"Get outta my way, Johnny, I'm gonna spit!" "Scarface" is a film that moves like a hurricane: swift, merciless, and brutal. Driven by Paul Muni's maniacal performance and Howard Hawk's keen and concise direction, the film, while often preachy and melodramatic, still holds up today, offering quite a wallop.
The film is not subtle in its purpose: to expose gangsters for the dangerously immoral criminals they truly are. I can imagine audiences at the time racing home and locking their doors after having witnessed all the on screen chaos and violence the film unabashedly emphasizes.
Of course, the highlight of the film is Muni's madhouse portrayal of a man out of balance, chewing up the scenery and spitting it out. His wild eyes, slimy grin, and mocking one-liners make "Tony" one of the most repulsive, and yet somehow likable characters in film history - perhaps it is because while Tony may be vicious, it is only because he is not very clever, like two fists swinging in every direction. Nonetheless, it is an iconic performance.
Overall, while the film does have its flaws and some elements have aged better than others, it is still quite a rousing and jolting piece of old fashioned entertainment - one to please any fan of the shoot'em-up genre.
The film is not subtle in its purpose: to expose gangsters for the dangerously immoral criminals they truly are. I can imagine audiences at the time racing home and locking their doors after having witnessed all the on screen chaos and violence the film unabashedly emphasizes.
Of course, the highlight of the film is Muni's madhouse portrayal of a man out of balance, chewing up the scenery and spitting it out. His wild eyes, slimy grin, and mocking one-liners make "Tony" one of the most repulsive, and yet somehow likable characters in film history - perhaps it is because while Tony may be vicious, it is only because he is not very clever, like two fists swinging in every direction. Nonetheless, it is an iconic performance.
Overall, while the film does have its flaws and some elements have aged better than others, it is still quite a rousing and jolting piece of old fashioned entertainment - one to please any fan of the shoot'em-up genre.