Gangster chic - ten gangster films with style | Uppers Culture Movies, tv, radio

Can gangsters have style? Possibly. There's always a few criminal minds who were flash in real life (The Kray Twins) and on the celluloid. While the film "The Krays" certainly merits mention it's failure to follow the facts and the simple slip of of having those pretty boy Kemp twins from Spandau Ballet play two pug nosed East End uglies also merits expulsion. Guy Ritchie is equally ignored here for hamfistedly aping the classics (like those listed here) and being too cheeky chappy/regular bloke failed to seem "threatening" or dangerous. Indeed both of his ventures in this genre feature a host of veteran's from the film's we're about to look into.

So how many films are there where guys in good looking clothes (usually followed by a good soundtrack) wreck havoc and spill crime (and each other's blood) out onto the streets? Well I've picked ten.

1. "LOVE HONOUR & OBEY" 1999. A proverbial who's who of British cinema pits Jude Law, Johnny Lee Miller (Sick Boy in "Trainspotting"), Ray Winstone ("Sexy Beast", "Quadrophenia"), Sean Pertwee, Sadie Frost, Rhys Ifans ("Twin Town"), Kathy Burke (Winstone's co-star in Gary Oldham's "Nil By Mouth") and Trevor Laird ("Ferdy" in "Quadrophenia") in a North London VS. South London gang war instigated by newcomer Miller who's just ignited a war between karaoke obsessed trad wide boy Winstone and new age nouveau riche Elton John look-alike Sean Pertwee. Theme song by Noel Gallagher and Tony Christie's chirpy "Avenues And Alleyways"(aka "The Protectors Theme") and the "Fireball XL-5 Theme" figuring prominently in the film where heavies from both firm's indulge in narcissistic karaoke in between farcical puns on "marital problems".

2. "THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY" 1979. Bob Hoskins is a London crime boss who has his right hand man shivved in a shower at a public pool, his favorite pub blown up and his mother's car following suit (while she safely attends mass for Good Friday) in that order, all on the same day he's due to entertain U.S. mobster's from the Big Apple with ideas of turning London's dockland's into sort of a "South Street Seaport" (for those not in the know - a tourist trap in Lower Manhattan). With Helen Mirren as his upper class moll, a young Pierce Brosnan as an un-named I.R.A man and P.H. Moriarty as his strong arm aptly named "Razors" (also known as the barman in the Wide Boy pub scene in "Quadrophenia" and also as "Hatchet Harry" in "Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels"). Also look for a younger Alan Ford ("Bricktop" in "Snatch") as one of Hoskin's mullet topped firm members.

3. "GANGSTER NO.1" 2000. The un-named main character (credited as "Gangster 55") is played by Malcom McDowell in the present and Paul Bettany in the past in stylish 60's flashback sequences (indeed the sequence of Bettany and co-hort's in ice blue three button suits chasing some poor mug through a tower block of flats to the tune of The Quik's "Bert's Apple Crumble" is snazzy). With David Thewlis as his heterosexual penthouse dwelling boss "Freddie Mays - The Butcher Of Mayfair" who is unseated in a twist of Shakespearean jealousy, betrayal and guilt. With Saffron Burrows, Jamie Taylor (as May's tacky underworld nemesis Lennie Taylor) and Andrew Lincoln as his henchmen Maxie. Plenty of style, substance, plot and yes gangland gore (the scene where Bettany tortures Taylor to death whilst cranking up Tony Newley crooning "Why" on the hi-fi is both revolting and riveting). Look for lots of London faces used as extras in the night club scene.

