A staple of Hollywood since the earliest days of cinema, gangster crime movies have formed an intrinsic part of popular culture. Several of the genre’s most beloved and influential outings have been acclaimed by fans and critics alike, with many of the finest examples lauded as some of the best movies of all time. From the early days of iconic entries like The Public Enemy all the way to more modern standouts like The Departed, gangster flicks have been captivating audiences with their thrilling stories and nuanced examinations of criminality.

Along the way, cinema has witnessed several gangster movies that have defined the genre in their own unique way. Establishing what works best for this brand of film through bold experimentation, many of the best gangster movies bravely took a chance on what was an unproven central premise or creative direction at the time, only to be rewarded in the most satisfying manner imaginable by the film in question going on to attain iconic status. In other cases, gangster movies have successfully added inspired new elements, improving on the tried and tested formula while shaping the modern genre.

10

The Irishman (2019)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

Following a number of notably disastrous examples, digitally de-aging movie stars has always been a controversial topic. As such, the news that this technique would be used on The Irishman’s cast of cinematic gangster royalty likely led to a sense of trepidation among many fans. However, Martin Scorsese soon proved that his old magic hadn’t gone anywhere. Receiving a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the epic crime saga chronicling Frank Sheeran’s life debuted to a fanfare of critical acclaim.

The Irishman is also notable for providing a uniquely poignant perspective on criminality. Sheeran isn’t the first gangster character audiences have seen consumed by guilt and regret, but he’s one of the more prevalent cases where they get to see the individual grow old at the same time. The devastating, yet subtle, manner in which Robert De Niro conveys the elderly hitman’s reflection on the wasted nature of his life hits home in a manner that few gangster movies ever have.

9

Gangs Of New York (2002)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

Taking the genre to the 1860s with exemplary results, Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York is popular culture’s preeminent historical gangster offering. Featuring an electric turn from the human Academy Award magnet, Daniel Day-Lewis, as Bill “The Butcher” Cutting, cinema had never seen anything quite like Scorsese’s picture before; an epic tale of gang warfare set against the backdrop of a gorgeously vibrant historic take on the area that would become New York City.

Gangs of New York swiftly established the fact that quality gangster movies could take place long before the various organized crime eras typically ᴀssociated with offerings from the genre. The film is also notable for being the first collaboration between Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, an artistic partnership that would go on to produce another seminal outing for the genre in 2006’s The Departed.

8

The Untouchables (1987)

Directed By Brian De Palma

Inspired by the eponymous group of legendary law enforcement agents tasked with taking down Al Capone, 1987’s The Untouchables is a unique offering in that it’s one of cinema’s finest gangster movies told from the perspective of law enforcement as the movie’s protagonists. Boasting an Academy Award-winning performance from Sean Connery in one of his best movies, The Untouchables’ notably black-and-white take on the morality of the conflict between law enforcement and the Mob was sharply juxtaposed with the traditional gangster movie formula.

The genre typically offers a more layered and complex take on the nature of criminality, but The Untouchables highlights that this is not a prerequisite for success. De Palma’s offering paints the various moral codes of his heroes and villains in much broader strokes than the nuanced likes of Scorsese or Coppola, but still manages to conjure up a beloved and timeless genre staple nonetheless.

7

Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

Directed By Guy Ritchie

Many notable offerings could be argued to have defined the British gangster movie, with acclaimed numbers like Layer Cake, Snatch, or Legend all consтιтuting worthy examples. However, the preeminent authority in this category dates back to 1998 with Guy Ritchie’s cult-classic feature film debut, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, released to rave reviews and introducing the director to a global audience.

Painting a gloriously immersive picture of London’s murky underworld against the backdrop of multiple interconnected criminal stories, Ritchie’s riotous outing proved that iconic gangster movies and black comedy could complement each other perfectly. Featuring a magnificently grimy rogues’ gallery of colorful characters that includes some of Ritchie’s best movie villains, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is also a notable gangster film for the genre courtesy of a killer soundtrack, highlighting the beneficial effect that this creative choice could have on offerings of its ilk.

6

Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

Directed By Sergio Leone

A masterful epic from the Dollars trilogy director Sergio Leone chronicling the rise and fall of a group of young Jewish gangsters, the condensed American edition of 1984’s Once Upon a Time in America was brutally panned. However, in sharp contrast, the European edition has been acclaimed as one of the greatest movies ever made, with audiences citing Robert De Niro’s emotionally devastating lead performance and Leone’s intricately constructed narrative as the film’s strongest elements.

