Scarface Full Film
Sharon Harris
Scarface is a 1983 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, and starring Al Pacino.[6] It is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name,[7][8][9] in turn based on the novel of the same name first published in 1930 by Armitage Trail.[7][10][9] It tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Pacino), who arrives penniless in Miami during the Mariel boatlift and becomes a powerful drug lord. The film co-stars Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Mriam Coln and F. Murray Abraham.[6]
Pacino became interested in a remake of the 1932 version after seeing it, and he and producer Martin Bregman began to develop the feature project. Sidney Lumet was initially hired to direct the film but was replaced by De Palma, who hired Stone to write the script. De Palma dedicated this version of Scarface to the memories of Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht, the director and screenwriter, respectively, of the original film.[11] Filming took place from November 1982 to May 1983, in Los Angeles and Miami. The film's soundtrack was composed by Giorgio Moroder.
Scarface premiered in New York City on December 1, 1983, and was released on December 9 by Universal Pictures. The film grossed $45 million at the domestic box office and $66 million worldwide. Initial critical response was negative due to its excessive violence, profanity, and graphic drug usage. Some Cuban expatriates in Miami objected to the film's portrayal of Cubans as criminals and drug traffickers. In the years that followed, some critics have reappraised it, considering it one of the greatest gangster films ever made.[12] Screenwriters and directors such as Martin Scorsese have praised the film, and it has been referenced extensively in pop culture, especially in hip hop culture/gangsta rap,[13][14] as well as comic books, television programs, and video games. The film is regarded as a cult classic.[15][16]
In 1980, Cuban refugee and ex-convict Tony Montana arrives in Miami as part of the Mariel boatlift, where he is sent to a refugee camp with his best friend, Manny Ribera, and their companions, Angel and Chi-Chi. The four are released and given green cards in exchange for murdering a former senior henchman of Fidel Castro, at the request of Miami drug lord Frank Lopez. They find work as dishwashers at a restaurant, but are soon dissatisfied; Tony says that he is meant for bigger things. Frank's right-hand man, Omar Suarez, sends the four to purchase cocaine from Colombian dealers. Tony and Angel are taken at gunpoint; Tony is made to watch as Angel is dismembered with a chainsaw, before Manny and Chi-Chi rescue him. They kill three of the dealers and personally deliver the recovered drugs and money to Frank, suspecting that Omar set them up.
Tony and Manny begin working for Frank, whilist Tony becomes attracted to Frank's trophy wife, Elvira. Later, Tony visits his mother and younger sister Gina, of whom he is overprotective. Expressing his hope for an easier life for the family, Tony gives his mother $1,000, claiming he earns money through "political means." Tony's mother sees through his lie and angrily disowns him, but Gina keeps the money. Manny is attracted to Gina, but Tony warns him to stay away. Frank sends Tony and Omar to Cochabamba, Bolivia to meet with cocaine kingpin Alejandro Sosa. During the meeting, Omar is unhappy when Tony negotiates a large deal without Frank's approval. Sosa later has his men hang Omar from a helicopter, telling Tony that Omar was a police informant and that Frank has poor judgment for having trusted him. Tony vouches for Frank's organization and proclaims his loyalty; Sosa takes a liking to Tony and agrees to the deal, but warns Tony to never double-cross him.
Seeing that Frank is infuriated by Omar's death, and knowing the size of the deal with Sosa, Tony sets up his own cocaine operation. Mel Bernstein, a corrupt detective on Frank's payroll, accosts Tony at a nightclub, attempting to extort him for police protection. Tony spots Gina fraternizing with a man, and violently confronts them both when he sees him grope her. Hitmen then attempt to kill Tony, who escapes with a bullet wound. He confronts Frank and Bernstein, certain that they are behind the attack; Frank confesses his involvement at gunpoint and begs for his life, but Tony has Manny shoot him before killing Bernstein. Tony marries Elvira, becoming the distributor of Sosa's product, and uses his profits to build a multi-million-dollar empire and a large, heavily guarded estate.
In 1983, a money laundering sting operation by federal agents results in Tony being charged with tax evasion and facing potential prison time. Sosa offers to use his government connections to keep Tony out of prison, but only if Tony helps kill a journalist intending to expose Sosa's drug operations. During dinner at an upscale restaurant, Tony blames Manny for his arrest and accuses Elvira of being an infertile junkie, prompting Elvira to leave him. Tony and Sosa's henchman, "Shadow", travel to New York City to assassinate the activist; Shadow puts a radio-controlled bomb under his car, but Tony tries to cancel the hit upon seeing the journalist accompanied by his wife and children. When Shadow refuses, Tony kills him before he can detonate the bomb. Tony then returns to Miami, and an enraged Sosa vows retribution for allowing the journalist to deliver the expos.
