Year: 1932
Country: United States
Language: English
Number: 66
Director: Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson
Starring: Paul Muni, George Raft, Ann Dvorak, Karen Morley
Howard Hawks' gangster picture Scarface is as you might have guessed the original version that inspired the influential cult film made by Brian DePalma starring Al Pacino. And the two movies are actually similar, it's not just the title. Even the words "The World is Yours" are shown on a billboard.
Scarface: The Shame of the Nation, which it is shamefully titled, is the story about the Italian-American gangster Tony Camonte (Paul Muni), who sees the chance of taking over the entire liquor industry in the south side of New York. But he's lust for power becomes more dangerous when he decides to take over the north side as well, which ends up with a gang war. He's also too over-protective when it comes to his baby sister Cesca. Something that might have a sad outcome later. Pretty similar to the later version, or what?
Scarface is a good exhilarating gangster picture, which was made before the hays code kicked inn. A time where we were are allowed to feel sympathy for the mobsters. Don't worry, there's a lot of shooting in this version, as well as all the wise-cracking dialogues and sexual remarks. Paul Muni shows us once again that he's capable of playing absolutely any role he chooses. He's got the right physics and the arrogance of a gangster. In other words: He's cool.
If you ask me the question of which version is the best, I would have chosen the Brian DePalma film, because it's a more powerful film, more emotional and not at least more violent, and the words "the world is yours" has more meaning, when it refers to the american dream more than the original one does. The original is also great in its own way. It's a great portrayal of the New York gangsters. Thumbs up.
Grade: B+
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