Its a story of ambition, dreams, power, greed and self-destruction. But all these are inner layers, what we see from outside, is more of a action based film full of interesting dialogue lines by Montana especially.

Tony Montana desires to make the world his, he wants every damn thing of this world to be his. But, he forgets the price he would pay for the greed to get richer and just richer. He does become a good cocaine dealer, making lots of money but at the same time, keeps making enemies and his greed never ends. Brian De palma's direction is top notch. A good screenplay, though a bit lengthy. Cinematography is excellent, and so is the background score. Note, the shift in score whenever Tony gets worried about Gina, his sister getting attracted to any guy. Some Very close up shots taken at various points in the film of Tony. Dialogues and punchlines are very good 'I always tell the truth. Even when I lie'.

Al Pacino gives a superb performance as Tony montena. There is that style, the mannerism, the way he improvises and the way he walks. He makes it a totally believable gangster. The way he cigars, watch the uneasyness on his face when he comes to knw innocent wife and kids gonna die. Or, the one where he meets Frank for first time, the fame he wants to reach, much higher than him. The one where he comes to know that he just killed his brother like friend, who just married his sister Gina. Or, when he watches dead body of his sister, and gets totally mad firing at everyone in that climax sequence. Then, he has those funny moments with Elvira, the kiss or the dance, or the beach scene with Manny teaching him how to get girls in Miami.

Miriam Colon, has just 2-3 scenes in the film but very significant ones. A mother who doesn't like Tony at all, doesn't feel like he is her son, for the kind of activities he deals in. And as a result tries to keep Gina, her daughter away from his touch. I specially loved that dinner scene, where bro-sis are happily re-uniting and the mother isn't at all interested and then ends up saying lines, which don't go well with both.

Mary Elizabeth as Gina, is impressive. Watch her in 3 scenes, first where she tells Manny that she knows he looks at her, and is he afraid of Tony. 2nd, when she feels happy to see Tony at her home, and the gun shot at Manny, she gets devastated to see that sight. 3rd, the climax scene with Tony.

Michelle Pfielffer was okish. Robert Loggia as Frank was slightly over the top for me. Paul Shenar was very good, specially that 1st meeting sequence with  Tony and the final scene.


Overall, Scarface I feel isn't just a gangster film (I feel goodfellas would be best suited for that title). Its much more than that. It has lots of emotions, of Tony, his sister, his mother. 'The world is yours', something Tony aims for, such is the vast range of his greed for money. Only if, he cared to see the consequences he would face...