This is the second in a series of articles where we’ll be covering the Top Films About Gangsters. The Gangster Films subgenre typically acts as an umbrella subgenre that also includes Films about Mobsters, The Mob, The Mafia, The Yakuza, The Triad and other forms of Organized Crime. Because organized crime covers such a wide area of criminal activity, the Gangster Films subgenre is often associated with other Crime subgenres including Films About Assassins & Hitmen, Films About Capers & Heists, Films About Cops & the FBI, Films About Narcos, Films About Gambling and Films About Undercover Agents. While some Films About Gangs or Films About Drug Trafficking will also often be included in this subgenre, we have unorganized, teen gangs and films that primarily deal with drug dealers in their own collections, dependent on the film’s overall theme.
Films About Gangsters have had a long and storied history in Cinema from Little Caesar (1931) and Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) to classic mafia films of the 70’s with The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather: Part II (1974). Other popular Gangster films over the past decades include On the Waterfront (1954), Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Scarface (1983), The Untouchables (1987), Goodfellas (1990), City of God (2002) and The Departed (2006).
This second article will cover the Top Films About Gangsters You Haven’t Seen from the 1980’s and you can check out additional articles by decade below. We are also going to include a Best Of subgenre article as a grand finale. There are so many great Gangster Films over the last 70 years that we felt it best to break down some of the subgenre’s forgotten and lesser-known gems by decade before we give you the Best Of list which will likely feature many films you’ve already heard of or have seen.
- Top Films About Gangsters You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s
- Top Films About Gangsters You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s
- Top Films About Gangsters You Haven’t Seen – 1990’s
- Top Films About Gangsters You Haven’t Seen – 2000’s
- Top Films About Gangsters You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s
- Best Recent Gangster Films
- Best Films About Gangsters
The 1980’s continued the resurgence of films about organized crime and the mafia with a continued focus on period gangster films. The Italian-American mafia also continued to dominate films as the de facto face of organized crime though other ethnic organized crime also became prominent within the subgenre. And like other subgenres, due to the growing popularity of gangster and mafia films, there was the inevitable debut of comedies about the mob and organized crime.
Period gangster films would continue to be a popular theme of the subgenre with films exploring different eras and their criminal elements. Monsignor (1982) would explore the growing ties of the Vatican to organized crime during World War II. The 1920’s and 1940’s were two different eras taking place in Eureka (1983) as American-based mafia tried to get a foothold in the Caribbean with legalized gambling. Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Cotton Club (1984) & The Untouchables (1987) were all set during the 1930’s and the Prohibition Era. And Harlem Nights (1989) would take place in the 1910’s and 1930’s with its fictionalized tale of Harlem-based hustlers and gangsters.
While the Italian-American mafia continued to dominate subgenre films with Gloria (1980), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), Prizzi’s Honor (1985) and Last Rites (1988), the decade also saw the rise of other forms of ethnic organized crime. The Jewish-American mafia would be featured in Eureka (1983) & Once Upon a Time in America (1984), London-based mobsters in The Long Good Friday (1980), the Japanese Yakuza in Yakuza Ladies (1986) and the Chinese Triad mafia in Tragic Hero (1987).
And finally, gangster comedy films would become popular by skewering many of the gangster film tropes that had been established in previous decades. Johnny Dangerously (1984) was a parody of 1930’s gangster films. Dark humor would be the underlying comedy of Prizzi’s Honor (1985) and Wise Guys (1986). And Married to the Mob (1988) was a romantic comedy with many screwball comedy elements.
Our complete list of Films About Gangsters, The Mafia and The Mob features over 378+ films from 1954 – 2024. This collection features almost every film featuring mobsters, gangsters, the yakuza and other forms of organized crime. If you don’t see a film in our collection, it is likely in other collections such as Films About Assassins & Hitmen, Films About Capers & Heists, Films About Cops & the FBI, Films About Narcos, Films About Gambling, Films About Gangs and Films About Drugs & Narcos. Also, as we’re always updating our collections and will be releasing additional articles of great Gangster Films, subscribe to our newsletter for our latest updates as we post them.
Classic Films About Gangsters from the 1980’s: Scarface (1983), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), The Cotton Club (1984), Prizzi’s Honor (1985) and The Untouchables (1987).
