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Five Classic Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die
You really should have seen these already
Last year I published a series of articles with perhaps the least original titles imaginable: “Ten Classic Westerns You Absolutely Must See Before You Die,” “Ten Classic War Movies You Must See Before You Die,” “Ten Classic Comedy Films You Must See Before You Die;” you get the idea. What I realized recently is that I had left off my favorite film genre, the gangster movie.
While obviously not as uniquely American as the Western, gangster movies have become an American staple because of our century-long fascination with the Mafia, a fascination that has been documented in movies in a way that virtually coincided with the actual rise (and ultimate decline) of the Mob in America. Many of these films have become cultural touchstones, with their best lines becoming part of the national lexicon and even the fictional characters having more staying power than our most famous politicians. My youngest daughter probably couldn’t pick Ronald Reagan out of a three-person lineup, but she knows who Don Corleone is; I am both horrified by this and proud at the same time.
As I was making the list of the films included here, I encountered something I did not expect. There are certain existential questions we all struggle with, like “Is there…
