Mafia movies have a sense of dirty, thrilling fun when done right. These gangster photos have been a staple in all of Hollywood’s collection of movies, from the classic Little Caesar and The enemy of the state from the 1930s to more recent films such as american gangster. It’s hit and miss, and while movies like mafia group and live at night haven’t really done anything to benefit the genre, others like Goodfellas, the godfather, and The untouchables were essential for the average moviegoer.
Updated October 2022: To keep the article fresh and relevant by adding more articles, this article has been updated by Stephen Rosenberg.
The latest movies are known for being a joy to watch and have stood the test of time, with people cherishing them for decades. Despite popular belief, gangster movies aren’t just about gangs and rivals shooting and killing each other. They basically weave a history of what a particular part of American culture was about.
Here are some of the best mafia and gangster movies that have ever appeared on the silver screen.
10/10 The Departed (2006)
This Best Picture winner is without a doubt a great movie to sink your teeth into if you want a gritty thriller that follows in the footsteps of other gangster films. In the story, William Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) play as moles for opposing sides of the law. the deceased is a judgment of law and order, but flips the switch, with chaotic good and lawful evil, and uses its cast to its limits. The harrowing themes of good and evil are still powerful and strong years after its release. It remains a high point in Martin Scorsese’s career, earning him his first and only Academy Award for Best Director, which still seems well deserved in the director’s long tenure as a filmmaker.
9/10 The Irishman (2019)
Another one of the best Scorsese movies; one that turned out to be slightly too long and the most expensive film of his career. The film revolves around World War II veteran Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), who recalls becoming a mob hitman and eventually murdering union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). With a fiery sense of Scorsese tracing back his directorial roots and using his cinematic penchant to create a wonder of a film, it’s not hard to figure out why. the Irishman was so highly praised by critics. Its rawness and realistic charm combined with impressive aging is what made this epic mafia movie a winner.
8/10 black mass (2015)
After a string of less successful films, Johnny Depp’s career got going again with this stunner of a gangster film about the meteoric rise and fall of Whitey Bulger. black mass is something of a memoir of his character, an informant for FBI agent John Connelly (Joel Edgerton), as Bulger continues to murder and commit horrific deeds. Many critics consider Depp’s performance here to be one of his best in decades. This film added a sense of ‘Depp-th’ to the mafia pantheon that elevates itself to the perfect biographical portrait of Bulger that could never have happened without his involvement.
7/10 Public Enemies
Yet another Depp movie that made this list of gangster movies, and for good reason. Johnny Depp delivers another chilling performance as notorious mobster John Dillinger. Audiences get a chance to witness Dillinger’s betrayal and his ultimate demise as Robin Hood of the streets in Michael Mann’s slick movie Public Enemies. This epic neo-noir film has often been underrated by critics and audiences, but its realism and bold thematic elements bring this dark thriller to life as a unique gangster film.
6/10 Casino (1995)
In Martin Scorsese’s CasinoRobert De Niro plays Ace Rothstein, a Chicago mob operative who is sent to Vegas to run the Tangier Casino with enforcer Nicky Santoro. There, the two face various obstacles, including dealing with the FBI. Although not as well received as Goodfellas or the Irishman, Casino was an intense film with an all-star cast. Except DeNiro, Casino starring Joe Pesci, James Woods, Kevin Pollack and even received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for Sharon Stone.
5/10 Goodfellas (1990)
Goodfellas introduced the audience to Henry Hill, who has always been attracted to and attracted to the gangster lifestyle, a lifestyle that ends up ruining his life instead of maintaining the thrill he always craved. The film is largely regarded as the best film of the director’s career and has many loyal followers obsessed with its trivia. Its raunchy and gory vibrancy, as well as its ability to be funny and violent at the same time, makes it a one-in-a-million gangster movie for a generation.
4/10 White Heat (1949)
If there was one definitive James Cagney movie where the actor was a ruthless mobster in an equally ruthless movie, White heat it would be. Cagney plays Arthur “Cody” Jarrett, who proves he’s a huge mama’s boy. The character, though nefarious in nature, is still a mama’s boy and will do anything to please her. The movie was an epic cinematic achievement in the genre of crime thrillers and still stands as a harrowing film that has taken its rightful place at the top of the world.
3/10 The Untouchables (1987)
Gangsters, cops and killers are a mainstay in this beautifully detailed period gangster movie. The untouchables is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley. The story follows the 1930s Prohibition era, when Al Capone (Robert De Niro) reigns supreme as Chicago’s crime boss. Eliot Ness forms a group of highly trained, police-backed gunmen to take down Capone’s terror in the city. The film’s crime-infused art direction is what elevates this beauty of a gangster movie to more than just the sum of its parts. In addition, Sean Connery took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing Jim Malone, even though his accent was incredibly striking.
2/10 The Godfather Part II (1974)
The sequel to its supreme predecessor has been cited as one of the best Hollywood sequels ever made. Fans watch Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) take on the mantle of the Godfather, while the audience learns about his father Vito, who rose to power as the original Godfather who made his way through the streets of New York . The film was the winner of six Academy Awards and was a sight to behold, with some outlets praising it as superior to its predecessor. The Godfather: Part II proved to be a staple in mafia movies and was a thrilling sensation in the cinema.
1/10 The Godfather (1972)
Speaking of the godfather and Francis Ford Coppola, the original came first and remains the quintessential gangster film and a defining chapter of 1970s New Hollywood. It had heart, gory violence and a magical charm for gangster movies. The public was introduced to the Corleone family for the first time and The Godfather saga, where Michael is the unwilling member to join the crime-obsessed organization just coming back from the war.
the godfather is known not only as one of the best gangster movies ever made, but also as one of the best movies ever made. It has been in the top 10 of many movie polls and has had a long life even after fifty years of its release.