Top Films About Gangsters from the 1980’s that didn’t make our list: Diva (1981), Brothers from the Walled City (1982), Monsignor (1982), The Geisha (1983), Johnny Dangerously (1984), Pizza Connection (1985), Blue Money (1985), Trouble in Mind (1985), Like a Savage (1985), F/X (1986), Wise Guys (1986), Blue City (1986), Raw Deal (1986), Mona Lisa (1986), Yakuza Ladies (1986), The Big Easy (1986), Tragic Hero (1987), The Sicilian (1987), Someone to Watch Over Me (1987), Helsinki Napoli – All Night Long (1987), Mapantsula (1988), Smokescreen (1988), Lady Mobster (1988), Next of Kin (1989), Kill Me Again (1989) and Tank Malling (1989).
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Here is our list of the Top Films About Gangsters You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s:
#10
Eureka
Plot: An Alaskan gold prospector lives in luxury with his family on an island which gangsters want.
KBZ’s Take: Despite a stellar cast of Gene Hackman, Rutger Hauer, Theresa Russell, Mickey Rourke and Joe Pesci, Eureka was a box office bomb upon its release in 1983. Nicolas Roeg’s films tend to have metaphysical and mystical elements that can be hard to follow, but Eureka is one of his more accessible films that’s been better appreciated over time.
The film is one of two halves with Hackman’s prospector striking gold but then eventually falling into a life of greed and selfishness. Though the narrative in the film can be hard to follow at times, there are some great performances in this film from Hackman, Russell, Hauer and Joe Pesci (who further developed his classic mafia persona as a Jewish mob boss based on Meyer Lansky).
Though we enjoyed the film, and it gets better after multiple viewings, it won’t be a film for everyone. However, we would recommend it for fans of the subgenre who are looking for obscure gangster films.
Where to Stream / Buy: Tubi
#9
Last Rites
Plot: After witnessing her lover being murdered by his jealous wife, Angela seeks refuge in a church where she encounters a young priest named Michael, who gives her sanctuary. But the killing was not a simple act of passion, as the victim had ties to organized crime, and, surprisingly, so does Michael, whose father is a powerful don. When the priest finds himself falling in love with Angela, his religious vows and family ties are both severely tested.
KBZ’s Take: We are including Last Rites on this list as it’s a guilty pleasure of ours. Though Roger Ebert called the film the worst film of 1988, we have to disagree with Ebert on this one. Did he not see objectively horrible films of that year including Mac and Me (1988) or Caddyshack II (1988)?
As for the film, we’ll be first to admit it has some problems from major plot holes to Daphne Zuniga’s Spanish accent to an ending that will require a monumental suspension of disbelief. With all that said, the film still works as an interesting look at a mafia family and Tom Berenger’s priest who left the family but ultimately gets dragged back in.
We might be in the minority here, but we still think it’s one of the better lesser-known mafia films of the decade and we recommend completists and fans of the subgenre give it a shot.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Mid-level gangster Wah falls in love with his beautiful cousin, but must also continue to protect his volatile partner-in-crime and friend, Fly.
KBZ’s Take: Fans of Hong Kong Director Wong Kar-wai have likely seen this film as it was his directorial debut. While it’s not on the same level as some of the director’s classic films such as Chungking Express (1994), In the Mood for Love (2000) and 2046 (2004), it’s still a great debut focused on the local Chinese triad mafia and a mob enforcer, Wah, who has to continually bail out his troublemaking friend, Fly.
The plot of the film will be familiar to fans of the subgenre, but the film is elevated by Wong Kar-wai’s direction and the performance of Andy Lau as Wah. Lau would go on to become a fixture in the subgenre in the Infernal Affairs series of films.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Based upon the true story of Bruce Johnston Sr., his son, and his brothers; together, they constituted one of suburban Philadelphia’s most notorious crime families during the 1970s. Their criminal activities ranged from burglary, theft… and ultimately, murder.
KBZ’s Take: This is one film on our list that deals with a local crime boss vs. a larger criminal organization like the mafia. But it’s a film every subgenre should see for one of Christopher Walken’s career performances as Bradford Whitewood Sr. His role as Whitewood Sr. was based on the real-life criminal family led by Bruce Johnston who operated out of Pennsylvania.
It’s one of the forgotten films of the 80’s that is not only a great film of this subgenre, but also a great family drama focused on Brad Whitewood Jr.’s (Sean Penn) descent into his father’s criminal enterprise.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: In the 1920’s, the owner of an illegal casino must deal with gangsters and corrupt police.
KBZ’s Take: This film was written and directed by Eddie Murphy and savaged by the critics. However, as a period piece that covers early 1930’s gangster life, it’s a somewhat commendable film. Given the cast of Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx, you wouldn’t be at fault thinking you were going to see a comedy. Though this film does have some comedic scenes and characters, it’s a much darker film that’s enjoyable if you watch it for what it is – not a typical comedy.
