SCARFACE

"Say hello to my little friend"

1980 Miami, Tony Montana (Pacino) arrived from Cuba to start a new life. Where his ambition had been restrained by the communist regime, he was now free to live the American dream. Taking his friend Manny (Bauer) along for the ride, Tony got involved with local crime boss Frank Lopez (Loggia) and quickly made his way up the ranks. He soon became a major player in the American cocaine market but was this new found power starting to go to his head?

Hailed as one of the best gangster movies ever made, Scarface is the definition of a generational classic.

Based loosely on a 1932 movie of the same name by Howard Hawks, which dealt with the Italian mob, this is a graphic and gritty look into the world of drug smuggling in Florida in 1980s. Screenwriter Oliver Stone (yes THE Oliver Stone) plays on the original premise of pursuing the American dream of rags to riches but then highlighting the perils that can come with success. We follow Tony's rise from lowly Cuban immigrant to the most powerful drug dealer in America and we witness the power and splendour that accompany it. We also see how the excesses of money and power can corrupt, leading to an inevitable deadly downfall.

As well as a gripping storyline, it is the performances that live in the memory more than anything and no one typifies this more than Al Pacino as Tony Montana. We all know that Pacino is a great actor but this role only emphasises his supreme talents. With instantly quotable lines and a performance that most actors can only dream of emulating, Tony Montana is a cinematic icon that highlights the rights and wrongs of the American dream. Pacino's performance makes you care for a thoroughly despicable human being when you should be applauding his downfall. This testament to his talent as there are very few actors that can make you be concerned for a drug-dealing murderer.

Along with Pacino, the movie also has first-rate performances from the supporting cast. Michelle Pfeiffer's first real dramatic role showcases the talent that we would see later in her career. As Elvira, Tony's object of lust and later drug addicted wife, Pfeiffer excels capturing your attention not just with her beauty but also with her strong will. Steven Bauer role as Tony's best friend Manny is the best of his career as he acts as the voice of reason to a man that never adheres to the rules. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is also good as Tony's rebellious sister Gina who he needs to have total control over. There is also great support from F. Murray Abraham and Robert Loggia as Tony's employers then obstacles in his way to glory and power.

Brian De Palma's direction is first rate and this is probably his best film in a distinguished career. He captures the look superbly, showcasing the excesses of wealth brilliantly and the violence that preceded it gruesomely. This is a violent movie but it is realistic and never glorified. It is used to display the world that Tony inhabits and the dangers that are associated with the business he works in.

Scarface is a classic amongst gangster movies with outstanding performances and a script that provides some of the most quotable lines ever put to film. It highlights the relentless pursuit of the American dream of money and power but it also shows the pitfalls that can accompany it. It might be slightly overlong and you would have liked to have known more about Tony in Cuba but this is a cinematic great that will be treasured for generations to come.

Now say hello to my little friend.