Scarface (1932)

An ambitious and nearly insane violent gangster climbs the ladder of success in the mob, but his weaknesses prove to be his downfall.

Directors:

Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson (co-director)

Writers:

Armitage Trail (based on the novel by), Ben Hecht (screen story)

Stars:

Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Paul Muni	...	Tony Camonte
Ann Dvorak	...	Cesca Camonte
Karen Morley	...	Poppy
Osgood Perkins	...	Johnny Lovo
C. Henry Gordon	...	Police Inspector Guarino
George Raft	...	Guino Rinaldo
Vince Barnett	...	Angelo
Boris Karloff	...	Tom Gaffney
Purnell Pratt	...	Mr. Garston - Publisher
Tully Marshall	...	Managing Editor
Inez Palange	...	Tony's Mother
Edwin Maxwell	...	Detective Chief

Storyline

Johnny Lovo rises to the head of the bootlegging crime syndicate on the south side of Chicago following the murder of former head, Big Louis Costillo. Johnny contracted Big Louis' bodyguard, Tony Camonte, to make the hit on his boss. Tony becomes Johnny's second in command, and is not averse to killing anyone who gets in his and Johnny's way. As Tony is thinking bigger than Johnny and is not afraid of anyone or anything, Tony increasingly makes decisions on his own instead of following Johnny's orders, especially in not treading on the north side run by an Irish gang led by a man named O'Hara, of whom Johnny is afraid. Tony's murder spree increases, he taking out anyone who stands in his and Johnny's way of absolute control on the south side, and in Tony's view absolute control of the entire city. Tony's actions place an unspoken strain between Tony and Johnny to the point of the two knowing that they can't exist in their idealized world with the other. Tony's ultimate downfall may be...

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Plot Keywords:

mobster | prohibition | organized crime | street shootout | drive by shooting | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 April 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Scarface, the Shame of the Nation

Filming Locations:

Metropolitan Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Caddo Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Screenwriter Ben Hecht got producer Howard Hughes to green-light the film by telling him it would be a modern-dress version of the lives of the Borgias.

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Goofs

When the Northside guys throw a body out of the car, it lands face down, but when Tony and the others look at the body, it is face up.

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Quotes

Tony Camonte: There's only one thing that gets orders and gives orders.
[points to Tommy Gun]
Tony Camonte: And this is it. That's how I got the south side for you, and that's how I'm gonna get the north side for you. It's a typewriter. I'm gonna write my name all over this town with it, in big letters!
John 'Johnny' Lovo: Hey, stop him somebody!
Tony Camonte: Get out of my way Johnny, I'm gonna spit!
[starts firing]

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Crazy Credits

"This picture is an indictment of gang rule in America and of the callous indifference of the government to this constantly increasing menace to our safety and our liberty. Every incident in this picture is the reproduction of an actual occurence, and the purpose of this picture is to demand of the government: "What are you going to do about it?". The government is your government. What are YOU going to do about it?

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Connections

Referenced in Juan of the Dead (2011)

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Soundtracks

Sextet from 'Lucia di Lammermoor'
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
[Whistled by Paul Muni as Tony before he kills Costillo and Lovo]

User Reviews

Ahead Of Its Time, Action-Wise

Action-wise, this movie was 60 years ahead of its time, at least in terms of the amount of action in it. I think it's safe to say most classic films, including the crime movies, are much slower in pace than today's fare. Not this one.

Since they didn't show much blood in these old films, it isn't gory but it is action- packed with few lulls. Paul Muni, as "Tony Camonte," the head gangster, is compelling and fun to watch. He's tough-as-nails until the end. The women n here - Ann Dvoark and Karen Morely - are interesting, too, as is one of Muni's sidekicks, a big dumb guy who was funny. Don't be fooled by the billing of George Raft and Boris Karloff. They got it because they turned out to be big names later. In this film, they have very small roles.

This is Muni's show, though, all the way and few actors could ham it up in his day like him. It's a wild ride for the full 93 minutes.

p.s. To anyone misreading my opening remarks: more action doesn't always mean more interesting. Some times it does; some times it doesn't.