Top 10 Mob Movies of All Time
September 19th, 2006 by Glen Howie

Where would we be without Mob Movies?  There’d be no “sleeping with the fishes” references.  No “I made him an offer he can’t refuse” references.  No ‘Sopranos’.  No ‘Growing Up Gotti’.  No work for Joe Pesci.  Al Pacino would still be an unknown.  Hell, even Marlon Brando wouldn’t be quite the larger-than-life figure he is.  The Mob Movie has helped turn actors into icons, and has cell-ebrated the American Dream - even if it is violent, selfish and distasteful at times.  After all, what’s more American than The Mob?

Even American cinema itself owes a big debt to gangsters.  Organized crime and The Mafia have always been so alluring, that early American cinema had produced a number of great gangster films in the first half of the 20th century.  These early mob movies helped pull audiences into theatres, even during economically tough times such as the 1930’s, and some of those early gangster movies are still classics today.  Since the 1950’s, a ton of kick-ass Mafia Movies have been released in theatres.  Here are Bacon’s selections of the best of them.  The Top Ten Mob Movies.

The Godfather, Part III10. Godfather: Part III, The (1990)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by Mario Puzo
Starring Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, George Hamilton, Bridget Fonda, Sofia Coppola

The final instalment of the Godfather Trilogy, sees an aging Don Corleone seeking to legitimize his crime family’s interests. Corleone is looking to retire from the violent underworld, but can not escape the ambitions of the younger gangsters. While he tries to link the Corleone’s finances with the Vatican, Corleone must also deal with the sinister machinations of a younger, hungrier gangster. Also, a young protege seeks to win the hand of his daughter. The third installment of The Godfather trilogy stands on its own as a very good movie. Pacino is masterful once again as an older wiser Don Corleone. Andy Garcia is also excellent as the cocky Vincent. A good film and a great conclusion to a fantastic film trilogy.

A Bronx Tale9. Bronx Tale, A (1993)
Directed by Robert De Niro
Written by Chazz Palminteri
Starring Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, Joe Pesci

This mob movie / coming-of-age story is about a young Italian-American boy (Calogero) growing up in the Bronx in the 60’s. Sonny is the mob boss in the Bronx neighborhood. A shooting witnessed by Calogero is the start of a lasting fascination between Sonny and the boy. His father is a working class man and disapproves of Sonny, and of his involvement with Calogero. Calogero grows up under the wings of both men, torn between his honesty and his curiosity about Sonny. Finally Calogero meets a girl, and gets involved in petty crime. It all comes to a boil when a tragedy befalls the young man. An intricate and carefully plotted film. Wonderfully acted by both the veterans (De Niro, Palminteri) and by the young man (Lillo Brancato). Strong direction by De Niro including terrific narration and great music. A very good film.

Once Upon a Time in America8. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Directed by Sergio Leone
Written by Harry Grey
Starring Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams, Tuesday Weld, Joe Pesci, Danny Aiello

This tale about the lives of New York gangsters from the early 1900’s through to the 60’s, is a moving story of friendship, loyalty and betrayal. Robert De Niro and James Woods play the lead roles of two childhood friends who enter a life of crime together. The film is a patchwork, moving back and forth from different periods in the boys lives and is not told in chronological order. It is a slow moving film, with a steady careful pace. Beatiful direction by Leone and a haunting score by Ennio Morricone. Make sure you see the full length version, at 4 hours it’s long, but well worth it.

The Untouchables7. Untouchables, The (1987)
Directed by Brian De Palma
Written by Eliot Ness
Starring Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro

Set during the 1920’s prohibition. Chicago is corrupt from the judges downward. Treasury agent Eliot Ness picks two cops to help him and his colleague bring Al Capone to justice. One is an Italian sharp-shooter rookie, the other an Irish beat cop. The 4 men use unconventional means to bring Capone down. Although it isn’t historically accurate, The Untouchables is a very entertaining film. A great score by Ennio Morricone. Brian De Palma’s direction is superbly stylish. The film is full of great action scenes, including an ambush at the Canadian border, a rooftop chase and the famous shoot-out in a train station (a nod to Eisenstein’s ‘Battleship Potemkin’). Great performances by all the key actors. Terrific dialogue. A well crafted film.