At his mother's behest, Tony, who is high on cocaine, tracks down Gina and finds her with Manny. In a fit of rage, Tony shoots Manny dead. Right after, he learns that Gina had just married him. A distraught Tony returns to his estate, with Gina, and begins a massive cocaine binge in his office. Sosa's men begin to invade the grounds and kill Tony's guards, including Chi-Chi, as Gina enters the office with a gun, accusing him of wanting her for himself. She shoots and wounds him, but is killed by one of Sosa's men whom Tony kills in return. Tony takes a rifle and a grenade launcher to the invaders, killing many of them, but suffering multiple gunshot wounds. He taunts his attackers until an assassin climbs up to the office and shoots him in the back. Tony's body falls off the balcony into the pool, resting near the base of a globe with the ironic motto, "The World Is Yours".
Other cast members in the film include Ted Beniades as Seidelbaum, an undercover police officer; Geno Silva as "The Skull", the assassin who kills Tony Montana,[17] Richard Belzer as the Babylon Club M.C.,[18] Albert Carrier as Pedro Quinn, a sugar mogul working with Sosa;[19] Victor Millan as Ariel Blayer, a Bolivian politician working with Sosa;[20] Roberto Contreras as Emilio Rebenga, a Cuban emigre Montana assassinates; and Gregg Henry as Charles Goodson, an American associate of Sosa's.[21]
De Palma regulars Charles Durning and Dennis Franz provided uncredited voiceover dubbing of the Immigration and Naturalization Service officers who interrogate Montana in the opening scene,[22] played on-screen by Garnett Smith, Tony Perez and John Brandon.[6] Lana Clarkson,[23] Angela Aames, Ava Lazar, Margaret Michaels, and Katt Shea appear as patrons at the Babylon Club. Teen model Tammy Lynn Leppert appears as a prostitute during the chainsaw scene. News reporter Mario Machado appears as himself.[24]
Scarface began development after Al Pacino saw the 1932 film of the same name at the Tiffany Theater while in Los Angeles. He later called his manager, producer Martin Bregman, and informed him of his belief in the potential for a remake of that film.[25] Pacino originally wanted to retain the period piece aspect, but realized that because of its melodramatic nature it would be difficult to accomplish.[26] Sidney Lumet became attached as the director, developing the idea for Montana to be a Cuban arriving in the United States during the Mariel boatlift.[25][27]
Stone researched the script while battling his own cocaine addiction.[30] He and Bregman performed their own research, traveling to Miami, Florida, where they were given access to records from the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Organized Crime Bureau.[28] Stone moved to Paris to write the script, believing he could not break his addiction while in the United States, stating in a 2003 interview that he was completely off drugs at the time "because I don't think cocaine helps writing. It's very destructive to the brain cells".[26][31]
Among other changes to the original story, was the addition of the character Alejandro Sosa. Stone patterned the character after Roberto Surez Gmez,[32] a Bolivian drug lord nicknamed the "King of Cocaine."
Pacino insisted on taking the lead role as Tony Montana, although Robert De Niro had been offered it and had turned it down.[25][30] Pacino worked with experts in knife combat, trainers, and boxer Roberto Durn to attain the body type that he wanted for the role. Durn also helped inspire the character, who had "a certain lion in him", according to Pacino. Meryl Streep's immigrant character in Sophie's Choice (1982) also influenced Pacino's portrayal of Tony Montana. Bauer and a dialect coach helped him learn aspects of the Cuban Spanish language and pronunciation.[26]
Pfeiffer was an unknown actress at the time, known primarily for her role in Grease 2; both Pacino and De Palma had argued against her casting, but Bregman fought for her inclusion.[25] Glenn Close was the original choice for the role, while others were also considered, including Geena Davis, Carrie Fisher, Kelly McGillis, Rosanna Arquette, Melanie Griffith, Kim Basinger, Brooke Shields, Sharon Stone, and Sigourney Weaver.[30][33][34]
Bauer got his role without even auditioning. During the audition process, casting director Alixe Gordin saw Bauer and instantly noted that he was right for the role of Manny, a judgment with which both De Palma and Bregman agreed. He was the only actual Cuban in the principal cast. John Travolta was considered for the role.[25][30][35]
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