The 3 Gangster Movies That Actually Beat The Godfather

I read Mario Puzo's The Godfather when I was a kid—way before I ever got round to seeing the film. At the time, I didn't actually think the book was anything to shout about. But the movie? Coppola's adaptation wipes the floor with the novel. I've already seen it five times. There’s a very good reason why it gets thrown around as the greatest gangster flick ever made: the dialogue, the moody lighting, the top-tier performances. Coppola's masterpiece basically dominated the year it came out. We're talking about 1972’s highest-grossing film—$291 million at the box office, which is no small change—and it racked up 11 Oscar nominations, picking up Best Picture to top it off.

But does it really deserve the “best in the business” label? I get why people say it. Nobody’s done a better job making organised crime look so alluring or breaking down the workings of the Cosa Nostra in detail. Thing is, after a lifetime of gangster movies, I reckon there are actually three films out there that trump it.

My Top 3 Gangster Movies That Beat The Godfather

1. 'Goodfellas' (1990)

   If you want to talk about pure entertainment factor—something The Godfather can struggle with if you’re not obsessed with the Italian mob—then Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas leaves it for dust. The Academy might have turned their noses up at the violence and the rapid-fire banter, but the rest of us? Couldn’t get enough. Ray Liotta stars as Henry Hill, an Irish-American who rises through the ranks of the Lucchese mafia before turning FBI informant and dropping everyone in it.

   The film’s loaded with pitch-black comedy. Half these gangsters are complete idiots, cracking jokes even as they’re dealing with literal body parts. That “Funny how?” scene with Joe Pesci—anyone who’s seen it remembers it. And fair play, it was improvised on the spot. Seriously deserves a place in acting textbooks.

   And then there’s the camera work. Scorsese moves between static chats loaded with menace to those famous tracking shots (the Copacabana entrance…) that put you right in the middle of it all. Coppola sticks with brooding faces and long silences—Scorsese gives us wiseguys wisecracking their way through mayhem. If you're after a great time, this is the one. Sorry, Godfather fans: nobody here is being overly serious for two and a half hours straight.

2. 'The Untouchables' (1987)

   Now, most Al Capone stories tend to be a bit of a slog—have you tried sitting through that Capone film with Tom Hardy? Not recommended. The Untouchables sidesteps the usual pitfalls by focusing on the good guys for once. Kevin Costner takes the lead as Eliot Ness, the Prohibition agent on Capone’s tail, with Sean Connery dropping in as his grizzled sidekick and mentor. Yes, De Niro plays Capone himself—hamming it up in a way that’s genuinely terrifying at times.

   The film’s smart, fast, and not afraid to show just how brutal Capone could be. There’s that infamous banquet scene where De Niro’s Capone gives a speech, baseball bat in hand—then uses it (not as a prop). Makes most of The Godfather look like a gentle family dinner. Costner and Connery are brilliant as straight-laced lawmen completely outgunned, but refusing to budge or be bought. Unlike certain mafia films, there’s zero interest here in painting the criminals as likeable rogues. Capone’s a monster, and you’re just waiting for him to finally get what’s coming.

3. 'Scarface' (1983)

   Anyone who reckons Al Pacino peaked as Michael Corleone clearly never watched Scarface. Here he is, unleashed: Tony Montana, Cuban refugee and Miami’s most dangerous coke kingpin, barking out threats with the voice that would become Pacino's trademark.

   Beneath the ultra-violence (chainsaws, helicopter drops, the works), there's a surprisingly sharp immigrant tragedy. Tony rises to the top only to reveal himself as his own worst enemy. Pacino shifts from unpredictable and sullen to absurdly charismatic, making you both root for—and rue—the loudest man in the room.

   If you’ve ever found The Godfather too slow, here’s the answer: chaos, excess, and a reputation for never letting up. Scarface is a proper cautionary tale. Crime gets you money, but also endless grief and paranoia—hence the iconic 'say hello to my little friend' meltdown.

Does The Godfather Still Deserve the Crown?

It’s the classic debate, isn’t it? For record-keeping: The Godfather, coming off a bestselling novel, grabbed almost every major cinema prize in the '70s and set the template for every mafia movie that followed. Cast and crew read like a who’s who: Marlon Brando (Don Vito Corleone), Al Pacino (Michael), James Caan (Sonny), Robert Duvall (Tom Hagen), Diane Keaton (Kay), Richard S Castellano (Clemenza), Sterling Hayden (McCluskey), plus John Marley, Richard Conte, and Al Lettieri in supporting roles.

But for my money, these three films nudge past it for pure impact and entertainment. If you disagree, you know the drill—comments section below.