4. "GET CARTER" 1971. A film that needs no introduction. Based on Ted Lewis' novel "Jack's Return Home" this blockbuster features Michael Caine as Jack Carter, a London heavy for Kray like brothers Gerald (Terrance Rigby) and Sid Fletcher (played by John Bindon, himself a genuine underworld fringe "character" who later cropped up in "Quadrophenia" as Harry North and previously starred as Moody in "Performance"). Returning back home to gritty early 70's Newcastle for his brother's funeral after his death under suspicious causes Caine cuts a swath of revenge, redemption and recklessness through Newcastle's seedy, Brown Ale bloated underbelly with atmospheric soundtrack work by the late great Roy Budd. Look for George Sewell ("Alec Freeman" on Gerry Anderson's "U.F.O.") as Con McCarty and Tony Beckley ("Camp Freddie" in "The Italian Job") as Peter The Dutchman, Carter's unfortunate London "co-workers" sent to fetch him back to London for not only wrecking havoc with London's Newcastle underworld associates (one of whom Cyril Kinnear, is brilliantly played by playwright John Osbourne of "Look Back In Anger" fame) but balling the bosses wife (played by Britt Ekland who performs the first phone sex scene in film history and on celluloid escapes her character's fate in the original novel-disfigurement with a razor for her infidelity). The Prisoners liked it so much Graham Day nicked Roy Budd's dance hall scene music and re-titled it "Revenge Of The Cybermen" (oddly the Budd piece sounds like a Willie Mitchell # "30-60-90")!

5. "PERFORMANCE" 1970. Nicholas Roeg and Donald Cammell's document of the ultimate end of the Swinging London 60's set when all the acid casualties retreated to Notting Hill Gate to deny the demise of the era colliding with time warped East End Kray twin's style heavies where Babycham and Judy Gallard ruled the roost when acid and The Rolling Stones were hip. East End heavy on the run Chas Devlin (played by James Fox) takes refuge in the digs of decadent has been rock star Turner (played by Mick Jagger or was he playing anyone...) who seeks to re-arrange Devlin's mind ala "19th Nervous Breakdown "style with liberal does of LSD and free love from two femme flatmates (played by Brian Jones' ex and then Keith Richard's current moll Anita Pallenberg and Michelle Bretton, an 18 French girl then dating director Donald Cammell) before his underworld chum's track him down. Jagger claimed he based Turners character on what Brian Jones would've been like had he lived and Cammell's decision to get REAL East End heavies to help develop posh actor James Fox's character led to Fox's eventual nervous breakdown and decade long role as an evangelist after he became un-able to detatch himself from the character he was playing. Spooky! Jagger's "Memo To Turner" is probably his best "non-Stones" work and pops up in an almost "music video" sequence in the middle of the film.

6. "POINT BLANK" 1967. Horribly and wrongfully remade as "Payback" with Mel Gibson, "POINT BLANK" easily mirrors "Get Carter" with Lee Marvin as our well dressed, womanizing, revenge driven anti-hero. Left for dead by his wife and his partner John Vernon during a job gone wrong he re-emerges after year's to settle the score and collect his share due. Trouble is his wife is dead from an O.D. when he comes calling but her voluptuous sister (his love interest all along) played by Angie Dickenson helps him get at penthouse confined/paranoid Vernon. Also starring Carroll O'Connor and Keenan Wynn. The opening sequence of Marvin walking through a nearly deserted LAX in his blue three button suit and brogues is probably the mod-est scene ever shot.

7. "LE SAMOURAI" 1967. Alain Delon is Jef Costello, a top notch Parisian hit man contracted to kill a night club owner but witnessed in the act by sexy in-house pianist/organist Caty Rosier who for no explained reason, keeps mum when the gendarmes come calling. When payment time comes his employer's double cross him and he becomes wanted by both the police and the underworld. With a fast paced, never wracking Metro chase/tail scene, minimal dialog and a well shot "suicide by cop" ending scene where Delon bites the bullet while Rosier does a fake Shirley Scott bit on an Ian McLagan '67 foil coated B-3 in the club. Delon's then wife Nathalie plays the "loose girl" who provides an alibi for Jef while he does his hit, even under pressure from the police who attempt to equate her liberated lifestyle with prostitution.

