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12 iconic mafia movies that deserve a spot on your watchlist

From De Niro to James Cagney films, we've ranked the best mob flicks you need to see

By
Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II
Paramount Pictures

Mafia movies are some of the oldest and most popular crime films in the entire medium. The best mob movies not only have incredible actors portraying the complex people on the screen, but they also deal with themes that are surprisingly relevant to our lives, no matter where we live or what decade it is. Loyalty, betrayal, familial ties, masculinity, and so much more are brought to the surface in mobster movies. This makes people who normally wouldn’t be interested in sleazy men in suits captivated by the plot and characters.

We thought it would be fun to count down the best mafia movies ever made, from pictures starring Robert De Niro to classic Hollywood cinema that remains in black and white aesthetic for that iconic look we’ll never forget.

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12. The Public Enemy (1931)

12. The Public Enemy
83m
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods
Directed by
William A. Wellman
Watch on Amazon
When it comes to films that left a lasting legacy in their genre, there aren’t many mob movies more influential than The Public Enemy. Starring James Cagney in one of his first big roles, the picture is a brilliant and long-lasting look at crime during the Prohibition era in the U.S. Cagney is Tom Powers, a young mobster who finds he has a knack for criminal activity and collecting money through organized crime during the 1920s and 1930s.

11. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

11. Once Upon a Time in America
229m
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern
Directed by
Sergio Leone
Watch on Amazon
With a runtime of almost four hours, Once Upon a Time in America is an engaging but arduous journey of introspection surrounding the life of a gangster named Noodles (Robert De Niro). Noodles returns to his New York upbringing and, in the process, is faced with more questions than answers about the decisions and relationships that have shaped his life as a man and a mobster. Joe Pesci and James Woods provide great supporting acting.

10. Married to the Mob (1988)

10. Married to the Mob
104m
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Romance
Stars
Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Modine, Dean Stockwell
Directed by
Jonathan Demme
Watch on Amazon
A brilliant mob comedy with an outstanding central performance from Michelle Pfieffer, Married to the Mob is odd and humane in ways few movies in this genre are allowed to be. The film follows the wife of a mid-level mafioso who is killed for sleeping with the boss’s girl. After her husband is whacked, she decides to move to New York City to start over, butshe finds that the mob life isn’t as willing to leave her behind. Married to the Mob manages to perfectly balance its violence with its comedy, and director Jonathan Demme provides the humanist touch that made all of his movies great.
MARRIED TO THE MOB (1988) | Official Trailer | MGM

9. Eastern Promises (2007)

9. Eastern Promises
101m
Genre
Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Stars
Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel
Directed by
David Cronenberg
Watch on Paramount+
Featuring Viggo Mortensen in one of his best roles outside of The Lord of the Rings, this mobster movie tells the story of the fallout from a rape that was perpetrated by a member of the Russian mafia. With similarities to classics like The Godfather, Eastern Promises guarantees fans all the trappings of your typical crime syndicate films with a few twists here and there. Also, if you’ve ever wanted to see Mortensen completely naked and in action, this is your chance.

8. The Untouchables (1987)

8. The Untouchables
119m
Genre
Crime, Drama, History, Thriller
Stars
Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith
Directed by
Brian De Palma
Watch on Amazon
Sometimes the best mob movies are based upon real people from the history books. The second Prohibition-era movie on our list, The Untouchables is an entertaining and gripping look at the team that was tasked with taking Al Capone down for his crimes during the early 1930s. Sean Connery won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Jim Malone. Kevin Costner delivers a great performance as agent Eliot Ness, a role that almost went to Jack Nicholson.

7. The Irishman (2019)

7. The Irishman
209m
Genre
Crime, Drama, History
Stars
Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Directed by
Martin Scorsese
Watch on Netflix
Martin Scorsese has developed a reputation for making movies about the mob, and while he has definitely made a few, it’s certainly not the only kind of story he’s interested in. Even so, a masterpiece is a masterpiece, and The Irishman is exactly that. The movie tells the story of a mid-level hitman who dedicates his life to the mob, only to discover that the business that defined his life didn’t care about him as much as he cared about it. The Irishman is a story as much about regret as anything else and one where the defining mood is mournful instead of exuberant.
The Irishman | Official Trailer | Netflix

6. The French Connection (1971)

6. The French Connection
104m
Genre
Action, Crime, Thriller
Stars
Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider
Directed by
William Friedkin
Watch on Amazon
The French Connection is going to remind a lot of people of The Untouchables, minus the Prohibition-era topics and themes. Gene Hackman turns in an Academy Award-winning performance as NYPD officer Jimmy Doyle, the detective who expertly tries to capture the French heroin smuggler Alain Charnier. With plenty of exciting action sequences, car chases, and on-location shots of New York, the movie is an encompassing look at the crime-riddled exploits of the Big Apple during the mid-20th century.

5. The Departed (2006)

5. The Departed
151m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Crime
Stars
Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon
Directed by
Martin Scorsese
Watch on Amazon
One of the most modern pictures on this list is jam-packed with stars both in front of and behind the camera. Martin Scorsese directs this acclaimed story of two moles, one within the Irish Mob and the other within the Massachusetts State Police. Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio play the leads, creating an electric atmosphere in one of Nicholson’s last big roles before he retired in 2010.

4. Scarface (1983)

4. Scarface
169m
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama
Stars
Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer
Directed by
Brian De Palma
Watch on Amazon
While initially criticized for its graphic violence and morbidity, Scarface eventually won over a large swath of fans in the decades after its 1983 release. Al Pacino is Tony Montana, a Cuban drug lord who grows his empire in Miami through any means necessary. Steven Bauer gives a great supporting performance as Montana’s friend, his only memorable role until he played Don Eladio on AMC’s crime drama series Breaking Bad.

3. Goodfellas (1990)

3. Goodfellas
145m
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci
Directed by
Martin Scorsese
Watch on Amazon
We’ve now arrived at the true heavy hitters on the list. Some claim Goodfellas as their favorite mob film ever made. The story of Henry Hill’s tumultuous time as the head of a crime family in Brooklyn, the movie is filled with some of the most important characters in the genre and compelling performances from actors such as De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta. Lorraine Bracco’s turn as Karen Hill helped to establish her presence in the world of mobster fiction, leading to her casting as Dr. Jennifer Melfi on the HBO critical darling The Sopranos. Other actors from the show that got their start in this film also include Michael Imperioli and Vinny Pastore.

2. The Godfather Part II (1974)

2. The Godfather Part II
202m
Genre
Drama, Crime
Watch on Paramount+

Many lists will claim this sequel as the superior movie when comparing Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary movies, but The Godfather Part II will have to settle for second-best on our list due to it not having quite the same influence as the first film. The dual-timeline format of the plot, which shows father Vito Corleone and son Michael Corleone at various points in their lives, is still revelatory to this day.

1. The Godfather (1972)

1. The Godfather
175m
Genre
Drama, Crime
Stars
Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, James Caan
Directed by
Francis Ford Coppola
Watch on Amazon
The first film in The Godfather trilogy remains not only the best mobster movie ever made, but to many critics also the most complete film ever put to screen. The acting, cinematography, soundtrack, and pace of the story all coalesce into something that has never been replicated. The tale of Michael Corleone’s (Al Pacino) pathway to the top of the mafia is still enjoyed by millions to this day.
Movie images and data from:
Shawn Laib
Shawn Laib
Contributor
Shawn Laib is a freelance writer with publications such as Den of Geek, Quote.com, Edge Media Network, diaTribe, SUPERJUMP…
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