Steven Schneider and a team of 30-odd film critics, writers, professors and film buffs examine famous gangster movies of the past 80 years in this 2009 release. Part of Barron's 'Movies You Must See Before You Die' series, it offers up a smorgasbord of classic and little-known crime flicks.
101 GANGSTER MOVIES presents a decade-by-decade survey of the genre. The first film covered is THE MUSKETEERS OF PIG ALLEY, made in 1912; the last, 2006'S EASTERN PROMISES. Though most of the usual suspects are included - PUBLIC ENEMY, HIGH SIERRA, GODFATHER 1 and 2; BULLITT, THIS GUN FOR HIRE, THE ROARING TWENTIES, GOODFELLAS, WHITE HEAT, etc. - surprisingly, DIRTY HARRY and MALTESE FALCON, among others, are nowhere to be found.
In any case, each film gets a two-page write-up with two b&w and/or color photographs. Though some of the entries give away the film's ending, I enjoyed GANGSTER MOVIES, moreso than the companion 101 WAR MOVIES volume. Though GANGSTER MOVIES used some of the same reviewers, the entries in GANGSTER MOVIES were interesting and informative without sounding too academic, unlike several reviews in WAR MOVIES.
Film buffs should enjoy this latest MUST SEE entry. Recommended. 101 Gangster Movies (101 Movies)'
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