Scarface6. Scarface (1983)
Directed by Brian De Palma
Written by Oliver Stone
Starring Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, F. Murray Abraham

In this ‘remake’ of the 1932 film, Brian De Palma follows the rise of Tony Montana (Pacino), a Cuban emigre who builds a criminal empire in 1980’s Miami. Pacino does a terrific job as the ruthless, animalistic Montana. A man controlled more by his impulses than anything. Montana is a rabid dog, but also a cunning and astute businessman. Director Brian DePalma does a great job portraying the rags to riches story of drugs and crime in Miami. Montana is portrayed as an icon of unrelenting resolve. Which just makes the character much more beleivable. Great performances, gratuitous violence and outstanding cinematography stand out in this unforgettable movie.

Donnie Brasco5. Donnie Brasco (1997)
Directed by Mike Newell
Written by Joseph D. Pistone
Starring Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, Anne Heche

This is the true story of the life of FBI agent Joseph Pistone. Pistone infiltrated the New York mob in the 70’s and befreinded gangster Lefty Ruggiero. Pistone (who is known to the mobsters as Donnie Brasco) joins a crew led by Sonny Black, who is eventually made a ‘boss’. Things go badly for Pistone as his marriage falls apart and the heat truns up as the mafia suspects there is a mole. The real dilemna for Pistone is leaving the mob, as he knows his freind Lefty will be punished. Pacino and Depp both give terrific performances. The dialogue and art direction are outstanding, perfectly capsulizing New York mobsters in the 70’s. It’s an exciting, stylish film with a very down-beat undercurrent. Well worth watching.

The Godfather, Part II4. Godfather: Part II, The (1974)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by Mario Puzo
Starring Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro

Really more of a companion piece than a sequel. The second film in The Godfather series is perhaps the best follow-up film of all time. A beautiful movie, and as powerful as the first, with all the winning elements of the first. Top notch direction, acting and score. The tale of the Corleone crime family continues in this film which is both prequel and sequel to the events in The Godfather. It tells the story of Michael Corleone in the 50’s as he continues to run the family and attempts to branch out into Cuba, Hollywood, and Vegas; and also follows the young Vito Corleone from Sicily to New York in the early 1900’s. Great performances by both Pacino and De Niro. Pacino in particular is amazing, having moved from the innocent Michael of the first film to the ruthless and unemotional Godfather of Part II - a symbol of the price the young man has paid. Not to be missed.

Casino3. Casino (1995)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by Nicholas Pileggi
Starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods, Don Rickles

Scorsese returns with an ambitous film about Las Vegas mobsters in the 70’s and 80’s. The art direction is superb, the best of any film Scorsese has done. The acting is top notch. Pesci, Stone, De Niro all give great performances. Every time I see this film, I’m reminded of how great it is. It’s a true gem. The film is about Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, two mobsters who move to Las Vegas to work. The uncredited character in this film is Vegas itself, at times both a glittering wonderland, and a brutal wasteland. Ace is a smooth operator and boss of the Tangiers casino, while Nicky is his longtime friend and strongman. Each of the two have tragic flaws, that result in their downfall. Ace falls for a no-good hustler, and Nicky falls into a deadly spiral of violence and drugs. Casino is a great film, and a testament to the vision of Martin Scorsese.

The Godfather2. Godfather, The (1972)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Written by Mario Puzo
Starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, James Caan

From the direction, to acting, writing, to the score, The Godfather has ‘classic’ written all over it. It is considered by many to be one of the greatest films of all time. The Godfather defined the genre more than almost any film ever made. Brando in top form. Don Vito Corleone is the head of the New York Mafia. The story begins when a gangster supported by another Mafia family, announces his plan to sell drugs across New York. Don Vito despises drugs, and is happy with the gambling, protection and established rackets, and so an attempt is made on Don Corleone’s life. Things go badly when Don Corleone survives the attempt… The Godfather is simply stellar. A moody, masterful film.

