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American Gangster

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Ridley Scott
Produced by Ridley Scott
Brian Grazer
James Whitaker
Steven Zaillian
Nicholas Pileggi
Written by Steven Zaillian
Starring Denzel Washington
Russell Crowe
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Josh Brolin
Ruby Dee
Lymari Nadal
Ted Levine
John Hawkes
RZA
Carla Gugino
Idris Elba
with Armand Assante
and Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Music by Marc Streitenfeld
Cinematography Harris Savides
Editing by Pietro Scalia
Studio Scott Free Productions
Imagine Entertainment
Relativity Media
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) November 2, 2007
Running time Theatrical cut
157 min.
Extended cut
176 min.
Country United States
Language English
Thai
Budget $100 million [1]
Gross revenue $266,465,037 [1]

American Gangster is a 2007 crime film directed by Ridley Scott adapted from a New York magazine story "The Return of Superfly", by Mark Jacobson, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Washington portrays Frank Lucas, a real-life gangster from Harlem who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War. Crowe portrays Richie Roberts, a detective attempting to bring down Lucas' drug empire.[2] Filming was done on location in New York City. American Gangster was released in the United States and Canada on November 2, 2007. The film was also nominated for two Academy Awards, including a notable Best Supporting Actress nomination for Ruby Dee who appears on screen for less than 10 minutes.

This is the second film Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe worked on since Virtuosity.

Contents

Plot

The beginning shows enforcer Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) burning and shooting a rival to death. Meanwhile Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (Clarence Williams III), a disciplined and intelligent gangster, runs much of Harlem and imparts his wisdom onto Frank, his former driver turned right-hand man. Johnson dies of a heart attack in 1968, at an electronics store. Frank dislikes the new, flashy gangsters that are in line to take over Harlem and decides to take control himself.

Meanwhile, Newark Police Department detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is juggling a failing marriage, late-night law school classes, and his police career. When Richie and his partner, Javier Rivera, discover nearly $1 million in unmarked bills in a car, Richie resists temptation and turns the money in. His rare honesty makes him a hated member of his precinct, causing his partner to be exiled from the force, while Richie's rampant womanizing behavior and undercover double life leads his wife to seek a divorce and custody of their son. After his exiled partner dies from overdosing on "Blue Magic", a relatively new and powerful type of heroin being sold for less money than its competition, Richie's honesty catches him a break when his superior Captain Lou Toback (Ted Levine) puts him in charge of a newly created task force to stop major drug trafficking in Essex County, New Jersey by going after the actual supplier, rather than the middle-men. Richie handpicks honest cops and gets to work on finding who is supplying Blue Magic.

Lucas bought pure heroin wholesale and "chopped it down" only slightly before selling it on the streets. He creates a brand “Blue Magic” and with a great monopoly on quality product, Frank quickly makes a fortune and buys several nightclubs and apartments. He moves his family from North Carolina to New Jersey, where he purchases a large estate for his humble mother. His five brothers are enlisted as his lieutenants in the drug trade – forming “The Country Boys” who work together to traffic and sell dope on New York area streets. During his rise, Frank meets and falls in love with Eva, a Puerto Rican beauty queen. Through his discipline, organization, and willingness to kill those in his way, Frank quickly rises to the top of the Harlem drug and crime scene.

As Frank's business prospers, he makes a point of operating quietly and dressing with a modest conservatism both as a sign of strength and to avoid attracting the attention of the law. However, Frank disregards this habit for his wife for one ostentatious night out, attending the Fight of the Century between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, in a gaudy chinchilla fur coat and hat, along with a ringside seat. As it happens, Roberts is on duty observing the event and sees this unknown, but obviously wealthy person associating with high-level criminals, as well as having better seats than the Italian Mafia. Roberts becomes suspicious, and he begins to investigate this unknown (to him) figure in New York organized crime.

