The original Scarface came out in 1932 produced by Howard Hughes and with a storyline based on the life of Al Capone. The film was supposed to raise awareness on the organized crime predominant at the time, though, generally, the 1983 remake, directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, with the unique performance of Al Pacino, is considered to be far more powerful. The story follows the rise and fall of gangster Tony Montana, a poor Cuban migrant who arrives in Florida and starts a career in crime. Despite the mistakes they make with his friend, Manny Ribera (Steven Bauer), they rise from petty criminals to powerful gangsters. Killing everybody in his way, Tony Montana becomes the biggest drug lord in the country, controlling the entire cocaine arriving in USA through Miami. But the thing that gives him power soon finishes him off. The glamour, intrigues and confusions of the great Tony bring about paranoia, desperation and aversion due to the cocaine addiction. The police close in on him, and the war with the Columbian drug cartels and the paranoia soon lead him to his doom and death. It is fair to say that Tony “lived” his American dream.
Prepared by: Irena Jovanovska