SCARFACE

US, 1983, 162 minutes, Colour.
Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, F. Murray Abraham, Robert Loggia.
Directed by Brian de Palma.

Scarface is a remake and update of Howard Hawks' original film - with a dedication to Hawks and his screenwriter Ben Hecht. It was one of the big-budget films of 1983 - but raised difficulty with the censors because of some violence and constant swearing. Critics were hostile to the film although it was popular with the public.

Oliver Stone (writer of Midnight Express) researched the Cuban immigrants to the United States in the early '80s and the drug links with South America. He uses the basic outline of Hecht's screenplay and makes some interesting parallels as well as changes. The world of gangsterism of the '80s is focused on drugs and inordinately large sums of money being laundered compared with Prohibition and alcohol in the 1930s. However, the violence is much the same only more graphically portrayed in the later film. Al Pacino gives a vivid performance as Tony Manero, almost entirely unsympathetic. He has a globe with lights saying 'The world is yours' (paralleling the original film) and the film ends with a close-up of this sign.

While the film is not so explicitly moralising, it presents gangsters unsympathetically and is a fable on 'What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world. The film is almost three hours in length, parallels The Godfather in its presentation of gangsters and violence. There is a strong supporting cast and an excellent use of sets (thd major ones of which are ultimately destroyed, like Tony Manero himself). There is a wide range of Giorgio Moroda songs and musical background styles. Direction is by Brian de Palma, a specialist in horror thrillers including Sisters, Carrie, Obsession, Dressed to Kill. A vivid film of an ugly world.

Its reputation has grown over the decades.

1 Audience response to the film? Popular at the box office? Ignored for award nominations? Critics against the film? A gangster film of the 1980s?

2. How successful as a remake and update of Howard Hawks' original? Plot similarities and differences? Characters? The world of gangsters and crime? The dynamic power of the original moving the remake? The comparisons of 50 years - in the gangster world, in techniques of film communication? (The influence of The Godfather films and the epic treatment of gangsters?)

3. An authentic atmosphere: the prologue and the Cuban refugees of the early '80s, life in Florida, the interiors of Columbia? The world of drugs, wealth? Gangsters, police, politicians? The sets, the special effects for violence? The musical score -themes, songs?

4. The length of the film and its impact? The long build-up of Tony's character and empire? Situations and characters? The second half and his decay and collapse? The violent finale?

5. Al Pacino and his presence? First impressions, youthful. Scarface, growing ruthlessness, some smiles but hungry for power and wealth. his eagerness, learning, smart, smug? His success and then decline, fat, seedy, drug-taking, decayed and demented? A skilful portrait bringing a gangster alive?

6. The structure of the screenplay: the rise and fall of the gangster? The traditional presentation of the rise and fall of a villain? The use of gangster film conventions? The credibility of the character, his origins, drives, opportunities, loyalty, hustling, ambition, success, betrayals, reaching the top - then emptiness, breaking his own rules, retreat and collapse? (The echoes of the Roman Empire and crime, immorality - with the decor of the Babylon Club, Tony's office etc? The Roman Empire-style parallels?)

7. The dedication to Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht: the memory of the '30s the gangster film in the American tradition. the question of moralising, glorifying criminals or not? The past urging of government and the public to act against criminals? The '80s less explicitly moralising? The portrayal of the ugly, the portayal of this world uglily? The parallels of the '20s and '30s with contemporary drug-smuggling and peddling? The parallel with Prohibition - and the television programme with the discussion of the legalising of drugs? The American dream, migrants, their drive, success? The bonds and loyalty? Scarface as an attractive hero - in some aspects or not? The relationship in the original film and the parallels with Manny, with women, Tony's mother, his sister? The visual violence and ruthlessness? '80s elaboration of motivation? The international links with drug questions - and terrorism? The '80s gangster decaying more obviously than that of the '30s. over-reaching himself? Self-destructive - and the finale? The '80s film emphasising the style of a changed world?

8. The American dream and migrants: the docus on the Cubans, the final disclaimer? Castro sending criminals to the United States and clearing his jails? The effectiveness of the credits with the documentary footage of the Cuban boat people? The information given about them? The effect on the Cubans arriving in Florida? The vision of the United States and capitalist success? Tony's frequent comments on communism and the loss of freedoms in Cuba? The anti-Castro tone of the film? Yet the stronger anti-capitalist images? United States and its relationship with Latin America? Columbia? Official corruption. police and government corruption? An image of the broader questions of the United STates and Latin American in the '80s?

9. The incorporation of documentary film material for authenticity? The long sequence of the interviews by immigration personnel with the migrants - the echoes of so many films showing migrants arriving on Ellis Island for New York? Information about the Cuban situation, about Tony? His lies? The presentation of the camp for migrants under the freeway? opportunities within the camp? The riot, the assassination and Tony's ruthlessness? The beginning of his career - and the transition to his getting his documents and moving to freedom? Working with Manny selling hot dogs etc.? The irony of the glimpses of 'paradise'? Tony's envy and ambition?

