Scarface

Scarface is a 1983 film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino as Antonio “Tony” Montana. A remake of the 1932 Howard Hawks gangster film, it tells the story of a fictional Cuban refugee who comes to Florida in 1980 as a result of the Mariel Boatlift.

Tony becomes a gangster against the backdrop of the 1980s cocaine boom. The film chronicles his rise to the top of Miami’s criminal underworld and subsequent downfall. The film is loosely based on the 1932 fictionalized Al Capone biopic, Scarface.

Although initially released to little fanfare, and the target of harsh reviews, Scarface has more recently re-emerged as a celebrated film and fixture in pop culture, particularly within the world of hip-hop. It developed a phenomenal cult following.

The film is dedicated to Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht, who were the writers of the original Scarface.