Scarface

My Grade:  A

"Say hello to my little friend!"  Everyone knows that line from Brian De Palma's 1983 gangster flick Scarface.  What everyone doesn't know, though, is that it is a remake of a 1932 film-noir style gangster flick co-directed by Howard Hawks (His Girl Friday and The Big Sleep) and Richard Rosson.  Also, that 1932 film was based on a novel by Armitage Trail.  So the classic gangster film that everyone knows is actually based on a movie that is based on a book.  The reason few people realize this could be that the novel was published in 1929 with the original film being released in 1932... more than 50 years before the Scarface that stars Al Pacino.  Whatever the reason, everyone knows at least a little bit about Scarface and it was even nominated for 3 Golden Globes including Best Original Score, Best Actor - Drama (Al Pacino) and Best Supporting Actor (Steven Bauer who plays Manny).

It would be easy to say that Scarface is too long seeing as how it runs two hours and fifty minutes; however, it's hard to pick any scenes that could be removed.  All of the storylines interweave so nicely that without one, the film wouldn't be as powerful.  You could suggest starting into the narrative later, but that would take away some of the character development that allows you to connect with this ultra-violent gangster.  And that is the beauty of this film.  While very few people that watch Scarface are drug kingpins, most people can connect with Tony because he is a guy that comes from nothing and achieves his hopes and dreams.  He reaches his version of the American dream... albeit a twisted version of that dream.  But he does get money and power.  It's Capitalism at its core.

While Al Pacino is a great actor, few of his roles are as memorable as his turn as Tony "Scarface" Montana.  People imitate his accent, quote him, have posters of him, wear t-shirts with him, and rappers even rap about him.  It's hard to think of Al Pacino and not think of Scarface because he is so fantastic in this role.  He brings a passion to the role that few others could.  It's tough to bring passion and heart to this kind of role, but Pacino does it spectacularly.  He even makes you laugh at times.  His charm and charisma make you kind of want to hang out with him... until you see how insanely violent he is.  No matter what you think of the brutal violence, drug use, and constant barrage of vulgar language in Scarface, you can't argue that Al Pacino doesn't put on one heck of a good show.