Every decade has had a standout gangster movie. The ‘70s hadThe Godfather, the ‘80s hadScarface,the ‘90s hadGoodfellas, the 2000s hadAmerican Gangster, and the 2010s hadThe Irishman.Goodfellasis especially memorable because of the soothing voiceover narration and memorable lawbreaking characters, some of whom provide comic flavoring. The film is considered Martin Scorsese’s chef-d’oeuvre and was nominated for six Oscars at the 63rd Academy Awards. In line with that, there is a consensus among genre fans that it is the best gangster movie of the 1990s. But is it?
Released a year afterGoodfellas,Barry Levinson’sBugsy, starring Warren Beatty, received a whopping 10 Oscar nominations. It also made a few dollars more than the Scorsese flick at the box office (both films made around $48 million), suggesting it might be the superior film.
Interestingly, the gripping gangster flick has largely been forgotten as the years passed, leaving questions about why it didn’t remain a shiny jewel. Was it overrated? Did the Academy hype a picture that didn’t deserve it? Or is it truly a great movie that deserves more love than it gets?
Bugsy: Immerse yourself in the story of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, a notorious figure in organized crime, and his pivotal role in the creation of Las Vegas. Set against the backdrop of 1940s America, the film delves into the complexities of Siegel’s ambition, charisma, and tumultuous personal life.
Bugsy Captures the Industriousness and Stubbornness of the Founder of Las Vegas
InBugsy, Barry Levinsoncreates a powerful image of entrepreneurship as well as a stunning and tragic portrait of a stubborn criminal. The film tells the story of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, who was the darling of tabloid reporters decades before John Gotti came into the picture. Known for his good looks and business acumen,Bugsy was the driving force behind the development of the Las Vegas strip.
Rather than bothering audiences with details of how he made his money, the film begins with him already an established gangster. He is shown to have a great working relationship with Mayer Lansky and Charles “Lucky Luciano. But things start to get interesting when he visits the set ofManpowerand spots the outwardly sunny, inwardly viperous Hollywood starlet, Virginia Hill.She sets his heart aflame, and despite being a married man, he puts a lot of effort into courting her.
In the rest of the movie,Bugsy is depicted as a man of great vision and ambition. While driving through Beverly Hills, he spots a house he likes and quickly gives the owneran offer he can’t refuse. He then wrestles control of California’s underworld from Jack Dragna and forms a partnership with Jewish crime boss Mickey Cohen.
After that, he crafts the plan that would define his legacy:constructing the first major hotel in Las Vegas (The Flamingo). Being the persuasive man that he is, he convinces fellow influential mobsters to invest $1 million (and much more) into the project.
10 Common Tropes You’ll Find in Most Gangster Movies
Gangster moves all rely on specific tropes and only on a few occasions do they ever get subverted.
While all this is happening, tensions slowly build. We senseBugsy’s risky romance can only spell trouble. Bugsy’s associates gradually begin to question his decision-making. Most of them are bothered by the fact that he is in love with Virginia, a woman known to have slept with almost every influential person in America’s organized crime circles. Even worse, he lets her handle the money. Then comes the major shocker: Virginia stole about $2 million.
Bugsy Is Almost the Complete Package…
Busgycaptures the spirit of a mob-infested era with soulful warmth and poignant insight. With its tight and engrossing screenplay, artsy production design, skillful editing, and enthusing use of period music, the biopic isalmost the complete package. Though some leitmotifs and characters recur, the scenes are self-contained and share Levinson’s observational expertise in portraying various facets of business and criminal life, whether insipid, jubilant, or profane.
10 Fascinating La Cosa Nostra Documentaries
Documentaries like The Making of the Mob extensively dig into the lives and crimes of mafia members both unknown and infamous.
The cast is grand, with each actor investing their role with plenty of earnest emotion. This spirited ensemble effort really makes the movie feel true-to-life, carefully channeling emotional reactions that in less talented hands could have felt forced. As the lead,Warren Beaty does most of the heavy-lifting, as he has done multiple times throughout his career, and he was justifiably singled out with an Oscar nod for his chilling turn as the Jewish mobster. Ben Kingsley shines too, and Harvey Keitel reminds us why he has been given a call to appear in many ofthe greatest gangster movies.
Then there’s Annette Bening, whonearly steals the picture playing Bugsy’s hard-edged, problematic lover, Virginia Hill. Bening explodes off the screen with a deadly blend of burgeoning sexuality and damsel-like innocence, but it’s the poise that this gifted actress projects that makes Virginia such a likable figure. Throughout the proceedings, she gives a powerhouse performance as a siren accustomed to using her smile and slight flash of creamy thighs to support herself. Interestingly,Bening and Beatty would begin dating right after production ended and have been married ever since.
…but it Lacks Iconic Scenes and Quotes
BugsyandGoodfellasare like two well-composed songs, only that one of them has a catchier beat, better bars, and a sing-along chorus. In the Scorsese gangster flick,almost every remark has a resonance that is eternal and overpoweringly moving. Whether it’s Henry Hill explaining why he always wanted to be a gangster, or Billy Batts busting Tommy’s chops by telling him to go get his shine box, there is no shortage of iconic lines.The same cannot be said of the Levinson film, where pretty much everything is standard mob conversation. Occasionally, we are shown a heated couple’s argument, but that’s it.
Movies That Were Actually Financed by the Mafia and Gangsters
Hollywood has had some deep ties to the mob and organized crime, with some films actually being funded and produced by mafia members.
Beyond that,Goodfellas’scenesremain engraved in the viewer’s mind forever, notably,Tommy’s “Funny how?” exchange. Additionally, there is the pistol-whipping moment, the Copacabana tracking shot, Henry waking up to Karen pointing a gun at his face, Henry, Jimmy, and Tommy taking care of Billy Batt’s body, and Tommy getting whacked. Movies need such scenes if they are to be timeless and Scorsese’s project delivers them abundantly.
This sums up whyGoodfellashas a stronger legacy thanBugsy.There’s also the fact that Scorsese is Scorsese, while BarryLevinson isn’t exactly the first name that comes to mind when you think of masters of the gangster genreorthe greatest filmmakers of all time. All factors considered, Vincent van Gogh’s art will always be appreciated more than El Greco’s.
Bugsyis available to rent in the US on Apple TV+, Spectrum, or Amazon.
