Scarface (1983) (Movie Review)

 “In the Spring of 1980, the port at Mariel Harbor was opened, and Thousands set sail for the United States. They came in search for the American Dream. One of them found it on the sun-washed avenues of Miami … wealth, power and passion beyond his wildest dreams. He was Tony Montana. The world will remember him by a different name … Scarface. He loved the American Dream … with a vengeance”. Rarely can a remake surpass the high-marks of an original … let alone be more iconic, but in the case of the 1983 gangster classic “Scarface”, it really is the remake that stands in the spot-light of our pop culture. 

That’s not to put-down the 1932 picture “Scarface”, as that too is an equally effective classic of the genera, but without question … it’s actor Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma who will always be associated with the title first. Following the high-bar he set with the first two “Godfather” movies, producer Martin Bregman was ready to deliver another gripping crime epic to the genera, resulting in the now iconic remake of “Scarface”. While initially met with controversy and criticism upon its release for its excessive violence, profanity, and graphic drug usage … as well as getting completely snubbed at the Oscars … this film has never the less maintained its status as a staple of the Crime/ Thriller genera, and has sense been celebrated as a classic. Beyond that, it’s a unique experience that focuses on the journey of someone who isn’t good enough to be called a protagonist, nor wicked enough to be called a villain.  

  Tony Montana was an ex-convict fleeing from Cuba as an immigrant, and aimed to live a humble life upon his arrival in the US. However, life as a dishwasher quickly becomes tedious, as Tony believes he was meant to accomplish more. All around him, he sees the slogan “The World is Yours”, and thus, he begins expanded his reach, and taking what he wants. Eventually, he turns to a life of crime, dealing with drugs under the watchful eye of a local mobster, whom Tony doesn’t fully trust. Things get heated when Tony falls in love with the bosses Trophy Wife named Elvira, and gradually, he begins his personal goal of conquest, first by overthrowing his boss, getting the girl, controlling the trafficking of drugs, and inevitably climbing to the top of the gangster totem pole. As the saying goes … “What goes up, inevitably comes back down”, and in the case of Tony … it all eventually comes crashing down around him. Thanks to a tight screen-play by a young Oliver Stone, and a solid direction from Brian De Palma, this otherwise dark, and violent premise is elevated with a certain stamp of quality.            

  Beyond any shadow of a doubt, it’s Al Pacino’s performance that’s simply out of this world, and carries this film. It’s one of those larger-than-life character performances that I always associate with an actor, and he constantly keeps my eyes glued to the screen. I’m not even a fan of foul langue, and yet, Al Pacino’s delivery somehow distracts me from the onslaught of dirty remarks. As established in the synopsis, this movie is all about the growing arc of this single character, and more often than not, we go to movies cheering for the protagonist as they go on their journey. “Scarface” by contrast, has a unique approach, by drawing the viewer into the drama and struggles of a man who … in hindsight … we really shouldn’t be cheering for at all, and yet are still engaged by. 

Speaking personally, this was the movie experience in which I discovered the difference between villains and antagonists. While a villain can occasionally have a layered backstory, or even understandable motives, their always self-aware of what they are, how others view them, and they enjoy it. An antagonist by contrast may do horrible things, but they won’t be as one-note, as they can also show signs of sympathy, and they’ll always view themselves as either the hero or the victim of the story. While Tony certainly boasts about being a “bad guy”, he shows more than enough signs that he’s not a one-note villain either. There’s a pivotal moment when he’s assigned to blow-up a car with a spokes-man, who’ll be delivering an important presentation at the United Nations, and have devastating results on the mob’s drug deals. However, even though everything Tony has is riding on this mission, he refuses to go through with the bombing, as he’d also be killing a woman and two innocent children … and that’s something he refuses to have on his conscience. Moments like that are what give antagonists layers, and keep us invested in their story, even though we still can’t form any attachment to them like we would with a protagonist. For a quick example, if the equally classic 1990 crime/drama “Goodfellas” focused all its attention on Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito, as opposed to Ray Liotta’s Henry Hill, it would have been a completely different experience, yet arguably just as engaging in its own different way. 

  Brian De Palma also puts a great deal of attention and flair to the look and feel of the time, which becomes a character in of itself. 

