is a landmark in gangster films, raising the bar for both the genre and overall cinema.
4 1980s - Scarface (1983)
If you're going to pick a gangster movie from the 1980s, then it has to be Scarface. This movie is actually a remake of the 1932 gangster film of the same name. But writer Oliver Stone and director Brian De Palma gave it a fresh spin by focusing on Cuban gang lords and the 1980s Miami drug scene. Although his casting may be questionable today, Al Pacino delivered a memorable performance as the short-tempered and violent Tony Montana. Scarface is stacked with famous moments, like that legendary shootout in the end, and great quotes, such as "So say good night to the bad guy!" and "Say hello to my little friend!" It also put the young Michelle Pfeiffer on the map. Scarface was negatively received upon its release, due to its excessive violence and profanity. But in the years since then, it's become an influence on pop culture, especially in the hip-hop community, and is now regarded as one the best gangster films ever made.
3 1990s - Goodfellas (1990)
The 1990s was packed with notable gangster films: Casino, Pulp Fiction, A Bronx Tale, Donnie Brasco. But no 90s movie impacted this genre more than Goodfellas. It's not just Martin Scorses's best film; it's one of the greatest movies ever made. Adapted from the 1985 true crime book Wiseguy, Goodfellas follows gangster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his involvement in the Mafia. It takes a different approach from other gangster films: it focuses on low-level thugs rather than high-ranking gangsters and mentions elements that we now see all the time in this genre, such as wire-tapping and the witness protection program.
Its all-star ensembles includes Robert De Niro, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Servino. But it's Joe Pesci who steals the show with his portrayal of the maniacal Tommy. Every time Tommy comes on screen, you don't know if he's going to make you laugh or gasp. Goodfellas was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. But Pesci was the film's only win with his well-deserved Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
2 2000s - The Departed (2006)
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This was another tough one. The early 2000s had some great gangster movies, like Gangs of New York, Road to Perdition, Mystic River, and others. But if you're going to pick one, then it has to be The Departed, which is regarded as one of the best films of the 2000s. It's a violent, sprawling tale of criminals, cops, and rats in the city of Boston. It boasts an all-star cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, and Martin Sheen. The Departed was a critical and commercial success. But its biggest accomplishment was finally getting legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese his Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director.
1 2010s - The Town (2010)
You might have been expecting The Irishman here, but we're going with The Town instead. Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, The Town follows a Boston gang who pull off robberies and heists for Irish mobster Fergie (Pete Postlethwaite). Things reach a bloody climax when main character Doug (Affleck) falls for a victim from one of his robberies, causing him to clash with his partner Jem (Jeremy Renner) and Fergie. And have we mentioned how awesome the gang's robbery costumes are? The Town is a rare gem from the 2010s and stands out as one of the best gangster films from that decade.