top 15 most captivating gangster performances

Theres so many I had to include more than 10. what you guys think?

My list is (not in order of preference):

1. paul muni - scarface
2. al pacino - godfather I/II
3. james cagney - roaring 20s
4. james cagney - public enemy
5. robert de niro - goodfellas
6. ray liotta - goodfellas
7. joe pesci - goodfellas
8. al pacino - donnie brasco
9. william forsythe - al capone in "Untouchables"
10. john garfield - force of evil
11. ben kingsley - sexy beast
12. bob hoskins- the long good friday
13. chazz palminteri - a bronx tale
14. robert de niro - once upon a time in america
15. edward g robinson - key largo

What do I think? Im personally insulted Marlon Brando doesn't warrant a mention on your "most captivating gangster performances" list.

I declare war over thes hare interenets!!!11!one

Seriously, cool list. But where's Brando? IMO, Don Corleone has to be one of the most captivating portrayals, if not the one of the more realistic. Also, as far as the 'captivating' notion goes, Im surprised Pacino's Tony Montana didn't make your list. Different opinions I guess.

Kingsley's Don Logan is a great choice but. Too many people have not seen that movie, and Kingsley seriously steals the show. "Fokkin' whot?"

My Apologies


1. paul muni - scarface
2. al pacino - godfather I/II
3. james cagney - roaring 20s
4. james cagney - public enemy
5. robert de niro - goodfellas
6. ray liotta - goodfellas
7. joe pesci - goodfellas
8. al pacino - donnie brasco
9. william forsythe - al capone in "Untouchables"
10. john garfield - force of evil
11. ben kingsley - sexy beast
12. bob hoskins- the long good friday
13. chazz palminteri - a bronx tale
14. robert de niro - once upon a time in america
15. Marlon Brando -godfather I

Didnt care for De Palmas Scarface. Pacino was good but I think hes more interesting in the above films

1 - Godfather - Brando
2 - Goodfellas - Deniro
3 - Goodfellas - Pesci
4 - Casino - Pesci
5 - Donnie Brasco - Pacino
6 - Bronx Tale - Palminteri
7 - Gotti - Assante
8 - American Gangster - Washington
9 - Untouchables - De-Niro
10 - Scarface - Pacino
11 - Departed - Nicholson
12 - Pulp Fiction Jackson, Travolta, Rhames
13 - Hoodlum - Roth
14 - Reservoir Dogs - Keitel
15 - Carlitos Way - Pacino

Forgot about Roth. He was pretty damn good as the dutchman.

"im going to the library and check out that new book youre reading... how to fuck friends and irritate people"

in no order

marlon brando-godfather
gary oldman-state of grace
pacino-scarface
tom sizemore-witness to the mob..tv
wood harris as avon-the wire
deniro-goodfellas
wesley snipes-new jack city
greg sierra as felix barbosa ---deep cover
pacino-donny brasco
pesci-goodfellas
"russian" mob boss-25th hour...one scene..few lines..but he stole the film
don cheadle-devil in a blue dress
larenz tate-menace 2 society
fred williamson- black ceasar

Let me submit:

Orson Welles as Harry Lime in The Third Man

"You know what the fellow said – in Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

I realize people are reluctant to put in everyone from The Godfather, but I think De Niro and John Cazale have to be included. Caan is highly underrated, too.

I'd add to the list:

Cagney in "White Heat."
Warren Beatty in "Bugsy."
Rod Steiger in "Al Capone."

Yes. Funny, thinking of films, I totally overlooked things like The Wire and Sopranos. They definitely qualify as far as captivating performances.

I'll add Michael K. Williams as "Omar" and Gandolfini's Tony Soprano as some obvious ones.