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Scarface

Play trailer Poster for Scarface PG 1932 1h 33m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
98% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Key lieutenant of South Side Chicago crime boss Johnny Lovo, Tony Camonte is an ambitious and reckless gangster who ignores warnings not to mess with Irish gangs on the North Side. When the North Side retaliates, Tony essentially massacres them, leaving him on top of the world. Worried about Tony's overconfidence, however, Johnny orders him killed, but this also backfires, and Tony finds himself even closer to becoming king of the city.

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Scarface

Scarface

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Critics Consensus

This Scarface foregoes his "little friend" and packs a different kind of heat, blending stylish visuals, thrilling violence, and an incredible cast.

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Critics Reviews

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Chuck Bowen Slant Magazine 11/17/2024
Ninety-plus years have done little to dilute the swaggering power of Howard Hawks’s Pre-code American gangster masterpiece. Go to Full Review Kristin M. Jones Wall Street Journal 11/14/2024
Hawks’s Scarface still has the power to exhilarate and shock. It is a plunge into a bitter realm with its own rules and rhythms, where bullets fall like hard rain and leave holes like countless jagged stars. Go to Full Review Times (UK) Staff The Times (UK) 07/08/2020
What it has, and what the many other gangster films that have followed it have not, is an ice-cold anger of purpose. Go to Full Review Sarah Boslaugh TheArtsStl Feb 8
7/10
While much discussion of early sound films focuses on the ability to include spoken dialogue...Hawks’ greatest innovation in the film is the way he uses non-verbal sounds like gunfire and breaking glass for dramatic effect. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Dec 30
3.5/4
A Molotov cocktail of a movie. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Jul 8
2.5/4
...a decent-enough piece of work that’s rarely, if ever, as compelling as its intense lead performance. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Minnie C. @belledujour Nov 25 Paul Muni deserves credit as one of the greatest pre code actors of all time. This movie is tremendous and engaging. The story is highly compelling as is the dialogue. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Oct 23 Success in 1 hour and 33 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more ChrisCSH H @RT12343453 02/07/2025 Scarface 1932 is absolutely brutal and deliciously violent. It pushes the boundaries for the time Period and pulls no punches whatsoever. the action and fantastic direction makes each scene more tense and overall just an enjoyment to watch. See more Haunted by H @RT66736554 12/23/2024 The original SCARFACE is still one of the best gangster films ever made! Although Muni (playing a thinly disguised Al Capone) is fun to watch, the supporting cast under Howard Hawks' direction makes this film a bonafide classic. Vince Barnett's role as Muni's secretary is hilarious! Karen Morley and Ann Dvorak still exude sex appeal. Osgood Perkins plays a character type so well that his version of a "crime boss" is later copied in other classic gangster films. And what's not to love about George Raft, whose quiet, coin-flipping screen presence catapulted him to the Hollywood A list. Besides SCARFACE having a terrific, hard-boiled script and an urgent "ripped from the headlines" message, there are other elements to watch for: Look for Howard Hawks' use of "X" throughout the film, especially during the mob killing scenes (which are many). Also, pay careful attention to the mob meeting scenes. Many of the extras were actual Capone gang members sent to Hollywood to keep an eye (and report) back to their boss about how Hawks (and Muni) depicted him. And finally...watch how Hawks filmed the machine-gun fire scenes, especially in the cafes. The machine gun fire was real, making it exciting and dangerous for the cast. See more David F @dfulmer 10/04/2024 The gangsters, the Tommy Guns, the nihilistic love for crime, this is a classic that sets the standard for so many crime thrillers to come. All the Capone references add to the verisimilitude of 1920s Chicago and help to make this an unforgettable classic film. See more Steve D @RT35616104 02/25/2024 I didn't get the remake. I get this one less. See more Read all reviews
Scarface

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Cast & Crew

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Howard Hawks

Director

Paul Muni

Antonio "Tony" Camonte

Ann Dvorak

Francesca "Cesca" Camonte

George Raft

Rinaldo

Osgood Perkins

John "Johnny" Lovo

Karen Morley

Poppy

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Scarface

Scarface (1932) Scarface (1932) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Key lieutenant of South Side Chicago crime boss Johnny Lovo, Tony Camonte is an ambitious and reckless gangster who ignores warnings not to mess with Irish gangs on the North Side. When the North Side retaliates, Tony essentially massacres them, leaving him on top of the world. Worried about Tony's overconfidence, however, Johnny orders him killed, but this also backfires, and Tony finds himself even closer to becoming king of the city.
Director
Howard Hawks
Screenwriter
Fred Pasley
Production Co
The Caddo Company, Polyphony Digital
Rating
PG
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 31, 1932, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 3, 2012
Runtime
1h 33m
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