Even as Frank realizes he has exposed himself to police scrutiny, he must make deals with the Mafia, in this case Lucchese crime family Mob boss Dominic Cattano (Armand Assante), and fend off corrupt NYPD detectives, such as Det. Trupo (Josh Brolin), who attempt to extort and threaten him. Trupo's dislike of Frank is capped when his prized Shelby Mustang is bombed before his eyes. Frank must also contend with local crime figure Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), who is taking some of Frank's product, diluting it himself, and selling it under Frank's "Blue Magic" brand name. Unidentified assassins try to kill Frank’s wife, further destabilizing him and threatening his marriage. Things take a turn for the worse when Frank sees the U.S. military vacating Vietnam, Fall of Saigon, which in turn cuts off his primary heroin transportation. His Kuomintang supplier sympathetically tells him "Quitting while you are ahead...is not the same as quitting."

Richie catches another break when his men witness Frank's cousin shooting a woman. They use the driver’s predicament to get him to wear a wire. The wire allows Richie and his task force to discover when a plane carrying drugs is landing, though Richie is ordered to cease his search of the coffins by an incompetent Federal agent who dismisses his assessment of Lucas' dangerousness and ends up calling him a 'Jew.' Meanwhile, Trupo leads his band of police officers to Frank's mansion where they take Frank's emergency cash supply. Frank is enraged at what Trupo did, and sets out to kill him and other associated officers. Frank's mother pleads that he not go through with it, and Frank decides not to murder Trupo. When the plane lands, Richie and his men follow the drugs into Newark's projects and obtain a warrant. A huge group of police and detectives attack the drug apartments en masse and a large shootout ensues. Steve Lucas, Frank's nephew who gave up a promising baseball career with the New York Yankees and began work for his uncle dies in the shootout. Frank is at church when the bust goes down, but he is arrested after the service ends. Richie meets with Frank and makes it clear to him that he has enough evidence to put him away for the rest of his life. He then tells Frank that he has a chance of doing a shorter term in jail if he helps him in the case.

With no other options, Frank decides to provide names of numerous other criminals, including his and Richie’s common enemies: corrupt NYC detectives. Numerous corrupt cops are arrested, and a distraught Trupo kills himself to avoid arrest. Richie, having passed the bar exam, prosecutes Frank. In the end, three quarters of NYC's Drug Enforcement Agency are arrested and convicted. Some time after the Lucas trial, he eventually leaves the prosecutor's office, and becomes a defense attorney. The first client he takes is Frank. Because of his cooperation, Frank receives a relatively light sentence of 15 years rather than the original 70. He is arrested in 1975. At the film’s end, he steps out of jail in 1991 significantly older and out of place.

Cast

Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas with family

Development

In 2000, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment purchased the rights to "The Return of Superfly", a New York magazine story by Mark Jacobson about the rise and fall of the 1970s heroin kingpin Frank Lucas.[3] In 2002, screenwriter Steven Zaillian brought a 170-page script to director Ridley Scott, who expressed interest in making two films from it. However, Scott did not immediately pursue the project. In November 2003, Universal and Imagine entered negotiations with Brian De Palma to direct Tru Blu, with a script by Zaillian based on Frank Lucas.[4] Zaillian interpreted the story as one of "American business and race", focusing the script thematically on corporate business.[5] Production was initially slated for a spring 2004 start.[4] In March 2004, the studio entered new negotiations with Antoine Fuqua to direct, as well as Denzel Washington to star in the film as Frank Lucas.[6] The following May, Benicio del Toro entered negotiations to star as Detective Richie Roberts, who brought down Lucas. Production of Tru Blu was reset to begin in early fall 2004, with the film slated for a release date of June 3, 2005.[7] In September 2004, Dania Ramirez entered negotiations to join the cast of the film, now titled American Gangster.[8]

