Favorite Mobster Movies of Black and White Movies
Now we call them "crime dramas," but once they were just known as good old mobster movies. Sometimes you're in the mood for a good old-fashioned shoot-em-up mobster movie. The truth is, these types of movies are simply not coming out of Hollywood anymore. The stars of these black and white mobster movie classics—actors such as James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson—are now legends. Here are ten classic mobster movies filmed in glorious black and white. Even if you don't consider yourself to be the type of person who would enjoy a good gangster flick, give them a try. Even the most romantic filmgoer can appreciate the drama and suspense of this classic Hollywood genre.
White Heat. White Heat marked the return of James Cagney to the mobster/gangster genre. He was tired of being pigeonholed in the same types of roles, but acquiesced from studio pressure. He ended up giving one of his most memorable performances of his career. He plays Cody Jarrett, a jailbird with a mother complex. He is ruthless, obsessed with his mother, and once he's out of prison, he's ready for the next big job. The final scene is now a part of movie history. Watch this movie once, and you will not soon forget it.
Scarface. This classic mobster movie was the inspiration for the Brian De Palma directed version starring Al Pacino. The original 1932 version is still startling today. Paul Muni plays the deranged gangster Tony Camonte. Tony is suspected of murdering his boss Big Louis Costillo, but when the body doesn't turn up, the police are forced to release him. Tony seeks to take control of all the rackets in town, consolidating his power through thuggish violence and over the top antics. Tony's sister, meanwhile, is making her own grab at adulthood and independence. Tony's violent ambitions eventually come to a head when he must confront his enemies, friends, family, the police, and his violent nature.
This original version of Scarface was directed by Hollywood legend Howard Hawks. Due to its graphic nature and intensity, Scarface was censured for many years. Howard Hughes produced it independently, thus the filmmakers were allowed a good measure of independence and creative control. If you're looking for a movie that is startling and intense, it's hard to beat Scarface.
The Public Enemy. An early gangster film released by Warner Bros., The Public Enemy came out in 1931. Like Scarface, The Public Enemy is gritty and intense. James Cagney's gangster character was based on a real-life Chicago mobster, Earl "Hymie" Weiss. The Public Enemy marks James Cagney's fifth screen appearance. Despite his relative lack of experience, Cagney's performance is unforgettable. The Public Enemy stands out from other classic mobster movies for its social overtones. Unlike other mobster movies, The Public Enemy seeks to find some kind of explanation for why the Cagney character is awash in a world of crime and avarice.
The Killlers. Based on an Ernest Hemingway short story, The Killlers is a classic mobster movie that was released in 1946 and has aged remarkably well. The film stars Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, and Edmond O'Brien, with the two men playing hired killers who arrive in a small town and murder a gas station attendant. An enterprising insurance investigator decides to pursue the case, even against the will of his boss who considers the case trivial. The investigator discovers a common thread: all the men can be traced to the beautiful and mysterious Kitty Collins.
Angels With Dirty Faces. Another James Cagney classic, this film stands out from other classic mobster movies for its genuine warmth. The cast is made up of mostly children (the popular Dead End Gang), and rounded out by Pat O'Brien and James Cagney as childhood best friends whose lives took drastically different paths. O'Brien plays a priest who watches over the children, and Cagney a gangster and career criminal. The James Cagney character impresses the children. This worries the priest, who frets that his old best friend is having a bad influence on the children. The film raises social questions and projects a sense of warmth and morality that is rare in most classic shoot-em-up mobster movies.
