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.

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.

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.

is a so good movie but I think is overrated and I prefer the 1983 version

I didn't get the remake. I get this one less.

A Classic Crime Drama that's really well done overall. The main differences with this one is it feels at times more of a criticism against gangster life (the opening PSA really makes it clear right off the bat too) rather than a celebration of it. At only half the runtime of the 83' one it moves much quicker as well and feels much less bloated and too the point. However, the lack of a soundtrack in this gives it a dry feeling throughout and the 83' one defintely has a leg up on it in that regard. Paul Muni is a bit more likeable in this but not by much. He comes off more sophisticated at times and less crude than Pacino does. The cinematography is very moody and the opening is excellent and arguably the best part. Anyone who is a fan of gangster flicks, Hawks, or any actors in this will like this a lot. Despite the 83' ones flaws I would say it barely squeaks by this one as my favorite of the two even with the dislike of Tony more in that one just on the soundtrack.

I would probably give the edge to the DePalma/Pacino remake. It's longer and has a more complex story. This one is more of a straight up gangster flick, but what a very good straight up gangster flick it is. Paul Muni is terrific.

Can see so much influence on the later incarnation of this classic gangster film. It was decent in places but nowhere near as good as the remake. In my eyes the best of the early 30s gangster genre was Little Caesar but most people rank this is the stand out.

A pretty good gangster movie but far from a masterpiece. It's quite engaging for the most part, Paul Muni gives a fine performance and the climax is well done. On the other hand, Angelo is a really bad comic relief, there's a random scene that tries to make some unsubtle political comments on the gang wars of its time, the structure is fairly predictable and, crucially, Tony's ascent seems extremely easy, as if determination is the only trait necessary, regardless of skills, brains or planning.

A brilliant film for it's time it is also one of the best gangster films of all time. A must see for gangster movie fan.

This, along with Public Enemy, were the gangster movies that set up the whole genre. Based on Al Capone, it is about a gangster that violently rises through Chicago gangland. The film had powerful and gripping suspense which is in all gangster pictures is in this one doubly. This was one of the most discussed films of 1932 due to its subject matter and triumph over censor boards. Paul Muni played Tony Camonte greatly and it accelerated his film career.

80% rating. Fantastic movie. Very underrated.

After waiting till this year to see this highly regarded gangster flick, have to admit coming away somewhat disappointed. The whole thing looks good thanks to top cinematography by veteran Lee Garmes (Detective Story 51) and some nice touches from director Hawks, it also features some superbly staged crashes and gun battles but these seem to become overdone, and more in line with exploitation. These films were the action fare of their day but with so many being churned out, the line became blurred between glorifying these moronic henchmen and showing them up for their immorality. Another cliché of the era, assisting to bring it undone, was the inclusion of a comic relief sidekick to the main villain. These characters were stereotypes of unbelievable Simple-Simon stupidity but deemed necessary by Hollywood (and it seems Hughes & Hawks) as ‘humorous' relief. Technically, good to look at as cinema history but showing the constraints of early sound performances and their various limitations. This is certainly a different Paul Muni to most I have seen but for professionalism, would prefer to take another look at ‘I'm A Fugitive from a Chain Gang', than this effort.

The reason to see this movie is the immortal performance by Muni, which must be why the movie is acclaimed as one of the all-time greats. There are some great camera angles, and the propaganda is heavy-handed but correct. However, the dialogue and gesture are hackneyed even for the time, Muni's Italian accent comes in and out, and the illiterate secretary shtick is overdone. I can't give it 5 stars but it is a landmark.

Having seen the 1983 remake of this film many times over the years, my first viewing of the original was as enlightening as it was entertaining. Enlightening in the sense that viewing the original really puts into focus what De Palma and Stone did in terms of creating a movie that doesn't so much remake the film but riff on the theme of the original in new an interesting ways. As for the original film itself (the story of an outsider who violently breaks into the existing hierarchy, eventually becoming that hierarchy and leading to his downfall), if the story seems simple it is because so many films since owe a debt to this original talkie gangster flick.

Sure, after almost a century of other, far more subtle explorations of the gangster genre, the original Scarface doesn't seem to have much nuance, but it helped to set the standard for the narrative in the pre-Code era through a rigorous intensity, led by Muni's performance, and it's clear parodies on the American Dream, which would become a pivotal focus of later takes on the general story. The film is actually really well composed visually, bringing Muni's Tony increasingly to the forefront of the frame as he gains authority within his organization. I'm more of a fan of Cagney's The Public Enemy for its style and slickness, but it's an understandable distinction when Hawks and Hughes were specifically aiming to portray organized crime as an active menace to American society. Funny, considering that many take the over-the-top protagonist of the 1983 remake as one of the more quotable, entertaining, not altogether negative figures in mob depictions. I wouldn't have recognized Karloff without a peak at the cast list, that's a neat detail. (3.5/5)

The best old gangster movie. Paul Muni was awesome in this; I prefer this over the 83 remake. This film is so gritty and violent for its time.

Brutal, gritty, and tough

It is utterly pathetic to compare this masterpiece to Brian DePalma's version considering that it was made 50 years later. During the early 1930's censorship was getting tougher, thus giving us some propaganda in the movies to invite audiences to "wake up" against social problems in America. That was the weak point in this motion picture. Hawks was probably forced by the censors to add those "conscious scenes". Nevertheless, the gripping story, Muni's performance (despite overacting at times) and the tenacious Hawks' direction gave us one of the greatest gangster films ever achieved in Hollywood's history. It defined the genre despite the imposed morality message.

Iconic and unique phrases, one of the best films ever made