Scarface (1932 Film) - Legacy

Legacy

In 1994, Scarface was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The character of Tony Camonte ranked at number 47 on AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains list.

The movie launched George Raft's lengthy career as a leading man. Raft, in the film's second lead, had learned to flip a nickel without looking at it, a trait of his character, and he made a strong impression in the comparatively sympathetic but colorful role. A reference is made in Raft's later role as gangster Spats Columbo in Some Like it Hot, wherein he asks a fellow gangster (who is flipping a nickel) "Where did you pick up THAT cheap trick?"

The film was named the best American sound film by critic/director Jean-Luc Godard in Cahiers du Cinéma.

Brian De Palma directed a 1983 remake starring Al Pacino which has become a cult favorite in its own right. The 2003 DVD "Anniversary Edition" limited edition box set of the 1983 film included a copy of its 1932 counterpart. At the end of the 1983 film, a title reading "This film is dedicated to Ben Hecht and Howard Hawks" appears over the final shot.

In June 2008, the American Film Institute revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Scarface was acknowledged as the sixth best in the gangster film genre.

On the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, Scarface holds a 100% "Fresh" rating with all 27 reviews being positive.

Universal announced in 2011 that the studio is developing a new version of Scarface. The studio claims that the new film is neither a sequel nor a remake, but will take elements from both this and the 1983 version, including the basic premise of a man who becomes a kingpin in his quest for the American Dream. Martin Bregman, who produced the remake, will produce this version, and David Ayer will pen the screenplay.