Having said that, despite being set in real-world events, the film is largely fictionalized, and not meant to be taken too seriously. In fact, it opens with a bumper sating that it’s fiction, and meant to be overly theatrical … although, that didn’t stop some back-lash for the film’s depiction of people from Cuba. Putting that aside, even though the film is over-the-top with many of its fictionalized depictions and ultra-violence, it somehow still feels grounded in reality, which I think can be attributed to Oliver Stone’s screenplay. He tried to make all the unfolding events and characters feel either tangible or relatable in some form … in fact, he was even addicted to cocaine early in his life. Also, while Al Pacino may seem to dominate the spotlight in the leading role, the remaining cast shouldn’t be overlooked either. F. Murray Abraham is always a welcomed presence, and Robert Loggia is spot-on as Tony’s crooked boos Frank. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio likewise delivers an effectively sympathetic performance as Tony’s sister Gina. After being rejected by his mother, Tony views his sister Gina as the one good thing left in the world, and as such, he’s overly emotional and protective of her. It makes for another effective layer in Tony’s journey as an antagonist. His feelings for his sister stem from something pure, and loving, but they also bring about the worst in him ... with disasters results. 

  However, the other big screen presence to take notice of is the young Michelle Pfeiffer as Token Wife Elvira Montana. At the time, Michelle Pfeiffer was mostly unknown, and yet, she manages to leave an impression when acting alongside a talent like Pacino, who was still riding the success of the first two “Godfather” movies. As if that weren’t enough, the role of Elvira Montana required a lot from the actress, as the character is very selective with her words, yet speaks volumes with how she emotes, how she holds herself, and delivers her lines. Honestly, even though I’ve seen Michelle Pfeiffer’s talent range in several films, I think this might just be my favorite. It’s hard to explain, but she just shines in this film, looks great, and hits all the right beats her character needs. You can tell this is someone who wants to escape this horrible life she’s trapped in, and she see’s a potential decent man in Tony, but she’s far too conditioned as a trophy wife to call him out on his faults. My only problem is that her exit from the film feels extremely underwhelming, and even kind of random. After a heated argument at a restaurant, she storms out, and basically disappears all together. Honestly, I feel her character deserves more closure than that, especially considering how integral her presence was to Tony’s journey though the course of the film.     

   As we segue into the films third act, we discover that Toney’s nobility in sparing the one family’s life, is now going to have serious repercussions, as his fellow mobsters now feel betrayed, and are out for blood. To make matters worse, Toney’s overly protective feelings for his sister have finally gone overboard, and the results are tragic to say the least. 

Between being buried in both emotional grief, and a face full of cocaine, his enemies have picked a bad time to invade his mansion. Of course, Tony drops his classic line … “Say Hello to my Little Friend” … and just like that, movie history is made. Everything culminates into the now iconic staircase shoot-out sequence, which is often sighted as one of the greatest climaxes ever put to film. The sequence really isn’t even that long, and yet it still leaves a memorable impression on the viewers. Honestly, the impact of this sequence isn’t just about the action spectacle or the insane violence … no, the reason this shoot-out leaves an impact is for the raw emotion on display. Tony knows he’s not going to survive the night, and thus, he chooses to go out by unleashing all his built-up rage and anger on the invaders. He’s so emotionally charged that he manages to brush off a number of shots before finally falling to his death. The final shot of the statue, with the inscription “The World is Yours” is an absolutely perfect way of illustrating that his own single-minded ambitions are what led to his demise.  

  In the end, I wouldn’t place 1983’s “Scarface” among my personal favorite movies, but I do feel it deserves its status as a motion picture classic, and it’s absolutely one of the best of what the Crime, Mystery & Thriller genera have to offer. It’s also a unique experience to explore the complex tragedy of a rather antagonistic character, as opposed to a flawed hero. I often look back on “Scarface” as an example of a movie going against conventions, and still delivering an engaging story with a character that we really shouldn’t be rooting for … yet are still intrigued by. It’s difficult to explain, but there’s something about the journey of the character, combined with Al Pacino’s iconic performance that keeps the film engaging to watch, even on repeat viewings. If your someone who doesn’t care for dark character stories, with extremely violent content … like a guy getting executed by way of chainsaw … you might just want to skip this one altogether. Otherwise, I’d say the 1983 remake of “Scarface” is well worth seeing at least once, as it might just give you a unique perspective on leading characters that go against the norm.

Thanks for reading my review of the classic 1983 remake of “Scarface” … and continue to enjoy the movies you love.