Additional Lists: Top Gangster & Mob Films You Haven’t Seen #10
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Angela de Marco is fed up with her gangster husband’s line of work and wants no part of the crime world. When her husband is killed for having an affair with the mistress of mob boss Tony The Tiger Russo, Angela and her son depart for New York City to make a fresh start. Unfortunately, Tony has set his sights upon Angela — and so has an undercover FBI agent looking to use her to bust Tony.
KBZ’s Take: We mentioned at the beginning of this article that gangster comedy films were becoming more prevalent in the decade. And while this is primarily a romantic comedy starring Michelle Pfieffer, it is also a surprisingly good drama and thriller about mafia life.
While Pfieffer steals the show in this film, there are also some great performances from Matthew Modine, Mercedes Ruehl and Alec Baldwin. Dean Stockwell as Tony “The Tiger” Russo also excels in the film as the mafia antagonist.
This is a film that we would recommend for fans of the subgenre that are looking for a more light-hearted subgenre film that excels in balancing the screwball comedy of a mafia ‘family’ with some thrilling and suspenseful sequences.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club becomes a hotbed of passion and violence as the lives and loves of entertainers and gangsters collide.
KBZ’s Take: Even if you saw The Cotton Club during its release in the 1980’s, it’s worth taking another look at the film – specifically the 139-minute Director’s Cut of the film entitled The Cotton Club: Encore. This cut greatly improves upon the theatrical version of the film and elevates it to a classic film of the subgenre.
This is one of the best period gangster films of the entire subgenre and there’s so many great performances in the film (from Richard Gere to Gregory Hines to Diane Lane to Nicolas Cage), that it’s hard to single out just one. But if we had to, it would be James Remar as the unstable and violent gangster, Dutch Schultz, who looks ready to explode in every scene he’s in.
This is one film of the subgenre that any fan of gangsters should not miss.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Charley Partanna is a hitman who works for the Prizzis, one of the richest crime syndicate families in the country. Unbeknownst to Charley, the Prizzis just hired Irene Walker, a freelance killer, to eliminate someone who double-crossed them. When Irene and Charley fall in love their jobs become complicated. Their jobs become impossible when each is given a contract that neither can go through with.
KBZ’s Take: This is probably the most well-known film on our list as it was nominated for multiple Academy Awards in 1985 including Best Picture, Best Director (John Huston), Best Actor (Jack Nicholson) and a host of other categories. The only win for the film was Anjelica Huston for Best Supporting Actress and it was an award well deserved. In a film featuring Nicholson, Kathleen Turner, Robert Loggia, William Hickey and others, Huston was a standout in this black comedy about a mafia family.
We’re also highlighting the film here for younger fans of the subgenre that might have seen classic films of the decade like Scarface (1983) but passed over this great film. It’s one of the best of the decade and though we’ll cover other dark comedies about the mafia in future articles, this is arguably the best one.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#2
Gloria
Plot: When a young boy’s family is killed by the mob, their tough neighbor Gloria becomes his reluctant guardian. In possession of a book that the gangsters want, the pair go on the run in New York.
KBZ’s Take: Gloria was remade in 1999 with Sharon Stone in the lead role as a woman on the run from the mob. However, the remake just isn’t as good as the original and Stone’s performance can’t top Gena Rowlands Academy Award nominated performance. She perfectly captures a woman related to the mob who makes a fateful decision that puts her life in constant jeopardy.
This is a gritty film shot on location in New York City and filled with suspense. It’s not your typical action-packed gangster film as it uses its action sequences to accelerate Rowland’s increasingly bleak situation.
This is another great film of the subgenre that’s been lost to time, but one that shouldn’t be missed by fans of gangster films.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Charlie and his troublesome cousin Paulie decide to steal $150,000 in order to back a sure thing racehorse that Paulie has inside information on. The aftermath of the robbery gets them into serious trouble with the local Mafia boss and the corrupt New York City police department.
KBZ’s Take: This is one of our personal favorite films of the 80’s and, surprisingly, it’s almost always left off lists of the great gangster films of the decade. Almost 40 years later, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone under the age of 30 who has seen this film. And that’s a shame because it’s a classic film of the subgenre.
This is also one of the lesser-known films of both Mickey Rourke and Eric Robert’s careers when they were at their peak. Forget about all the recent direct-to-video garbage you’ve seen them in and watch this film to see how great they both were at the beginning of their careers.
As for the film itself, it’s part gangster and part caper & heist film with two men who get in way over their heads with devastating consequences. It’s a plot within the subgenre that’s been recycled numerous times over the years, but the film is one of the best versions of this familiar subgenre story due to the unforgettable characters of Paulie and Charlie brought to life by Roberts and Rourke.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