10. The importance of opportunity, the links with the Columbian drugrunners? The set-up and Tony's loyalty, his friend being tortured with the saw - and his letting him die, little emotional reaction? His stubbornness? Manny coming to the rescue and the violence and ruthlessness, the escape? Tony on his way?

11. The encounters with Lopez - the contacts, the Babylon Club, discussions, Tony playing it cool. taking on jobs? LopezIs? estimation of Tony and his loyalty? The encounter with Elvira at home, at the club? Dancing with her - setting his aim for her? The effect on Tony and Manny - the sequence with the girls and Manny indicating how to lure the girls - and getting his face slapped? Tony's irt)-portance and his going to Columbia? The encounter with Sojo? His strong stances - and the revelation of his companion as a police plant? His execution from the helicopter? Tony going up in the world, deals with Sojo? The clash with Lopez and going alone? His success and improved style, clothes, dining out at the Babylon etc.? The policeffan turning up and getting his cut? The buildup to Lopez's attempt on Tony's life at the Babylon? His encounter with Gina and his self-pity? His escape? His revenge on Lopez, arrival, interrogation, Lopez's plea, the policeman's death? A credible picture of the growth of his development in his career? The fulfilling of his dreams?

12. Tony and his drive, the arrival in Florida, his background, anticommunist stances, prison, the camp, the slaying, the envy and the initial jobs, the torture, Lopez and estimating his weakness, Elvira as a dream for him, the success with Sojo, his own success, style Elvira and the dancing, the car sale, the image of the tiger (and one at his wedding)? His capacity for laughing? Redeeming features or not?

13. Lopez and his style, his aides, international connections, shrewd but weak, amoral, the clashes, the death of his aide, the planned massacre in the Babylon Club, the threat of death and his pleading even on his knees and kissing Tony's feet? The assassination on Manny, the death of the policeman - and the offering of the assistant a new job?

14. The character of Elvira: the wasp beauty from Baltimore, snob, background, drug habit, finding life boring, her wealth,, clothes, dancing with Tony, trying to ignore him (and his estimating that she was attracted), the car sale, her laughter? marrying her -and her then becoming boring, her drugs, his ignoring her - and her leaving? The inadequacy of his relationship with her - his love, dreams, inhibitions?

15. The glimpse of Tony's mother - her initial silence, her understanding the truth about him, her not wanting his money, her passionate reaction against him? Gina and her love for her brother? Her being like Tony. wilful? The dance sequence and the going to the men's toilet, Tony's following? Her marriage - and the grief with Tony's killing Manny? The mother being an unwitting help to the death? Her taunting of Tony. her highlighting his incestuous feelings? Her death and his pathetic reaction, grief? The inadequacy of Tony in relating to Gina and Elvira? Father-figure -but more for Gina?

16. Manny and the same background as Tony, easygoing ruthlessness, in the camp, the jobs, a killer, a man with the girls, fascination with Gina, her luring him on, killing Lopez, the changes in Tony's fortune - the question about over-much surveillance? His leaving his post, marrying Gina - the victim of Tony's madness?

17. The comparative absence of the police - the officer with his graft, protection, deals, airline tickets? Connection with Lopez? His being shot by Tony?

18. Columbia and Sojo: shrewdness, executing the police plant, deals with Tony, his power? Acknolwedging Tony's debts and offering to help? The international group at his home and the television expose for 60 minutes? His sending his valet as an assassin? The plan, Tony following the politician to the United Nations, his wife and two children - the scenes showing the children playing? The effect on Tony and his shooting the assassin? The consequences for Tony with Sojo's anger?

19. Tony and his marriage, the joy, the fulfilment of dreams? His own drug-taking - and breaking the rules of the code? His business,' his office and its bizarre colours, his counting money, growing isolation, boring marriage - the bath sequence and his watching television and despising the investigators? His being caught by the police? Deals with lawyers, bail? His hopes and the visit to Columbia, going to New York, the failure of his mission? His life becoming more meaningless? His mother, the death of Manny, Gina? The build-up to the spectacular retribution in the terrorist massacre - with the final vision of 'the world is yours'?

20. The effectiveness of the film in its presentation of Cuban migrants established in squalor in Florida, gradually moving out into a lighter and more affluent world. more exotic? The decor - ultimately destined for destruction especially the Babylon and Tony's mansion)? The effectiveness of the violent sequences - the mime and the cabaret entertainment in the Babylon leading to the massacre? The surveillance in Tony's mansion and the double images, the terrorist commando raid and its spectacular violence?

21. American moralising on the gangster situation - and the fable of gaining the world and losing everything?