8. "FACE" 1997. The arch-type "bad guy needs to pull one more caper to have enough scratch to go straight" ploy goes wrong again. This time the gang that couldn't shoot straight is comprised of Robert Carlyle, Ray Winstone, Damon Albarn of Blur, Phillip Davis (Chalky in "Quadrophenia") and Steven Waddington. In total "final job gone wrong" the whole thing comes apart at the seams from the inside sending the cops on their tails and the crooks at each other's throats. Theme song by Paul Weller.

9. "BOB LE FLAMBEUR" 1955. Director Jean Pierre Melville's amazing story of Bob, a hapless career criminal with a code of ethics (he doesn't believe in guns) and a heart of gold. Pulling just one last job (a casino heist) that follows the typical crime saga formula of risky heist + rat =failure + cops. Bob's stylish film noire hero clad in an ever present fedora and trench coat belted at the waist (Alain Delon's "Jef Costello" in "Le Samourai" was similarly clad), illustrates both mid 50's Gallic cinema cool and a calculated street suave without resorting to being a scumbag. A rarity in "gangster chic".

10. "MEAN STREETS" 1973. Probably Martin Scorsese's finest mob/crime flick. Chronicling the parallel yet different lives of two Italian-American hoodlums in the Big Apple: Charlie (a youthful Harvey Keitel) and Johnny (an even more youthful Robert De Niro who in stingy brim pork pie and leather coat looks amazingly like a '79 era Paul Weller). Charlie is working his way up the crime family chain by running odd errands for his old fashioned, low profile old style uncle who is capo in an era when running a "family" meant being unassuming, tight lipped and discreet. His uncle looks very much the harmless old man as he runs things from his restaurant from an era later laid waste by the flamboyant, high profile excess of real life capo John Gotti and the fictional Tony Soprano stereotype. Charlie is falling afoul of his uncle for ducking mass, routinely sleeping with an girl who has epilepsy (the old world uncle considers epilepsy as a sign of madness) and for keeping company with Johnny. Johnny is falling afoul of everyone for running up gambling debts with every bookie in town and flaunting their threats while perceiving himself to be beyond reproach thanks to his life long friendship with Charlie and Charlie's all powerful uncle. The results are interesting and follow a violent, but well scripted/directed conclusion. Scorsese's liberal application of vintage Stones tracks in his films usually signifies something is about to go down and this film is no exception. Witness a major punch up to the tune of "Tell Me" and the introduction to the world of the word "mook".

Comments:

Gordo	feb 5 2006 7:06PM

Yoou gotta be kiddin' me! The top 10 gangster films with style and there's only 1 American flick? This was obviously selected by some pale-dick limey with bad teeth. Please. What about Bogart, Mitchner, Edward G. Robinson, et al -- those are the originals which boring fare like Le Samourai try to imitate. Do you homework next time.

Devin	dec 25 2005 6:50PM

No one ever mentions "Scarface" look at Al Pacinos hair. mod? I think so. Plus pretty good clothing for that era. 80s=bad era for clothing.

Bazden	feb 8 2005 8:10PM

You just read one Mr. a Level!

Rob	sep 21 2004 12:06PM

Hay guys, im doin an A level research project on 70s gangster films and was wonderin if anyone can point me in the direction of some good articles on that subject?

THIERRY STEADY GO !	aug 12 2004 7:36AM
http://www.dyn-o-mite.be

The 30 60 90 track by Jack Hawkins is also available on a second version of "Psychedelic 70s" . Jack HAWKINS and his orchestra : EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL ( windmill records ) . both records come up regulary on ebay and you can get easily a copy for less than GBP 10.00 . I also have a longer version of the Roy Budd title track on a US promo 7" from 1971 w/ a slightly different intro to the one released on the 7" w/ pic. sleeve in the UK.