Universal Pictures reported that it greenlit American Gangster with a budget of $80 million, which escalated to $93 million, with $10 million for development costs and $3 million for the delay of the production start date. Sources close to the director insist that the budget was $93 million from the beginning. The studio also sought for American Gangster to be produced in Toronto rather than New York City to save money, but Fuqua resisted the re-location. The studio's parent company General Electric received tax credits in New York City, so production was moved to the city. The move, however, inflated the budget to $98 million. Fuqua's camp insisted that it was seeking ways to reduce the budget, but the studio contended several aspects of the project under him. The director had wanted to film a Vietnam sequence in Thailand and to cast notable names such as Ray Liotta and John C. Reilly in minor roles. To add to the studio's budgetary concerns, Fuqua was rewriting the script during the preproduction process. The director also did not have a shot-list, final locations, and supporting actors signed to initiate production.[9]

Fuqua was fired on October 1, 2004, four weeks before principal photography would begin.[9] The studio cited creative differences for the director's departure.[10] After Fuqua's departure, the studio met with Peter Berg to take over directing the film, and Denzel Washington had approved of the choice.[9] Due to the search potentially escalating a budget already in the US$80 million range and the difficulty in recouping the amount based on the film's subject matter, Universal canceled production of American Gangster, citing time constraints and creative elements for its reason.[11] The cancellation cost the studio $30 million, of which $20 million went to Washington and $5 million went to del Toro due to their pay or play contracts. Entertainment Weekly reported that Fuqua's ambition to produce the film was primarily based on the prospect of an African-American director and an African-American actor leading a big-budget film that would potentially be nominated for Oscars.[9]

In March 2005, American Gangster was revived as Universal and Imagine entered negotiations with Terry George to revise Zaillian's script and direct the film, which was to be financed with a target budget of US $50 million.[12] The following May, Will Smith was approached to replace Washington as Frank Lucas, though an offer would be held off until George completed his revision of the script.[13] After a meeting between Scott and Zaillian on another project, Zaillian brought the project up again with Scott, who decided he was ready to do it. Producer Brian Grazer and Imagine executive Jim Whitaker decided against pursuing George's attempt and to return to Zaillian's vision.[14] In February 2006, Ridley Scott entered talks with the studio to take over American Gangster from George, returning to Zaillian's draft as the film's basis. Washington returned to his role as Lucas, and Russell Crowe was attached to star as Roberts.[2]

Production

Writing

Scott had discussed the script with actor Russell Crowe as they worked on A Good Year (2006) in France, and they sought to take on the project. The director reviewed Zaillian's script, Terry George's rewrite, and a revision by Richard Price during the project's incarnation with director Antoine Fuqua. Scott preferred Zaillian's approach and chose to follow it. In realizing the project, the director encountered a challenge in the script since the characters Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts do not encounter each other until twenty minutes before the end of the film. The director sought to flesh out the private universes of the characters that would evolve and have scenes cut between the two characters to provide a balance. Elements like Frank Lucas's interaction with his family and Richie Roberts' dysfunctional marriage were written to add to the characters' backgrounds.[15]

Casting

Denzel Washington, left, and Russell Crowe, right, both met the real-life figures that they portrayed for American Gangster to capture their voices and mannerisms.

Scott chose to direct American Gangster based on the paradoxical values of Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts. The film focuses a bit on the comparatively ethical business practices of the "wicked gangster" and the womanizing and failed marriage of the "do-gooder" police detective. Washington, who was not normally a fan of gangster films, chose to portray Lucas when he saw "the arc of the character" had ended with prices that Lucas paid for his actions.[3] Crowe was drawn to the project based on his previous work with the director on Gladiator and A Good Year.[16] Production was slated in summer 2006.[2] To prepare for their roles, the actors met their real-life counterparts. Washington acquired Lucas's Southern accent, and Crowe practiced to match Roberts's manner of speaking and body language, requesting tape recordings of Roberts to assist in his preparation.[3] The following March, the studio rehired Zaillian to rewrite the script for American Gangster.[14] It was rumored that Washington got paid another $20 million for when the project was greenlit again, that rumor proved to be false. According to Variety, he only signed on for his gross.[17]

