A gutsy 30s gangster noir with two 'hood boys whose paths into adulthood are a complete contrast; Cagney becoming a violent gangster and O'Brien a priest. O'Brien has to fight the local kids' hero-worship of Cagney, and this leads to an emotional and ambiguous climax. Tense, dramatic, well-acted with sharp dialogue. Astounding.
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BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
Certification15 Our Rating
An all time classic 60s movie glamourising the real life story of the Barrow gang who terrorised the American South in the early 30s. 'Reclaiming the American gangster movie, after it had been stolen by the Nouvelle Vague, Penn's film was so successful (and so imitated) that it inevitably met with some grudging devaluation. But it's still great, half comic fairytale, half brutal fact, it reflects the essential ambiguity of its heroes by treading a no man's land suspended between reality and fant
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BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA (1974)
Certification18 Our Rating
A penniless pianist learns that contract-killing target Alfredo Garcia is already dead and sets out to recover his head and claim the bounty. Perhaps Peckinpah's most complex and critically controversial film, an eclectic mix of existensial quest, gothic tale, political critique of American involvement in Latin America and a love story of two losers challenging destiny. Set in Mexico.
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BULLITT (1968)
Certification15 Our Rating
One of the classic thrillers of the late sixties as a copper is assigned to protect a key state witness in a gangster trial. When the witness is killed the hunt is on for who knew where he was. A tense action packed thriller with one of the great car chases of all time.
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GET CARTER (1971)
Certification18 Our Rating
Perhaps Caine's defining role as the ruthless London villain in Newcastle to sort out some gang bovver. When he finds out his niece has become embroiled with some very seedy characters, his involvement becomes far deeper. A violent and slick thriller with an excellent feel for both time and location and a comment on the despair of Britain in the 1970s.
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RIFIFI (1955)
Certification12 Our Rating
Four men set in motion a heist of incredible audacity, a robbery where the level of risk is only matched by the protagonists' meticulous precision, but though the thieves are consummate professionals once the job is done their emotions and animosities begin to threaten the rewards of their hard work. Rififi is renowned for its tense half hour long heist scene in which not a word is ever uttered, and acknowledged as one of the classic examples of French film noir.
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