GoodFellas1. Goodfellas (1990)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by Nicholas Pileggi
Starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino

The best Gangster movie of all time. A masterpiece in every way. Scorsese, De Niro, Pesci all in top form. Ray Liotta gives the best performance of his career. This film is everything you could want in a gangster movie; violent, profane, fast paced, stylish - full of both mesmerizing and miserable moments. The film focuses on the lives of three pivotal figures in the 60’s and 70’s New York mob. Liotta plays Henry Hill, an American-Italian gangster. The story begins with his childhood in the toughest neighbourhoods in New York, and progresses as he moves his way up through the organization. Pesci plays Tommy Devito, a true Italian gangster, and Henry’s best friend. De Niro plays Jimmy Conway, the man who puts the two of them together, an old-time gangster. The three run some of the biggest hijacks and burglaries New York has ever seen. Every character in this film is entirely beleivable, with strong performances across the board. This is cinema at it’s finest. It sucks you in, and won’t let go until the last frame.

Tags: Top 10 | Reviews | Movies

45 Responses to “Top 10 Mob Movies of All Time”

  1. mr skin Says (October 24th, 2006 at 11:54 pm ):

    Remember Bacon in Footloose and Quicksilver? Now those were some classics.

  2. Kenyana Says (October 25th, 2006 at 8:10 pm ):

    I agree on this top 10 greatest mob movies of all time. I haven’t seen “This Thing of Ours” or “The Departed” so are they pretty good? I’ve found more stories online about the five New York families and lots of other mob stories that could be brought to the big screen. So do you think someone will produce some more great movies with the screenplay style of “Godfather, Goodfellas and Casino”? with actors like Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino?

  3. joe pesci Says (October 29th, 2006 at 8:38 am ):

    ^^^ i agree why dont they produce more mob movies there is so many talented actors and i hope we see more before some of the great actors die ..

  4. Quentin Hill Says (November 6th, 2006 at 8:26 pm ):

    Scarface is not a mafia member or gang leader he is just a wanna be Cuban. It should not be considered a mafia film. Cuban drug kingpins and high loyal crime bosses are completely different should should replace Scarface with The Sopranoes or something!

  5. Izzy Pop Says (November 13th, 2006 at 1:44 am ):

    Very good list. Kudos for ‘Donnie Brasco’…a very good movie that often gets overlooked.
    ‘Goodfellas’ is the Best Movie Ever!

  6. J.D. Stanley Says (December 1st, 2006 at 1:40 pm ):

    Yup “Goodfellas” is the all time, hands down, number one, never to be duplicated best mob film EVER. Slick, violent, buckets of blood, dark humour… There is no “seen it too many times”.

    And yeah, good call with “Donnie Brasco”. Not everybody knows that one.

    Someone, somewhere needs to write one more, kick-ass, down-and-dirty, quality-kills-per-minute, mind-blower of a mob film before Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino, Ray Liotta, James Caan, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and all the other great mob type-cast guys are gone forever.

  7. Doors Says (December 13th, 2006 at 3:35 pm ):

    Well if you included Scarface, you should have not forgotten Carlito’s Way, it was a great movie though it was not exactly an American Mob based movie, But you should consider it like the Scarface.

  8. Joey Says (January 7th, 2007 at 3:14 pm ):

    There’s a stronger reason to show the first Godfather as the mother of all “mafia” movies. The original 5 familes were well depicted, and were responsible for shaping this country. Maybe someone should write a script and screenplay on that concept. What those familes did, and what they have evolved into.

  9. Brian Says (January 14th, 2007 at 9:39 pm ):

    i like the list and thought it was pretty fair. I would probably get Carlito’s way in their somewhere cause that movie was awesome!

  10. Jojo Says (January 30th, 2007 at 3:10 pm ):

    Scarface is one of the best movies of all time and the only reason it is considered a mafia movie because tony montana and al capone were so much alike in the ways they did things

  11. John Redmond Says (January 31st, 2007 at 12:12 am ):

    Scarface is not a mob movie. It’s a cuban man coming to america and being a drug lord. Scarface is one of the best movies of all time yes but it is not a mob movie, Gotti, God Father I, II, III, Goodfellas, and even the new movie The Departed, but not Scarface!

  12. Rick Says (February 2nd, 2007 at 10:26 pm ):

    I am looking for a gangster movie, I thought the name of it was “Gangster Wars”, apparently that is not the name of it, and nobody seems to have heard of it. I dont know the name of the actors, but it has to do with 3 friends growing up together, Bugsy Seagal, Myer Lasky, and Lucky Lucciano. Lucky gets beat up, by “Joe the Boss”, and tries to make it look like another gangster named Marisano did it.
    Lucky kills Joe the boss in a restaurant, and Marisano is killed by gangsters posing as “IRS” agents there to check his books. Marisano is always talking about Julius Ceaser…….. Thats all I remember.

