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Scarface
After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall.
1983 · Directed by Brian De Palma · 170 min · Action · Crime · Drama · Screenplay in the scene database · 51 frames
Tagline
He loved the American Dream. With a vengeance.
Plot
In 1980, ex-convict Cuban refugee Tony Montana arrives in Miami as part of the Mariel boatlift with his friend Manny Ribera and their companions, Angel and Chi-Chi. Miami drug lord Frank Lopez arranges green cards for them in exchange for murdering a former henchman of Fidel Castro. Dissatisfied with their jobs as restaurant dishwashers, Tony and Manny meet with Frank's right-hand man, Omar Suarez, who sends the four to purchase cocaine from Colombian dealers. Tony and Angel are taken at gunpoint; Tony is made to watch as Angel is slaughtered with a chainsaw, before Manny and Chi-Chi rescue him. They kill the dealers and insist to Omar that they deliver the drugs and money to Frank in person, suspecting Omar set them up.
Tony and Manny begin working for Frank while Tony is attracted to Frank's trophy wife, Elvira Hancock. Tony visits his mother, and sister Gina. Tony gives his mother $1,000, claiming he earns money as a political organizer. Tony's mother is angered by his lie, berates Tony for his criminal lifestyle, and kicks him out. Gina runs outside to reassure Tony, and he lets Gina keep the money and walk back inside. Manny expresses attraction towards Gina, but Tony sternly warns Manny to stay away from her. Frank sends Tony and Omar to Bolivia to meet cocaine kingpin Alejandro Sosa. Omar is angered when Tony seeks to negotiate a large deal without Frank's approval. Sosa sends Omar off but keeps Tony behind to watch his men hang Omar from a helicopter, and tells Tony that Omar is a police informant and that Frank has poor judgment for trusting him. Tony says he never trusted Omar. Sosa takes a liking to Tony for his integrity and agrees to the deal, but not before delivering Tony a stern warning to never double-cross him.
Back in Miami, Frank is furious at Tony for his unauthorized deal with Sosa and Omar's demise. Severing business ties with Frank, Tony sets up his own cocaine operation and continues flirting with Elvira, further infuriating Frank. Mel Bernstein, a corrupt detective on Frank's payroll, attempts to extort Tony for police protection. Tony confronts Gina upon finding her making out with a man in a club bathroom. At the club, hitmen seek to assassinate Tony, who escapes with minor wounds. He later confronts Frank and Bernstein about the attack, forcing Frank to confess. Tony has Manny kill Frank before killing Bernstein. Tony then takes complete control of Frank's drug operation and assets, making everything his own. He marries Elvira and becomes the distributor of Sosa's cocaine. This makes Tony one of the most powerful drug lords in Miami, overseeing his rapidly growing drug empire from a large, heavily guarded estate.
Plot summary from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
Crew
- Screenplay: Oliver Stone
- Cinematography: John A. Alonzo
- Edited by: David Ray, Gerald B. Greenberg
- Music: Giorgio Moroder
- Production design: Ferdinando Scarfiotti
- Produced by: Martin Bregman
Cast
- Al Pacino as Tony Montana
- Steven Bauer as Manny Ray
- Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira
- Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Gina
- Robert Loggia as Frank Lopez
- Miriam Colon as Mama Montana
- F. Murray Abraham as Omar
- Paul Shenar as Alejandro Sosa
- Harris Yulin as Bernstein
- Ángel Salazar as Chi Chi
Production
- Country: United States of America
- Language: English, Spanish
- Studios: Universal Pictures, Martin Bregman Productions
- Budget: $25,000,000
- Box office: $66,023,329
- Themes: corruption, sibling relationship, miami, florida, cuba, loss of loved one, gangster, cocaine, rise and fall, remake, tragedy
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