15 of The Greatest Gangster Movies

15 of the greatest gangster movies have made the mob and other factions appear more incredible and more complex than they were. They’ve provided great entertainment.

The Godfather

It’s one of the gold-standard films on this list because it had a great cast and at least one great sequel. Some say the third movie was great, but it wasn’t quite the same caliber.

Goodfellas

Henry Hill was a real person, but his story was apparently built up in a way that wasn’t entirely honest. It was cinematic, though, that’s certain.

American Gangster

Frank Lucas was brutal; there’s no other way to say it. Following in the footsteps of Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson wasn’t going to make him a gentleman, though.

Hoodlum

Another story about the way things were in the Bronx and Harlem in the past, this film was enticing for its violence and mafia politics. Andy Garcia also took on a significant role.

A Bronx Tale

This had a different feel since the content didn’t focus on the high-level mafia figures. Instead, it had a more street-level feel that was a little easier to relate to.

Donnie Brasco

Johnny Depp has played a couple of different outlaws in his time, but this one was way more down to earth. Plus, it clarified that infiltrating the mob is way past dangerous.

Casino

It is true that the mob used to run Vegas heavily. But things have changed a lot over the years, and depictions of mob life in Sin City were a little exaggerated.

Snatch

These were definitely different types of gangsters since they felt wilder, rougher, and a lot more dangerous. Brick Top, for example, was off the chain.

The Irishman

Many people had much to say about this movie since Frank Sheeran was a real guy. But his involvement in some of the hits in the film was taken out of context and even glammed up for the movie.

Public Enemies

John Dillinger was a gentleman gangster, that’s certain, but he was still a wild card. The guys who ran with him were just as nuts, but they weren’t afraid of much, it would seem.

Road to Perdition

The Irish mob doesn’t always get the respect they deserve at times. But this story made it clear that even if this was fiction, the Irish were just as dangerous as anyone else.

The Untouchables

When talking about how movies dice up the facts and make them more cinematic, it doesn’t get much wilder than this. To make a long story short, the group in this movie never worked together, but it made for a great fiction story.

Scarface

Many people have their own take on the Cuban crisis, which was the basis of this movie. But someone like Scarface would have been too dangerous to let run amok.

Black Mass

Whitey Bulger was a dangerous man, without any doubts. That he went on the run and wasn’t caught for a while after committing a slew of crimes makes that obvious.

Gangs of New York

Martin Scorsese mixed and matched specific facts from the early days of New York. Some of these groups existed, but the violence of these days is said to be highly exaggerated. The riots were very real though.