May 26, 2004 12:38 AM
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(Updated May 26, 2004 01:24 AM)
Al Pacino. Oliver Stone. Brian de Palma.
That pretty much sums up why you should see Scarface. Those of you who aren’t convinced yet, read on.
Scarface is the story of Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee, who is determined to make it very big in the United States. Starting off with murders and drug deals, he very quickly goes on to become one of Miami’s biggest drug-lords. The movie deals with Tony’s rapid ascent to power and how his undying obsession for power and money leads him to his death.
Al Pacino, very mildly put, bursts onto the screen with an absolutely explosive performance as the roguishly charming Tony Montana. He very perfectly executes Tony’s transition from small-time crook to Miami’s biggest drug-lord with his piercing eyes and flawless body language.
Robert Loggia, who plays Frank, Tony’s boss, bears a striking resemblance to Gene Hackman. He does a good job. F. Murray Abraham, who would go on to win the Best Actor Award the next year for playing Antonio Salieri in Milos Forman’s Amadeus, has only a few scenes in this movie. He plays Omar, one of Frank’s men.
Michelle Pfeiffer slithers around, smooth as a snake, playing Elvira, Frank’s mistress, who later becomes Tony’s wife. She has nothing much to do except to look beautiful, smoke, drink, look bored and do drugs. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who plays Tony’s sister Gina does not have much of a role either.
Direction by Brian de Palma is commendable. The screenplay by Oliver Stone, needless to say, is a work of sheer brilliance. Miami’s Latin lifestyle is depicted very well.
The score by Giorgio Moroder is powerful. His music gels very well with the movie and adds further depth to the proceedings.
It is hard for people not to compare Scarface and The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Many tend to dislike Scarface because of Tony Montana’s loud gestures and over-indulgence in colorful language, which are a stark contrast when compared to Don Corleone of The Godfather. I choose not to compare Don Corleone and Tony Montana because:
Their backgrounds are very different.
The Godfather shows Don Corleone as an old man. It does not show how he becomes what he is. Scarface, on the other hand, shows Tony Montana’s growth from petty criminal to drug-lord and his way to the top.
The obvious difference in character. Don Corleone is aged, mature, suave and patient. Tony Montana is a young, ruthless, power-crazy, money-hungry and does not trust anyone.
While I believe that The Godfather is the best mafia movie ever made, I think Scarface is good in it’s own way. It contains a very good underlying theme: Man is responsible for his own rise and fall. He is his own destroyer.
