Scarface
Released - April, 1932 
Directed By - Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson
Starring – Paul Muni (Antonio ‘Tony’ Camonte), Ann Dvorak (Francesca ‘Cesca’ Camonte), Karen Morley (Poppy), Osgood Perkins (John ‘Johnny’ Lovo), C. Henry Gordon (Inspector Ben Guarino), George Raft (Guino Rinaldo), Boris Karloff (Gaffney).
Description - A classic gangster film with a simple premise. Rival gangs fighting over control of the city. Gangster Tony Camonte is looking to rise to the top of his profession, and it’s doesn’t hurt that he happens to be insanely violent.
In the world of organized crime, be careful what you ask for. Tony’s ruthless ambition has the police breathing down his neck and has resulted in strong dissatisfaction among the other crime bosses.
In addition, Tony’s overprotected sister Cesca is looking to become more independent and may have taken up with another gangster.
NOTABLE: In 1994 this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
The movie is based loosely on the life of Al Capone who liked the film so much he had his own print. As much as he enjoyed the similarities, it was rumored that some of Capone’s men visited writer Ben Hect to be sure the story wasn’t too close to real life.
Disturbed by the violence and the possibility of glamorizing a gangster the Hays Office demanded a rewrite of the script. In defiance, Producer Howard Hughes ordered Director Howard Hawks to shoot the film as realistic and grisly as possible.
The filming was cursed by several accidents; one of which was the accidental shooting with live ammunition of comedian Harold Lloyd’s brother Gaylord who lost an eye.
Look for the letter ‘X’ to be prominently used whenever a murder takes place.
This was one of the first films to feature the use of a ‘tommy gun,’ the Thompson Machine Gun.
This motion picture is rated #6 in AFI’s 10 Greatest Gangster Films.
Personal Comment: If you are a fan of the Crime/Gangster genre this film is a must. Along with Little Caesar, The Public Enemy, and The Roaring Twenties, the years 1931 and 1932 were the year of the gangster.
In 1983 Brian De Palma remade Scarface with Al Pacino and the film went on to become a cult favorite.
Scarface (Universal Cinema Classics)
Enjoy browsing the Hollywood Movie Memories Film Store
Tags: 1930's crime/gangster, AFI 10 greatest gangster films, ann dvorak, boris karloff, classic crime films, george raft, howard hawks, national film registry, osgood perkins, paul muni, united artists
