“This picture is an indictment of gang rule in America and of the callous indifference of the government to this constantly increasing menace to our safety and our liberty. Every incident in this picture is the reproduction of an actual occurrence, and the purpose of this picture is to demand of the government: ‘What are you going to do about it?’ The government is your government. What are YOU going to do about it?”
Fascinatingly at war with itself, Howard Hawks’ massively influential gangster film kicks off with the above title cards (a bit of a “retweet ≠ endorsement” sentiment) before blasting us away with a wild and thrilling gangster epic that plays like a proto action film with chase scenes, gun battles, and even comedic one-liners. I won’t pretend to know a lot about 1930s Hollywood, but it seems that Scarface hitting in 1932 is very important to understanding the title cards and depictions of violence and avarice that Hawks displays here. From what I understand, the infamous “Hayes Code” was actually in place beginning in 1930, but wasn’t widely enforced until 1934. So here comes Scarface, right smack in the middle of that period, undoubtedly depicting a level of violence and sensuality that would not be allowed just a few years later, but also falling victim to some of the censorship that was to come. “This picture is an indictment” has to be telegraphed straight from the opening, but also Hawks was forced to add in some sequences and even a bastardized ending (which is thankfully only on this release as a bonus feature and not in the final cut of the film) where the state must explicitly punish our protagonist Tony Camonte (Paul Muni) for his sins.
Of course, this film would be remade 50 years later by Brian De Palma in the 1983 Al Pacino cocaine trade epic set in Miami. That film is much better known to today’s audiences and had its own incredible cultural impact, not the least of which is on hip hop culture. Having never seen this 1930s film before, but having grown up steeped in hip hop and gangster movies, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much of not merely the ethos of the 1930s film, but direct references (“The World Is Yours”) have lived on from 1932’s historical work to, say, Nas.
But aside from the historical context stuff, which is pretty fascinating, Scarface stood out to me most as a rip roaring old Hollywood action film! I adore action cinema so deeply that it likely colors the lens through which I see a lot of life. But from what I understand thanks to some of Criterion’s aces bonus content on this disc, I’m not entirely wrong to view this as an action movie. Apparently Hawks’ funding for the film was coming partly from eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, and when Hughes saw speeding cars crashing and machine guns spitting, he told Hawks he wanted more and more and more of that!
Paul Muni plays Tony Camonte as a larger than life, id-driven man-child who always knows what he wants and always does whatever it takes to get it, damn the consequences (nay, never even considering the consequences). An anti-hero to the extreme, we’re charmed by Tony’s pursuits just as we are by modern gangsters. We want to see his rise. The world IS his. But we also know being driven by id and taking everything around you for your own selfish pleasures leads to consequences. (Well, as I type this post 2024 election… maybe we don’t know this?) Fascinatingly, Johnny Lovo, the crime boss Tony is destined to eclipse from the moment we meet him, is played by Osgood Perkins; father of Anthony, grandfather of Longlegs director Oz. (Yet more real world cultural impact of Scarface).
Tony may or may not know he’s destined to cast aside his boss because he’s not much of a planner. But by the time Tony discovers the invention of the handheld machine gun, his iconic line “Get out of my way, Johnny, I’m gonna spit”, followed by childlike joy at unloading a machine gun, foretells Johnny’s doom and Tony’s violent rise. Also caught up in Tony’s conquests are Poppy (Karen Morley) as Johnny’s girl (for now), and ‘Cesca (Ann Dvorak), Tony’s sister and seeming unrequited love interest. Even Tony’s illiterate and comically idiotic “receptionist” Angelo (Vince Barnett) will get caught up in the consequences of Tony’s pursuits, but not before ensuring we get some bizarre comedic set pieces that further portend the era of Schwarzenegger comedy thrown into our violent action opuses.
The rise and fall gangster epic is well trodden territory for us here in 2024. Hell, gangster cinema is its own subgenre. But there’s no doubt that Scarface, along with other 1930s films like Public Enemy and Little Caesar (which need to be next on my to watch list), built the template that we’re still rabidly consuming today. Special thanks to the Howards Hawks and Hughes for sparking the trend of “more, more, more” in our crime epics.
The Package
Scarface was one of those Criterion titles that came along which I chose to take on in order to expand my cinematic knowledge. In other words, I didn’t know much about it and decided to undertake this review as yet another opportunity to allow Criterion to “take me to school”. But homework cinema this is not, and I was greatly entertained by the movie itself, and not disappointed in the supplemental material that Criterion created for this release. The highlight is an extended conversation between author Megan Abbott and Bill Hader (the genius behind Barry). This is a lovely conversation simply lavishing praise upon the film, exploring its nooks and crannies, from people who know what they’re talking about. I learned a lot and enjoyed every second. You’ll also get a video essay about the use of sound and editing in the film from Lea Jacobs, and a liner notes essay from Imogen Sara Smith.
I did watch the 4K disc (the bonus features are on the Blu-ray disc), and while it looks pretty great for a film from 1932, I’m not sure my eye could tell how much the digital restoration benefitted from the 4K presentation.
And I’m Out.
Scarface hit 4K UHD and Blu-ray from Criterion on Nov. 12th, 2024.
