Tagarchief: Gangster Films

Black Caesar (1973)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

‘Hail Caesar, Godfather of Harlem…The Cat with the .45-Caliber Claws!’

Directed by:
Larry Cohen

Written by:
Larry Cohen

Cast:
Fred Williamson (Tommy Gibbs), Gloria Hendry (Helen), Art Lund (McKinney), D’Urville Martin (Rev. Rufus), Julius W. Harris (Mr. Gibbs), Minnie Gentry (Momma Gibbs), Philip Roye (Joe Washington), William Wellman Jr. (Alfred Coleman), James Dixon (‘Irish’ Bryant), Val Avery (Cardoza)

The James Brown–scored gangster film Black Caesar opens with Brown’s soulful ‘Down and Out in New York City’ playing over a gritty scene where a young Black boy helps carry out an underworld killing. That boy, Tommy Gibbs, grows up to become a fearless gangster who initially works for the Italian mafia before turning the tables and taking control of Harlem’s criminal rackets himself.

Throughout his ruthless rise to power, Tommy is driven by a deep desire for revenge against the racist cop who abused him as a child. Black Caesar follows the familiar gangster rise-and-fall trajectory, but with a crucial difference: its antihero is a Black man from the ghetto, a product of systemic oppression and limited opportunity. Used to enduring insults and abuse, Tommy learns to turn his rage into ambition—and his rivals fatally underestimate him. Once he reaches the top, his sociopathic streak surfaces, and he exacts brutal retribution on his enemies. The Italians begin dropping like flies across the city.

While the film clearly bears the hallmarks of a low-budget exploitation picture, it’s impressively crafted. Fred Williamson is outstanding as the fierce, charismatic lead, giving Tommy Gibbs both menace and magnetism. The gritty atmosphere, authentic New York settings, and James Brown’s powerful soundtrack combine to create a vivid, memorable experience. A standout sequence is a tense, extended chase through the streets of Harlem, with a wounded Tommy pursued by two gunmen—a masterfully shot moment of raw energy and desperation.

Black Caesar was followed later the same year by the sequel Hell Up in Harlem, also directed by Larry Cohen and starring Fred Williamson as Tommy Gibbs, continuing the saga of one of blaxploitation’s most iconic antiheroes.

Rating:

Quote:
TOMMY GIBBS: “Sauce looked like it needed a little more meat.” (after dropping an ear in a plate of spaghetti).

Trivia:
While filming in Harlem, Larry Cohen was accosted by local gangsters who threatened to disrupt the shoot unless they were paid off. Instead, Cohen offered them small roles in the film. They helped so enthusiastically that they attended the premiere to sign autographs.

Little Caesar (1931)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘Big boss of racketeerdom. Master of men until he defied a girl in love!’

Directed by:
Mervyn LeRoy

Written by:
W.R. Burnett (novel)
Francis Edward Faragoh (screenplay)
Robert N. Lee (screenplay)

Cast:
Edward G. Robinson (Caesar Enrico ‘Rico’ Bandello), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (Joe Massara), Glenda Farrell (Olga Stassoff), William Collier Jr. (Tony Passa), Sidney Blackmer (Big Boy), Ralph Ince (Pete Montana), Thomas E. Jackson (Sgt. Flaherty), Stanley Fields (Sam Vettori), Maurice Black (Little Arnie Lorch), George E. Stone (Otero)

Two friends, Joe Massera and Caesar Enrico ‘Rico’ Bandello, head East to work for a gang. Joe’s true dream is to be a dancer, but Rico is driven by ambition. He envies the powerful gangsters they encounter and craves the lifestyle—the women, the clothes, the respect.

During a New Year’s Eve nightclub heist, Rico impulsively shoots and kills the head of the newly formed crime commission. His boss is furious, but Rico quickly convinces the crew that he should take charge. As their leader, however, he brings the full weight of the police down on them.

Meanwhile, Joe falls in love with fellow dancer Olga and longs to leave the gang behind. Rico refuses to let him go. Though Rico proves himself a sharper and bolder leader than his predecessor, his recklessness and raw emotion expose the kind of flaws that would define countless cinematic mobsters to come.

Released just a year after The Doorway to Hell with James Cagney – a film that introduced many of the tropes later cemented in gangster cinema – Little Caesar is often considered the first fully realized entry in the genre. Edward G. Robinson, in his breakout role, is terrific as the hotheaded gangster desperate to show he fears no one.

The film’s ending – Rico’s death behind the billboard that advertises a dance performance by Joe and Olga – is extremely memorable (“Is this the end of Rico?). It has a great final shot, another hallmark of the genre. In those moments, and through Robinson’s commanding performance, Little Caesar reveals why it stands as such a landmark in gangster film history.

Rating:

Quote:
RICO BANDELLO: “I could do all the things that fella does, and more, only I never got my chance. Why, what’s there to be afraid of? And when I get in a tight spot, I shoot my way out of it. Why sure. Shoot first and argue afterwards. You know, this game ain’t for guys that’s soft!”

Trivia:
Speculation has it that a federal anti-organized crime law – The Racketeering Influence Corrupt Organization Act, or RICO – got its acronym from Edward G. Robinson’s character.