Filming

Director Ridley Scott produced television commercials from the 1960s to the 1980s, which entailed visits to New York City in the same time period in which the film's story took place. The director sought to downplay a "Beatles" atmosphere to the film and to instead create a shabbier atmosphere. Scott described his perspective of the setting, "Harlem was really, really shabby, beautiful brownstones falling apart."[15] Production and costume design was emphasized, transforming the location into the rundown streets of upper Manhattan from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Denzel Washington, as Frank Lucas, went through 64 different costume changes.[18]

The director filmed American Gangster in 180 locations, an unusually high number for production, throughout New York's five boroughs. Approximately 50 to 60 locations were set in Harlem alone. The director also found several interiors that had been untouched since the 1940s and despite sanitary concerns, chose to film scenes in these locations. Frank Lucas's apartment in the movie was filmed at Hilton Hotel New York in Midtown Manhattan. All the locations in the film were authentic, with the exception of Frank Lucas' coffee shop, built as a set at the northeast corner of 122nd St and Lenox Avenue. Scott found filming in Harlem to be difficult, describing it as "an area of wide-avenued boulevards" whose concrete pavement and lack of trees provided poor opportunities for shooting angles.[15] As well as being filmed in the five boroughs it was also filmed in Westchester County in Briarcliff Manor.

Release

Box office performance

Over two weeks before the release of American Gangster, a screener for the film leaked online.[19] The film debuted in the United States and Canada on November 2, 2007 in 3,054 theaters.[20] In its opening weekend in the United States and Canada, American Gangster grossed $43,565,115,[21] placing first in the weekend box office.[22] Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo reported that the film had the fastest start domestically for a crime saga and the film also had the best opening weekend for Denzel Washington as well as Russell Crowe.[23] As of April 25, 2009, it has grossed $130,164,645 domestically and $136,300,329 in other territories for a worldwide total of $266,465,037.[21] This makes the movie highly successful as its budget was $100 million and it recouped over two and a half times its budget. It is also actor Denzel Washington's most successful movie.

Critical reception

The film received generally favorable reviews from critics. At the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 199 reviewers approved of American Gangster.[24] On the similar Metacritic, 38 accumulated reviews gave the film an average score of 76 out of 100.[25] American Gangster was observed as a candidate for the Oscars based on the film's style and the performance of the actors, including the possibility of an Academy Award for Best Director for Ridley Scott.[26] In an interview Lucas "was gushing" about the film and Denzel Washington's performance; he said that he felt amazement "at the way he had (him) down."[27] A New York Post article by Susannah Callahan stated that Lucas "admitted to sources that 'only 20 percent of the film is true.'"[28] According to the same article Roberts criticized the film for portraying him in a custody battle while in real life he never had a child.[28] Roberts criticized the portrayal of Lucas, describing it as "almost noble."[28]

Sterling Johnson, Jr., a federal judge who served as a special narcotics prosecutor and assisted the arrest and trial of Lucas, described the film as "1 percent reality and 99 percent Hollywood." Johnson described the real life Lucas as "illiterate," "vicious," "violent," and "everything Denzel Washington was not."[29] Former DEA agents Jack Toal, Gregory Korniloff, and Louis Diaz filed a lawsuit against Universal saying that the events in the film were fictionalized and that the film defamed them and hundreds of other agents.[30] The lawsuit was eventually dismissed.[31]

Top ten lists

The film appeared on 50 critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2007.[32]

Awards

Wins

  • African American Film Critics
    • Best Supporting Actress (Ruby Dee)

Nominations

  • Image Awards
    • Outstanding Motion Picture
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Ruby Dee)

