Scarface: A comparison between 1932 and 1983
“Say hello to my little friend!” Most people know that famous line from the great Cuban drug king Tony Montana in the movie Scarface. Before doing this assignment I had no idea that the 1983 version was a remake of a 1932 version based off of a book. Having been a great fan of the first Godfather movie, I was quite excited to watch the original Scarface for this assignment. The differences between the two versions are greatly influenced by the eras in which they were released.
The 1932 version of Scarface was based in the prohibition era when Alcohol was completely banned in most states. As seen in the movie, men began selling beer illegally to gain a hefty profit. Considering the sale of alcohol was illegal, this brought attention for police agencies, both to fight and
“ignore” the illegal distribution. As Tony Comante spearheads Johnny Lovo's new empire by extorting businesses already buying from competing sellers, he pushes his way to fame and fortune, but soon pushes himself in too deep, driving a competing gang and Johnny Lovo to try and kill Tony. Considering the 1932 version replicated events from a few years before it was released by basing the story off of famous gangster Al Capone, changes were made in the 1983 version to adapt something that was more current to its time.
“ignore” the illegal distribution. As Tony Comante spearheads Johnny Lovo's new empire by extorting businesses already buying from competing sellers, he pushes his way to fame and fortune, but soon pushes himself in too deep, driving a competing gang and Johnny Lovo to try and kill Tony. Considering the 1932 version replicated events from a few years before it was released by basing the story off of famous gangster Al Capone, changes were made in the 1983 version to adapt something that was more current to its time.
1983's version of Scarface focused more on the Cuban immigration and drug trafficking taking place in Miami, Florida. We have Tony Montana working his way up in the world one job at a time. Montana will move from murders to drug deals where he earns enough money to move away from his bosses and into his own empire, but that would only last for so long before he is gunned down in his own mansion. This remake had to go through many changes for it to appeal to the audience of its time instead of re-doing a prohibition era gangster film
The biggest difference between the two versions of Scarface is the era in which they are based. When each version was released, it reflected on events and ideas more current to its own time. In 1932 the Capone era had already past its peak while others were still rising, and in the 80's there was (and still is today) drug trafficking from Cuba into Florida. Relating these movies to their respective eras allowed for the audience relate and more so enjoy having a sense of what it might have been like to live that life. Both movies have illegal acts in them, which of course without those the movie would be completely boring and different. 1932 has the sale of illegal alcohol, where as the 83 version has illegal narcotics. Unless the 1983 version was a complete remake, it would make no sense to show a modern movie with something like beer banned. This was a necessary change to keep the story alive, and still relative to its time. Despite the difference in time and illegal activity, there were many more similarities that kept the two versions alike.
Both Tony Comante and Tony Montana had the same I want everything attitude, they had the same girl problems, and the same family issues. They both want the world, and that is something they clearly state in each version. In the 1932 version, Tony and Poppy are in his new place looking out the window to a sign that says “The World is Yours, Cooks Tours,” to which Tony says “Some day I look at that sign and I say OK, She's mine,” where in 83, Tony says, “I want whats coming to me Frank....The World, and everything in it.” Tony Montana and Tony Comante both rise up in their worlds killing whoever they have to, only to reach the top and quickly fall back down to the graves. Not only is their attitude the same, they both face similar problems.
Tony Montana has his beloved sister Gina, and Tony Comato has his beloved sister Francesca. Not so surprisingly do they both have the same fatherly and over protective mindset. The sister wants to go out and “have fun” at the club, only for Tony ruin the night by scolding her. Despite how protective he is, Tony still brings money to his family, money that his mother knows comes from no good honest job. While the sister loves Tony, the mother absolutely despises him. She constantly yells at him for the ways he earns his money, and warns Gina/Cesca about Tony and who he is. Mamma was right, in both movies Tony would ruin his sisters' life by killing the man she loves, who happens to be Tony's right hand man. Ultimately, Gina and Cesca will die when they are caught in Tony's final battle after they try to kill him on their own. What good would it be to have Tony Montana and Tony Comato die different deaths, of course they both have to go down fighting when their enemies finally catch up to them. The only difference is that the Police kill Tony Comato, and another drug lord kills Tony Montana. Both films had a very similar storyline, the only differences came from the difference in the time periods they were released.
It seems to me that the early era films had less violence in them. Not to say that there was absolutely no fighting, but the intensity of the fights that took place in early films were not nearly as great, nor as gory, as the ones we would see in later years. One of the most notable differences for me was how gory the 1983 version was. In the original movie, there were a few shoot outs that took place out of view from the camera, especially the first scene where Big Louis was killed, as you could only see the silhouette of the shooter. 1983's first murder was right up close and personal. Tony Montana stabbed his victim, and went on to go through an even more horrific drug deal gone wrong, where one of Tony's associates is cut in half by a chainsaw. Certainly each version depicts probably accurate fight scenes. I don't think people in the 1920's were being killed by chainsaws, but they certainly were being gunned down in the streets. Even with that change of fighting from 1932 to 1983, the deaths in the 1932 original were simply men being “shot” and falling down, there was no blood spraying or dramatized deaths. This is simply a change in time. People in the 80's could tolerate more gore and blood, and the technology used to show that was more developed by then. I think the violence in general has changed as the years go by. We have had movies recently that depict far worse, more brutal, and extremely gory deaths than that of being cut in half by a chainsaw. Regardless of the blood and gore, both movies followed their eras with accuracy that allowed them to become as famous as they are.
I am glad I was able to watch both of these movies. I had no idea that the 1983 version with Al Pacino was a remake of a prohibition era gangster film replicating Al Capone. I had seen the long story of Tony Montana and enjoyed watching it, but I much more prefer the older Capone and Dillinger era gang movies, especially Public Enemies. It was not until the St. Valentines Day Massacre that I caught on to the Al Capone references. I almost wish there was a more current remake of the original Scarface or at least a new movie in that same era. Hollywood is still going strong, and I am sure we will have more remakes of other great films in the future.
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