21. White Heat (1949)
The inspiration for this gangster epic’s blisteringly mad and bad lead character Cody Jarret was simple, says writer Ben Roberts: “We synthesised Ma Barker down to having one son instead of four and we put the evil of all four into one man.”
The genius move though was squeezing that malevolence into the pint-sized Jimmy Cagney, here making his first gangster flick since 1939’s
The Roaring Twenties.
As the mom-obsessed psycho bouncing between homicidal wit and shuddering rage, he’s still one of cinema’s most chilling nutjobs.
Killer Scene: Hearing that his mum’s dead, Jarret goes berserk in a prison canteen.
20. The Killer (1989)
Chow Yun-Fat seeks a bloody redemption in John Woo’s seminal actioner, his Hong Kong hitman showing a twisted nobility as he takes on one last job to prevent the girl he injured from losing her sight.
“The killer wants to be good,” the director revealed. “He’s fed up with killing and he’s trying to stop. The problem is, once you pick up a gun it’s hard to put down...”
Slammed at home for glamourising the Triads, The Killer had a better reception abroad, launching the international careers of both star and director.
Killer Scene: The Virgin Mary eating lead in the climactic church shoot-out.
19. Sonatine (1993)
Takeshi Kitano’s minimalist hitmanin-hiding movie is a bravely formalist and philosophical break-out from the gang, played for understated but
potent poignancy.
“With Kitano,” wrote US critic Jonathan Rosenbaum, “narrative and plot become wholly secondary to the emotions, moods, and associations his images conjure.”
And what images, foremost among them being Kitano’s stony, deadpan fizzog as Murakawa, a pro-killer dispatched to a job that turns out
to be an ambush.
Killer Scene: Power of the unseen: a climactic shoot-out shot from outside, shown only as a light show.
Comments
ebrown2112
Jun 23rd 2009, 14:04
I disagree about the exclusion of The Departed, but I agree about Goodfellas at #1.
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weirdr0b0t
Jun 23rd 2009, 18:53
i had forgotten about the departed, and i agree that should have been in there!! What about Road to Perdition as well!! That movie should definitely be in there!!
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adammiller2k
Jun 24th 2009, 1:43
forget the departed, infernal affairs is so much better! and having both in the list would have been stupid. great list though. i know i might get hounded for this, but if you had room for only 1 new wave "gangster movie" i'd replace breathless with truffaut's "shoot the pianist" that's a stonking good movie. do the vengance triology not count as gangster movies? i know they are revenge tragedies, but then so is get carter (what a movie). ps tokyo drifter rocks!
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Desperation
Jun 24th 2009, 11:39
I think Carlito's Way should have been higher.
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weirdr0b0t
Jun 24th 2009, 18:38
and you figure s****h or lock Stock or even RocknRolla would have got a mention!!
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Film2517
Jun 25th 2009, 15:26
a pretty accurate list but Gomorrah is the most notable exclusion on it.
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SUPERmovieFREAK
Jun 25th 2009, 17:25
Okay this isn't that bad a list. You've definitely got some all time classics in there like the Godfather Part 1 & 2, Mean Streets, Goodfellas etc, etc. I disagree with Goodfellas being number 1, The Godfather is the greatest movie and greatest gangster movie EVER made (but okay I can deal with Goodfellas being Number 1). But there are some films in there I've never even heard of. What the hell is Casque D'or, never heard of it. Or The Killing, never heard of it. The Big Heat, never heard of it. Instead the complete shmucks you are, you’ve gone and missed major classics out like The Untouchables. How could you forget that? It’s got a small but classic role by Robert DeNiro and the legendary Sean Connery. Plus like people have said above you’ve also missed out major modern classics like The Departed, Gommorah, Road To Perdition and Rock ‘n’ Rolla. AND WHAT THE HELL ABOUT Eastern Promises and A History Of Violence. Two great movies by a great director and I still can’t believe you missed them out. If I was a Don and I saw that list I’d have you all whacked you shmucks.
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Hip2thabone
Jun 26th 2009, 13:56
Seriously this list is totally f****d up. How can u have pulp fiction higher than donnie brasco or infernal affairs? What about a movie called "SHOTTAS"?
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hazey
Feb 5th 2011, 14:45
Breathless is not a gangster flick..the main protaganist is a small time hood!
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DAO999
Jun 21st 2011, 23:35
Once upon a time in America is the worst gangster movie I have ever seen. epic piece of garbage. The acting was horrible and over the top. The scenes were comical. Tried way too much to be overly dramatic; having actors looking off in the distance, as if in deep thought every 5 mins, was beyond lame. The dialog was horrible. The ending was stupid. I love movies and I’ve seen enough gangster movies. I am beyond confused why this movie is well received. I did watch the extended original version and still couldn’t believe how bad it was. It wouldn’t make my top 50 gangster movies. Pulp Fiction needs to be moved up. Also Reservoir Dogs, The departed, and Road to Perdition need to be on this list. Sorry; I’m 2 yrs late on my posting
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glenmarks
Oct 16th 2011, 5:16
What about "New Jack City"?
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mackers2012
Oct 20th 2012, 11:32
the departed sud be in there but the rest seem alrite duno if heat should be so high up
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JazzyFunkStar79
Jan 7th 2013, 1:45
No way is Goodfellas the best Gangster movie ever. Here's my Top 4: 1) The Godfather (Part 1) 2) The Godfather (Part 2) 3) Once Upon A Time In America 4) Goodfellas
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