Witness to the Mob (1998)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Directed by:
Thaddeus O’Sullivan

Written by:
Stanley Weiser

Cast:
Nicholas Turturro (Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano), Tom Sizemore (John Gotti), Debi Mazar (Deborah Gravano), Michael Imperioli (Louie Milito), Abe Vigoda (Paul Castellano), Frankie Valli (Frank LoCascio), Katherine Narducci (Linda Milito), Arthur J. Nascarella (Bruce Mouw), Frank Vincent (Frankie DeCicco), Vincent Pastore (Mikey De Bat)

Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano is remembered as one of the most notorious informants in mob history. He betrayed the Dapper Don, John Gotti – whom he believed had first betrayed him. Before making that fateful decision, the story flashes back nineteen years to his childhood in Brooklyn. There, he and his best pal Louie (Michael Imperioli) begin their careers in organized crime as part of the powerful Gambino family.

Gravano rises quickly through the ranks. His willingness to follow orders to the letter – and to kill without hesitation – earns him the respect of higher-ups. Before long, he’s made an official member by boss Paul Castellano himself.

Around the same time, John Gotti (Tom Sizemore) is on the rise as well. When Castellano begins to break the mob’s code of honor, Gravano and Gotti conspire to take him out and seize control. Gotti becomes boss, while Gravano becomes his second-in-command. But Gotti’s flashy lifestyle draws unwanted attention from the press, the public, and the FBI – setting the stage for a conflict that will bring everything crashing down.

This made-for-TV film was released just two years after HBO’s Gotti. Both screenplays are based on the real Gravano–Gotti saga, and the similarities are striking – not only in story but also in style. Several familiar faces from The Sopranos and Goodfellas (Tony Sirico, Frank Vincent, Vincent Pastore) appear in both films. The key difference is perspective: Witness to the Mob is told through Gravano’s eyes, while Gotti presents Gotti’s side of the story.

Still, there’s something about Witness to the Mob that doesn’t quite ring true. Despite the strong ensemble, the interactions don’t always feel believable. Nicholas Turturro (brother of John) lacks the presence and charisma needed to carry Gravano’s role, and most of the actors have delivered stronger mob performances elsewhere. That said, fans of mob movie clichés – the talk, the mannerisms, the hits – may still enjoy Witness to the Mob. It has plenty of all that, even if it never quite rises above the familiar.

Rating:

Quote:
JOHN GOTTI: “So the boss of bosses is dead?”
SAMMY GRAVANO: “He lived a long life. His maid is gonna miss him.”
JOHN GOTTI: “His wife won’t.”

Trivia:
Arthur J. Nascarella plays FBI special agent Bruce Mouw, who is in charge of breaking up the Gambino family. In The Sopranos, his character Carlo Gervasi eventually betrays mob boss Tony Soprano.

Gotti (1996)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

Directed by:
Robert Harmon

Written by:
Jerry Capeci (book ‘The Last Gangster: Winning the War Against John Gotti and the Mob’)
Gene Mustain (book ‘The Last Gangster: Winning the War Against John Gotti and the Mob’)
Steve Shagan (teleplay)

Cast:
Armand Assante (John Gotti), William Forsythe (Sammy Gravano), Richard C. Sarafian (Paul Castellano), Frank Vincent (Robert DiBernardo), Anthony Quinn (Neil Dellacrose), Dominic Chianese (Joe Armone), Robert Miranda (Frank DeCicco), Scott Cohen (Gene Gotti), Vincent Pastore (Angelo Ruggiero), Tony Sirico (Joe Dimiglia)

John Gotti seemed destined for the Mafia. He was smart, tough, loyal to the code of omertà, never skimmed from the top, and respected the boss’s policy on narcotics. These qualities helped him rise to become boss of the infamous Gambino family in the 1980s. But Gotti also had his flaws: he craved media attention and was too careless about discussing sensitive business in unsecured settings.

Gotti is the biography of one of history’s best-known mobsters. The story begins in 1973, when Gotti first comes to the attention of his crime family, the Gambinos – then the most powerful of New York’s Five Families. Boss of bosses Carlo Gambino asks Gotti for a personal favor, which nearly goes wrong due to the interference from underboss Paul Castellano. The conflict almost dooms Gotti, but his mentor, second underboss Neil Dellacroce (Anthony Quinn), steps in to resolve it.

In the years that follow, Gotti steadily rises through the ranks alongside his close associate and fellow captain Sammy Gravano. When Gambino dies of old age in 1976, he names Castellano as his successor, to the disapproval of Gotti and other top figures. While Gotti was seen as a true man of Cosa Nostra, Castellano was regarded more as a businessman. Tensions eventually culminate in one of the most infamous gangland hits in history: the 1985 assassination of Castellano and his partner outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan.

Now John Gotti is the boss. But, as noted earlier, his weaknesses ensured that his reign would be relatively short-lived (until 1992 to be precise). As a biographical made-for-tv HBO production, Gotti stands out for offering a complete look at the life and times of a legendary mobster. Armand Assante is memorable in the lead. The supporting cast – featuring many future Sopranos actors – is also strong, with Anthony Quinn and William Forsythe delivering standout performances. If you watch only one television production about the mob, make it Gotti .

Rating:

Quote:
JOHN GOTTI: “A Mexican, a Puerto-Rican and a black guy are sitting in a car. Who’s driving? The police.”

Trivia:
According to IMDb, this film was the highest rated original telefilm in HBO history at that time. The success of the film convinced HBO to cast film co-stars, Dominic Chianese, Vincent Pastore and Tony Sirico in a series in development at the time called The Sopranos (1999).