Several of my military romance novels revolve around the mob. In fact, many of my characters are in witness protection because of these crime syndicates. Mob bosses are awesome villains — they still have a moral compass, even though they’ll always be the bad guys. All of this got me thinking. What are the essential mob movies that you need to watch? The films on this list are not necessarily the best — that’s way too subjective — but you need to scratch off these classics from your movie bucket list.
1. ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
This is the big one. Considered one of the greatest movies of all time, Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 epic chronicles the fictional Corleone family in New York City. When an aging Mafia don hands down his empire to his son, things really get interesting. “The Godfather” is one of the highest-grossing flicks of all time and remains a critics’ fave.
2. ‘Goodfellas’ (1990)
Another one you need to see before you die. If “The Godfather” defined the mob genre in the ’70s, “Goodfellas” took things to a whole new level in the ’90s. Based on the 1986 book “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese’s high-octane shoot ’em up has it all: great lines, stunning cinematography and a story arc that will keep you glued to your screen right to the end.
3. ‘A Bronx Tale’ (1993)
“A Bronx Tale” is a coming-of-age movie about an Italian boy who is seduced by organized crime in New York City. At first, this movie generated limited critical success but, over time, it’s become a cult classic. Expect 120 minutes of fight scenes, shady characters and dialogue that has since entered the cultural lexicon.
4. ‘Scarface’ (1983)
Whatcha lookin’ at? “Scarface” is instantly quotable — a cult classic with tour de force performances and iconic scenes. Released in 1983, the movie still has cultural resonance today. This tale of drug kingpins and larger-than-life mob bosses is still referenced in music lyrics, comic books and video games.
5.’Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
This movie depicts Los Angeles’ criminal underbelly, with scores of superstar performances and a catchy soundtrack to boot. Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary, 1994’s “Pulp Fiction” had a modest budget — around $8 million — but it went on to gross more than $210 million at the box office.
These five movies have it all: punch-ups, car chases and bank robberies. At the center of these films, there are intricate tales of wealth, status and family struggles — just like any good novel. If you’re a fan of my military romance novels that feature the mob, I recommend you check out these all-time classics.
Honorable Mention
There are too many great mob movies to mention, but two movies come very close to making it into my top 5. ‘Casino’ (1995) is an epic film directed by Martin Scorsese (who also directed Goodfellas) and starring an amazing cast including Robert DeNiro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci. ‘Casino’ is based on the true story about the mob’s influence and control of Las Vegas casinos.
Another honorable mention movie is ‘The Departed’ (2006) – another film directed by Martin Scorsese – that focuses on the Irish Mob in Boston. ‘The Departed’ is loosely based on famous gangster Whitey Bulger and corrupt FBI agent John Connolly who grew up with Bulger.
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