Dave Monroe	jun 27 2004 10:17AM

Very good, but don't forget not only the rest of le nouvelle vague (Shoot the Piano Player, Breathless), but also don't forget the Eastern Hemisphere. Tokyo Drifter, Branded to Kill, Velvet Hustler, and that's just the tip of the iceberg in just Japan in just the 60s. Er, and then there's Tarantino ...

Bill Luther	jun 27 2004 10:11AM

James, "the cat" (me) is holding a WW2 vintage Italian Beretta M1934 automatic.

James Franz	jun 20 2004 10:24AM

What kind of gun is that cat holding in the photo at the top of the article?

Bengt again...	maj 27 2004 11:14AM

oh. and don't ever forget Jean-Pierre Melville!! Especially Le Cercle rouge (The Red Circle, 1970) is a must!

JTO	maj 23 2004 8:44AM
http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg &sql=1:115614

One film I'd add to this list, if it was easily available, or even known about outside the UK would be 'Villain'; made in '71, it stars Richard Burton as a Kray style gang boss. In fact it seems to draw on parts of the Kray's story (like having Burton's character be gay, or the close links and exploitation of corrupt politicians) that didn't really become public until the late 80s. Given the era it's very much of a period with Get Carter - similarly ugly in violence, but much more conventional in plot (gang falls apart as the big job goes wrong). Also, unlike most of the above, it lacks a great soundtrack!

JTO	maj 22 2004 4:50PM
http://www.pussycatclub.org.uk/SoundClip s/Soundtracks.htm

Isn't the version of '30-60-90' by Jack Hawkins - I believe the only place it's available is on his Psychedelic 70s LP which last time I looked was about 50-70 quid (there is a live version on another LP which I think is what's on the above link). The Duke of Burlington do a pretty good version too.

Mark GDU	maj 21 2004 9:21AM

I have access to film music cue-sheets here at work (PRS), and can confirm that the GET CARTER club scene music is in fact 30-60-90, but it isn't Willie Mitchell's recording - it's a much more "uptempo" version. I have always assumed it was specially recorded for the film. Does ANYONE know more about this track - I have been trying to track it down. There is also some barely heard Indian music in the soundtrack, from a library album, which I DO have. Some years ago, I was quite a long way down the track in reissuing the Get Carter soundtrack on a little independent Mod label I was involved with called GoGo Girl Records. Unfortunately, our activity tipped Sanctuary off and they realised they were sitting on a real gem, first releasing half the tracks on an easy listening compilation, and subsequently the whole album. They reissued the single of the Get Carter theme b/w Plaything (instrumental version of Love IS A 4 Letter Word), the original tracks from the PYE single, which never leaves my DJ box (except to play it, obviously).

Jonathan	maj 20 2004 10:59AM

The general fascination with this kind of film is easily explained with such a selection. Our concurrent fascination is helped by your devilish references to the likes of Trevor Laird and Phillip Davis (nottomention Willie Mitchell!?-). It makes me want to see all of these movies again, and numbers 1. and 8. for the first time, so thank you. This reminds me of seeing a restored print of Le Samourai, liking the movie so much I went back the next day, and afterwards had to take apart the imbecile who sat behind me laughing throughout the screening. Mind, I resorted to verbal dressing down when I would have really liked to do violence. Oh, hey! Don't forget about Seijun Suzuki's 'Tokyo Drifter.'

Bengt	maj 19 2004 8:39AM

Excellent pick of flicks! Personally I would urge everyone to look into italian crime & heist films of the 60's and 70's. Sette uomini d'oro (seven golden men, 1965) by Marco Vicario is one of my favourites, well worth tracking down. or really any of Umberto Lenzi's crime films of the 70's like Roma a mano armata (rome armed to the teeth, 1976) or Il Cinico, l'infame, il violento (the cynic, the rat and the fist, 1977). all good. all crazy!

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Gangster chic - ten gangster films with style

So how many films are there where guys in good looking clothes wreck havoc and spill crime out onto the streets? Bill Luther picks ten for starters.

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