Scarface (1932)

Directors:

Howard Hawks
Richard Rosson (co-director)

Writers:

Armitage Trail (novel)
Ben Hecht (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 April 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Police | Gangster | Murder | Tear Gas | Death By Hanging

Awards:

1 win

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Paul Muni	...	Antonio 'Tony' Camonte
Ann Dvorak	...	Francesca 'Cesca' Camonte
Karen Morley	...	Poppy
Osgood Perkins	...	John 'Johnny' Lovo
C. Henry Gordon	...	Insp. Ben Guarino
George Raft	...	Guino Rinaldo
Vince Barnett	...	Angelo
Boris Karloff	...	Gaffney
Purnell Pratt	...	Mr. Garston, publisher
Tully Marshall	...	Managing editor
Inez Palange	...	Mrs. Camonte
Edwin Maxwell	...	Chief of detectives

Also Known As:

Scarface, the Shame of the Nation
The Shame of a Nation

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) | Finland:K-15 (2005) (DVD) | Netherlands:6 (DVD rating) | Brazil:14 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | West Germany:16 (f) | Norway:16 (1984) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG (re-release) | USA:Passed (original rating)

Company:

The Caddo Company

Trivia:

The film's release was delayed almost a year due to producer Howard Hughes' protracted battles with the Hays Office and regional censor boards.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

Quotes:

[Angelo is answering the phone for Tony]
Tony Camonte: Hey, hey. Get a name. Get a name.
Angelo: [speaking into telephone] What's your name? No, no, I no wanna know what's your brother's name, I wanna know what's your name.
[angrily]
Angelo: Oh, you do, huh? Listen, I come on over there, I smack you right in the teeth! I get you, you brother -
Tony Camonte: Hey! What's the matter? That's no way to talk. Talk nice. Tell him to state his business.
Angelo: Go state your business!
[hangs up phone]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: Proshai, Livushka (#3.2)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Some of These Days

The rise and fall of a power hungry mobster.

Howard Hawks directs this harsh and frank and sometimes humorous look at a small time gangster's(Paul Muni) taste of success before his mob world crumbles around him. This is one of the best gangster movies of the 1930's. Very well written and full of terrific characters. Fast paced and free flowing story line.

My favorite scene is when the Muni character first gets his hands on a machine gun. This arrogant, violence driven mobster becomes child like with a brand new toy. Others in this fine crime drama are Osgood Perkins, George Raft, Ann Dvorak, Boris Karloff and C. Henry Gordon. Also notable are Karen Morley and Edwin Maxwell as the Chief of Detectives.

Ambition, greed and pride come before a fall. The mob way or no way is a tough way to live. Excellent flick.