    Can you get me the name of this movie? Thank You

    R.A. Super
    rasuper@msn.com

  13. chris Says (February 18th, 2007 at 8:11 pm ):

    The movie is called Mobster’s, Christian Slater plays Lucky Lucciano and Patrick Dempsey plays Myer Lasky.

  14. rachell Says (March 2nd, 2007 at 11:42 am ):

    Not only is goodfellas the best mob movie ever , it is THE best movie ever made. End of story

  15. jilly Says (March 4th, 2007 at 1:31 am ):

    I’m happy to see bronx tale on here, so many people have not seen it though.

  16. corey Says (March 5th, 2007 at 12:24 am ):

    All these movies are awsome. But Scarface is a good movie but its really not a mob movie. That should be replaced by Gotti. Which was an awsome mob movie.

  17. clare Says (March 18th, 2007 at 7:12 pm ):

    i absolutely agree with the number one choice. best italian mob movie ever. the rest are pretty good. but number one is number one. goddfellas. best ever.

  18. Blueboy Says (March 25th, 2007 at 4:58 am ):

    The Godfather I&II depicted the true essence of the original ‘five families’ of the New York syndicate. the essence of their survival, and the realization of their move from illegitimate racketeering into the mainstream of legitimate bussiness. Do not forget the movie “On the Waterfront” with marlon Brando whihc depicted Mob Corruption in the Longshore Industry that was controlled by Luck Luciano.

  19. Cosa Nostra Says (May 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 pm ):

    Theres NO excuse for Godfather Part I not being in first. This was the best mafia movie of all time, and it set the bar for all the others. Goodfellas is a great movie also, but it takes a backseat to Part I. Marlon Brando and Al Pacino did an excellent job and this movie perfectly depicts an Italian organized crime family.

  20. Joe Massino Says (June 7th, 2007 at 2:38 am ):

    I agree with Cosa Nostra- theres no excuse for godfather I to be anything less then number 1. It depicts a strong relationship that is illustrated within the mob family while also, in a manner of speaking, humanizes the mob lifestyle.

  21. bo Says (October 3rd, 2007 at 4:53 am ):

    i agree with the ranking but i think donnie brasco and godfather part 2 should be ahead of casino.

    oh and did you guys know that Al Pacino turned down the role of Robert De Niro’s character in Goodfellas??

  22. Steve Says (October 4th, 2007 at 2:40 pm ):

    i agree with most of the selections on the top ten. but i think another movie that most people dont know about is THE BOSS OF BOSSES. Which portrays the Gambino family and espiecially paul castellano. The movie shows Castellano’s rise to fame from 1976 to 1985 after the death of Don Carlo Gambino. This being before and until Castellanos murder by John Gotti.

  23. fahmifir Says (October 16th, 2007 at 4:16 am ):

    goodfellas is the best mob movie ever. i love the way scorcese tells the story. Awesome!!!

  24. abe Says (October 17th, 2007 at 12:25 am ):

    One was left out and cannot be forgotten was the Valachi Papers

  25. abe Says (October 17th, 2007 at 12:27 am ):

    it was called mobsters

  26. Rob Says (November 7th, 2007 at 1:47 am ):

    What about “King of New York” with Christopher Walken and Larry Fishburn, “Mean Streets” is a good one too.

  27. JOhn Says (December 2nd, 2007 at 12:20 pm ):

    This list sucks….NO way is Godfather not the number 1 movie…it had the best actors, the best acting and all the other movies tried immitate it…there not a lot of movies on list…

  28. Lloyd Says (January 18th, 2008 at 2:07 pm ):

    J0hn you’re a d1ckhead.

  29. Jenny Says (January 23rd, 2008 at 3:04 pm ):

    I love the movie good fellas it is the best movie ever made.

  30. Clea Says (January 31st, 2008 at 12:24 pm ):

    Gotti is one of the best movies of all time!

