description Scarface (1983) Overview
Directed by Brian De Palma, the 1983 American crime film Scarface follows Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee played by Al Pacino, as he enters Miami's cocaine trade and builds a criminal empire. His determination to gain wealth and authority drives the story, but his conduct increasingly damages the relationships on which that power depends. The film connects the attraction of material success with the corruption and violence behind it. Its stylized direction and explicit brutality give it a heightened tone rather than the restraint of a documentary account of trafficking.
The imagery and portrayal of criminal ambition have had a lasting presence in crime-film culture. It suits adult viewers interested in American gangster dramas and stories about power becoming self-destructive. Within the genre, its defining contrast is between Montana's outward display of success and the instability of the world he creates.
help Scarface (1983) FAQ
Is Scarface based on an earlier gangster movie?
Yes. Brian De Palma's 1983 film reworks Howard Hawks's 1932 Scarface, moving the story from Prohibition-era Chicago to Miami's cocaine trade.
Why does Tony Montana leave Cuba for Miami?
Tony arrives during the 1980 Mariel boatlift and initially lives in the Freedomtown refugee camp. After carrying out a killing for a Miami drug dealer, he and Manny Ribera receive documents that let them leave the camp.
Who are Tony Montana's main enemies in Scarface?
Tony first turns against his boss, Frank Lopez, and later creates a dangerous conflict with Bolivian supplier Alejandro Sosa. His refusal to complete a bombing for Sosa directly precipitates the assault on his mansion.
Why was Scarface initially rated X?
The MPAA objected to the film's graphic violence, pervasive profanity, and cocaine imagery. After appeals and edits, Universal released it with an R rating in December 1983.
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