Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Scarface (1983): Tony Montana, prin ochii lui Al Pacino

Scarface is a 1983 American epic crime drama movie directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, produced by Martin Bregman and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana. Based on Howard Hawks' original 1932 film of the same name, the film tells the story of Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who comes to Miami in 1980 as a result of the Mariel Boatlift, and becomes a drug cartel kingpin during the cocaine boom of the 1980s. The movie chronicles his rise to the top of Miami's cocaine empire.


The film is dedicated to Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht, the director and screenwriter of the original 1932 film, respectively.

The initial critical response to Scarface was mixed, with the film receiving criticism for its violence and graphic language. The film was widely criticized by the Cuban community in Miami, who objected to various aspects of the film, and the fact Cubans in it were compared with criminals and drug traffickers.

The film has since gathered a cult following and has become an important cultural icon (particularly in the hip-hop community), inspiring posters, clothing, and many other references. The film's grainy black and white poster is a popular decoration and is still in production; as a result of its popularity it has been parodied many times.

Tony Montana (Al Pacino), a ruthlessly violent Cuban refugee, arrives in Miami, Florida during the 1980 Mariel boatlift. He and his best friend, Manny Ribera (Steven Bauer), are sent to a refugee camp, but wealthy drug dealer Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia) arranges for them to obtain green cards in return for the assassination of a former Cuban government official. After the assassination is completed, they agree to carry out a job for Frank's henchman Omar Suarez (F. Murray Abraham), to buy cocaine from Colombian dealers. Tony, Manny, and associates Angel (Pepe Serna) and Chi Chi (Ángel Salazar) drive to the deal, which quickly goes bad. The Colombians dismember Angel with a chainsaw and are about to do the same to Tony when Manny and Chi Chi storm the apartment and kill the Colombians. Suspecting a set-up and distrusting Omar, Tony takes the money and cocaine to Frank personally. Frank likes Tony's style and hires Tony and Manny to work for him. This is when Tony first meets and develops a romantic interest in Frank's girlfriend, Elvira Hancock (Michelle Pfeiffer).
Months later, Tony visits his mother, Georgina (Míriam Colón), and younger sister, Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), of whom he is fiercely protective. Gina is excited to see him again, but his mother is disgusted by his life of crime and throws him out after refusing his money. When Tony rejoins Manny, who is waiting in the car, Manny makes an offhand comment about Gina's attractiveness, but Tony warns him to steer clear.

Tony and Omar go to Bolivia to talk with cocaine kingpin Alejandro Sosa (Paul Shenar). The tension between Tony and Omar peaks when Tony tries to negotiate unauthorized terms with Sosa. Omar leaves, but Sosa asks Tony to stay. As Tony and Sosa discuss business, Sosa discloses to Tony that Omar is a police informant. Tony then witnesses Sosa's henchmen hang Omar from a helicopter. Tony goes on record stating he never liked or trusted Omar, but vouches for Frank. As Sosa and Tony part ways with a business understanding, Sosa warns Tony never to betray him. Upon returning to Miami, Tony breaks the news about Omar to Frank, who is infuriated. Frank also is angered by Tony's unauthorized deals, which cause the end of their business relationship. Tony establishes his own operations and pursues Elvira more aggressively, eventually asking her to marry him.

At a nightclub, Tony is shaken down by a Miami detective, Mel Bernstein (Harris Yulin). He proposes to "tax" Tony on his transactions in return for police protection and information. That same night, Tony sees Gina dancing with a drug dealer. He follows the two to a restroom stall where he roughly throws the man out the bathroom and slaps Gina after she confronts him. Manny, sympathizing with Gina takes her home. On the way home Gina reveals her attraction to Manny, but he wards her off, fearful of Tony's wrath should he catch them together.


Meanwhile, back at the club, Tony is attacked and wounded by two gunmen but manages to escape, killing both of them in the process. Suspecting Frank sent Bernstein and the hitmen, Tony decides to pay Frank a visit. He asks Nick 'The Pig' to call Frank at exactly 3:00 and to inform him that the hit failed. Tony and Manny find Frank with Bernstein. The phone rings as planned, with Frank confirming his involvement by playing the call off as Elvira checking on when he'll be home. Frank begs for his life and Tony's forgiveness before Manny shoots him dead on Tony's order. Tony then shoots Bernstein killing him. Tony, having consolidated power, takes over Frank's empire, marries Elvira, and becomes incredibly wealthy, with Manny as his second-in-command. Over time, cracks in Tony's operation begin to form, as both he and Elvira become addicted to cocaine and drift apart, and Tony's increasing paranoia begins to take a toll on his friendship with Manny.

Tony is eventually charged with money laundering and tax evasion after police stage a sting operation in his house. Tony is arrested, but makes bail. Tony's lawyer lets him know there will be a huge fine and jail time. Learning of the sting, Sosa offers Tony a quid pro quo: Sosa will use his government connections to keep Tony out of jail, but Tony must fly to New York City with Sosa's henchmen Alberto to help assassinate a Bolivian journalist intent on exposing Sosa during a speech to the United Nations.


Tony arrives in NYC with Chi-chi, Ernie, and Alberto. They stake out the journalist's apartment and Alberto wires the journalists' car with a remote bomb. The next morning, upon seeing the journalist accompanied in the car by his wife and children, Tony tries to call off the operation, horrified by the idea of killing innocent bystanders. Alberto states that Sosa's explicit instructions are to tail the journalist and blow up his car in front of the United Nations building, and refuses to call off the hit. Before Alberto can detonate the bomb, Tony shoots him in the head. Furious, Sosa calls Tony later that evening, and after a heated exchange, Sosa reminds Tony of their first conversation.

Tony then sets out to find Gina, who has been missing since he left. Eventually after locating a house which Tony's mother had instructed them of the address. Tony finds Manny and Gina together, Tony kills Manny in a fit of rage, only for Gina to tell him the two had just married. Tony and his men take an extremely upset Gina back to Tony's mansion. As Tony sits in his office, snorting a huge pile of cocaine, Sosa's men surround the mansion, armed to the teeth and quietly killing Tony's guards along the way. At this point, a heavily-drugged Gina enters Tony's office and accuses Tony of wanting her for himself, before shooting him in the leg. At this point, one of Sosa's gunmen enters the room and kills Gina. Tony kills the gunman and upon seeing Gina's corpse, loses control and apologises for killing Manny, saying he loved them both. In a cocaine-fueled rage, Tony makes his last stand, using an M16 that is equipped with a grenade launcher, opens fire and kills many of Sosa's men before being finally shot in the back by the Skull, Sosa's personal assassin. His body falls off the staircase and into the fountain, floating by the statue bearing the slogan "The World is Yours".

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