The two British gangster movies Martin Scorsese wants everyone to see: “Just watch them”
The gangster genre truly hit the mainstream when Francis Ford Coppola made The Godfather in 1972, although its roots date back to the early days of cinema, finding popularity in the 1930s with the likes of Little Caesar and, of course, the original Scarface.
Yet, as films became less chained to censorship and traditional values with America’s social and cinematic landscape rapidly evolving, the dawn of the New Hollywood era welcomed an increased rate of gangster films, which were now able to thrive in all of their bloody and brutal glory.
It didn’t take long for Martin Scorsese to become one of the genre’s leading directors, with his 1973 feature Mean Streets showing a gritty portrait of mafioso characters, complete with some unforgettable Rolling Stones and The Ronettes needle drops. While Scorsese also tried his hand at other genres, like the sports biopic Raging Bull and the musical romance New York, New York, he returned to the gangster genre with Goodfellas in 1990, which is widely regarded as one of the most iconic mafia movies ever made.
Scorsese’s take on the gangster genre always works well because he seems to have a knack for honing in on complex individual portraits of his characters, regardless of the expansiveness of his film. Goodfellas might be two-and-a-half hours in length, but he doesn’t let the importance of his characters and their interior worlds slip away.
It’s no surprise that Scorsese loves the gangster genre, but his appreciation for this specific kind of crime film extends further than the New York mafia archetype. He also loves a British gangster film, and in conversation with Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright for the BFI, Scorsese shared some of his favourites. “There’s a toughness in the British style that doesn’t have any room for compromise. Look at The Long Good Friday or Down Terrace. Just watch them.”
Martin Scorsese’s unexpected love for British gangster classics
The Long Good Friday, released in 1980, starred Bob Hoskins as a gangster named Harold Shand, whose criminal empire is suddenly under threat. Suspicious of the culprit, the crooked crime boss doesn’t let anyone get away with their actions, resulting in plenty of violence and betrayal. The actor was widely praised for his performance, as was Helen Mirren, who starred as his girlfriend, Victoria. It’s one of the quintessential British gangster films, and we certainly wouldn’t have those classic Guy Ritchie crime movies without it.
Down Terrace came later, debuting to acclaim in 2009. Directed by Ben Wheatley, known for his love of eccentric and dark comedy, the film is about as British as they come, and similarly to The Long Good Friday, it focuses on betrayal and retribution, with father and son duo Karl and Bill seeking revenge after their return from prison. The movie was honoured at the British Independent Film Awards, although it now occupies a niche place in the British gangster genre, overshadowed by those made on a much larger budget. Scorsese believes Wheatley’s film is essential, however.
When asked about what it is that makes a British crime film so distinctive, Scorsese explained, “It seems to me it’s in the behaviour of the characters. I think a lot of it has to do with the roots of the underworld in England, going back to Cornwall, wrecking ships, the whole village being in on the destruction in order to take the cargo – Jamaica Inn, basically.”
He concluded, “There’s a strong, mean edge to it, and the characters are hardened. It comes from hundreds of years of being hardened. You go back to the highwaymen, you go back to Dick Turpin, you go back to all of that.”