  31. Dario Says (February 21st, 2008 at 5:40 am ):

    Scarface is the best most violent ganster movie, it might not have to do with the italian mob, but is a more futuristic/realistic approach. The kingpins live in south america that is where most of the drug trafficking comes from. As to Goodfellas, yes it is the best Mobster movie, an excellent casting, killer soundtrack and great story telling, thank you Mr. Scorsese.

  32. jason papa Says (February 28th, 2008 at 12:27 am ):

    more movies for Sir Robert De NIro..Al Pacino…and the other MOb stars!yeah it rocks!bang..bang…………

  33. Andrew Says (March 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 am ):

    I think that The Departed should be on this list. It had a great story line and you couldn’t ask for better actors.

  34. Dustin Estill Says (March 12th, 2008 at 12:02 am ):

    I don’t fully agree with this list,”king of new york” isn’t on it. I know it’s not about the traditional Italian mob, but in my opinion frank white is one of the greatest gangsters of all time.

  35. ANDREW Says (March 18th, 2008 at 2:31 pm ):

    I LOVE ALL THE ITALIAN MOB MOVIE’S

  36. ANDREW Says (March 18th, 2008 at 2:33 pm ):

    I LIKE ALL THEM

  37. JoJO Says (March 19th, 2008 at 10:27 pm ):

    AMERICA NEEDS MORE MOB MOVIES PERIOD.

  38. JoJO Says (March 19th, 2008 at 10:28 pm ):

    GOTTI NEEDS TO BE UP THERE AS WELL CHECK IT OUT!! FUGGEDABOUTTTIT

  39. KING8088 Says (April 13th, 2008 at 7:09 pm ):

    ROBERT MONEY IS THE GREATEST HES IN JUST ABOUT ALL THOSE MOVIES

  40. DutchS Says (June 16th, 2008 at 10:50 pm ):

    What about Hoodlum, very slept on movie for gangsters. Carlito’s Way and Mobsters as well. And as mentioned the first Godfather…

  41. Dino Says (July 10th, 2008 at 11:57 pm ):

    2009 - The Winter of Frankie Machine

    Robert DeNiro is directing it (and probably acting too). It is based on the book of the same name by Don Winslow. I just read it and it is awesome. Should be a classic:

    Former hitman Frankie Machianno runs a bait shop along with two or three other legit jobs. He has gone clean and has been for years. One day he finds himself helping out the son of a boss, come to find out he is being set up to be murdered. After all of those years in hiding, the “Machine” finally resurfaces. The story unfolds as he tries to figure out who is trying to kill him and why. The book is full of other stories of past encounters narrated by Frankie that all add up to make a great story.

    I would read this book if I were you, and if not, well…I am gonna have to make you an offer you can’t refuse. Or else, there are plenty of holes in the desert / or else, you can sleep with the fishes / or else, (this is the Joe Pesci way to do it) You madda fucka you, I will fuckin’ beat ya fuckin head in ya madda fuckin’, shit-eatin’, two-timin’, disrespectful prick fuck.

  42. Kenny Says (July 19th, 2008 at 11:36 am ):

    First off I agree that Godfather should be #1 although Good Fellas is a close 2nd. I also agree that Scarface is about a cuban, not the mafia and should def. be replaced with Gotti or the movie thats actually called “Mobsters.” “Brooklyn Rules” is another movie worth mentioning. As far as the last kick-ass mob movie as JD brought up before, I just dont think its going to happen.

  43. Jimmy Conway Says (August 9th, 2008 at 12:13 am ):

    Good list, but I would make only two changes: put Once Upon A Time In America in first place and Donnie Brasco in the last place instead of the Godfather III.

  44. Fredo Says (September 15th, 2008 at 12:41 pm ):

    GoodFellas was good. But the characters in The Godfather had significantly more depth. As a story, the GodFather created a much richer and well-developed scenario.

    And what if you pull a Henry, a Tommy, or a Jimmy? What is that?!?

    But hey, what if I was to “pull a Fredo”!!!! You all know what is going on!

    “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”

  45. Angelo Moretti Says (September 24th, 2008 at 11:45 pm ):

    Godfather 3? Are you high? A Bronx Tale? Are you high?

    Try State of Grace, Millers Crossing, Road to Perdition, Reservoir Dogs, The Departed, The Roaring Twenties, Angels with Dirty Faces, and White Heat. All of those are infinitely more deserving of a top 10 “gangster/mob/mafia movie” list than those two.

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