An evocative deep dive into themes of betrayal, greed, and loyalty, Once Upon a Time in America was one of the first outings to indicate that there might be life beyond The Godfather for the genre. With the acclaimed version of the movie clocking in at 229 minutes, it’s also arguably the preeminent epic gangster offering. It’s also notorious for pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable to show in a gangster film, with several harrowing depictions of Sєxual violence dotted throughout Leone’s final movie.

5

Scarface (1983)

Directed By Brian De Palma

A remake of the 1932 original outing of the same name chronicling the life of drug lord Tony Montana, 1983’s Scarface duly went on to obliterate its predecessor in terms of lasting cultural impact. Playing host to some of cinema’s most iconic pieces of dialogue, Brian De Palma’s picture also features a number of the most instantly recognizable and widely parodied moments in cinematic history. In particular, Montana’s epic last stand scene is one of the most unforgettable sequences ever brought to life onscreen.

Leveraging the stunning talents of genre mainstay Al Pacino to the maximum extent possible, Scarface is also renowned for being one of the most profane movies of all time; a status quo that would persist in the genre moving forward. The movie has also had a distinct influence on popular culture’s music landscape, with many artist names, song тιтles, and lyrics inspired by the legacy of this seminal gangster offering.

4

The Departed (2006)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

Inspired by the acclaimed Korean movie Infernal Affairs and loosely based on the true story of the Boston Winter Hill Gang, 2006’s The Departed unfolds from the perspective of two “rats”; a corrupt detective, and an informant deep undercover in a vicious criminal gang. Exploring themes of guilt, greed, and idenтιтy, this Irish Mafia masterpiece serves as a worthy successor to Goodfellas for Scorsese, while arguably providing the genre with its finest offering since the Ray Liotta-led effort debuted in 1990.

Stuffed with powerhouse performances and jaw-dropping twists to complement the movie’s thrilling narrative, The Departed is also notable for featuring numerous nods to classic gangster movies from the past in the vein of 1932’s Scarface. The film is contentiously the quintessential blend of the genre’s strongest elements, bringing Scorsese’s inimitable style of gangster direction into the 21st century, while paying loving homage to the iconic entries that preceded it.

3

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Directed By Francis Ford Coppola

Widely viewed as one of the greatest movie sequels of all time, it’s hard to adequately encapsulate The Godfather Part II’s impact on popular culture. Chronicling two separate narrative threads orienting around the Corleone family set at different times, Francis Ford Coppola’s outing initially didn’t receive the same level of glowing critical reception as its predecessor. However, subsequent reᴀssessment of the 1974 sequel has led to the movie being labeled as one of the greatest films ever made.

While follow-up movies aren’t exactly commonplace within the genre, The Godfather Part II showed that gangster sequels could enhance the quality of the original offering; an enviable state of affairs when the first film is contentiously cinema’s finest movie. Featuring unforgettable dialogue, first-rate performances, and rich characters who have gone on to inspire a cadre of imitators, The Godfather Part II remains an indispensable entry in a franchise that has done more to shape the genre than any other.

2

Goodfellas (1990)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

While a large swathe of movie fans refuse to even entertain the notion, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas is the rare example of a movie that can legitimately rival entries from The Godfather franchise for the illustrious тιтle of cinema’s finest and most influential gangster film. One of the greatest movies ever made, Scorsese’s sprawling epic sees the director at his inimitable best, chronicling Henry Hill’s rapid rise and fall from the dizzying heights of gangster royalty in endlessly rewatchable style.

Leveraging an array of stunning performances, Goodfellas’ wickedly talented ensemble cast provided the character molds for countless fictional gangsters that would follow. Rubber-stamping Scorsese’s best movie’s status as a number that defined the gangster genre, celebrated director David Chase has revealed that Goodfellas even inspired him to make the iconic crime drama, The Sopranos, a front-runner for the greatest television show of all time.

1

The Godfather (1972)

Directed By Francis Ford Coppola

Widely regarded as the greatest gangster picture ever made and viewed by many as a front-runner for the best film of all time, there isn’t a great deal to say about Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather in terms of effusive praise that hasn’t been said many times before. An unforgettable gangster masterpiece filled with some of the most immortal scenes and dialogue that cinema has to offer, Coppola’s magnum opus introducing the Corleone crime family is as close to a flawless movie as physically conceivable.

Deeply steeped in Italian immigrant culture, The Godfather has inspired films, television shows, and even video games, arguably providing a cinematic Big Bang moment for a burgeoning genre that had yet to take off in earnest at the time of its release. Leveraging the considerable might of one of the greatest screenplays ever written, it’s hard to overstate the social impact of this seminal movie, a timeless classic that defined the gangster crime genre and is almost universally revered to this day.