Media release

Soundtrack

American Gangster
Soundtrack by Various Artists
Released November 6, 2007
Recorded 1960-2007 (vocal songs)
April–May 2007 (score)
Genre Soundtrack, R&B, soul
Length 45:29
Label Def Jam
Professional reviews

In 2006 Lyor Cohen's "The Biz," winner Greg Calloway got wind of the film and tried to produce the soundtrack. He presented the idea to Atlantic Records Chairman Craig Kallman and A&R Jean Nelson later to learn it was a Universal Film and that Warner could not take part in the production of the soundtrack. [35] Between April and May 2007, composer Marc Streitenfeld recorded the musical score for American Gangster by using an 80-piece orchestra recorded in sections as well as acoustic pre-records, performed by Streitenfeld himself.[36] Additional score material was composed and recorded by Hank Shocklee.

The official soundtrack album for American Gangster was released by Def Jam Recordings within a week of the film's release. In addition to Streitenfeld and Shocklee's score material, the soundtrack album also features 1960s/1970s period songs by blues and soul musicians such as Bobby Womack, The Staple Singers, Sam & Dave, and John Lee Hooker.[37]

A score album was released by Varèse Sarabande on February 19, 2008.

Denzel Washington originally pressed for film producer Brian Grazer to have rapper and Def Jam president Jay-Z compile a soundtrack for the film, but Grazer and director Ridley Scott resisted because they wanted an authentic 1970s feel to the film. As a result, only two new vocal songs, both done by soul singer Anthony Hamilton's in a 1970s style, were recorded for the film. "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)", a Jay-Z song from his 2001 album The Blueprint, was included in the film's trailer. Instead of directly recording for the film, Jay-Z released an album inspired by the film, similarly titled American Gangster, in conjunction with the release of the film.[37]

Track listing

  1. "Do You Feel Me" – 3:56
  2. "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" – 3:46
  3. "No Shoes" – 2:24
  4. "Across 110th Street" – 3:47
  5. "Stone Cold" – 4:06
    • Performed by Anthony Hamilton
  6. "Hold On I'm Comin'" – 2:31
  7. "I'll Take You There" – 4:34
  8. "Can't Truss It" – 4:39
  9. "Checkin' Up on My Baby" – 2:12
  10. "Club Jam" – 3:10
    • Performed by Hank Shocklee
  11. "Railroad" – 2:20
    • Performed by Hank Shocklee
  12. "Nicky Barnes" – 3:11
    • Performed by Hank Shocklee
  13. "Hundred Percent Pure" – 2:13
  14. "Frank Lucas" – 2:40
    • Performed by Marc Streitenfeld

Home media release

The film was released on DVD and HD DVD February 19, 2008.

The DVD release of American Gangster includes a 2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition with 19:23 minutes of unseen footage[38], which includes an extended ending, the Original Theatrical Version of the film was also included on the set.

A 3-Disc Collector's Edition will also be released which includes the 2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition with a bonus disc and a supplemental collectible 32-page book chronicling the production period of the film. The bonus disc contains two music videos, one by Jay-Z and the other by Ghostface Killah and various movie specials seen on TV about the film, it also includes a Digital Copy of the extended version of the film.

The film was later released on Blu-ray Disc on October 14, 2008, approximately six months after Toshiba officially stopped production of HD DVD.

The Blu-ray Disc version of the film includes both the Theatrical and Unrated Extended Edition of the movie on a single 50GB disc.

Works inspired by American Gangster

Main article: American Gangster (album)

The film inspired the rapper Jay-Z to create a concept album, also titled American Gangster. Jay-Z had been shown the film at an early screening, which had "tremendous resonance" to him. The rapper recorded tracks that were prompted by specific scenes in the film. The album American Gangster is a rarity among inspired-by albums because only one artist is recording it, especially a major artist that had no role in the film. The New York Times speculated that the album's release in conjunction with the film would attract young moviegoers and help Universal Pictures generate profits to recover from the film's troubled development history.[37]

Licensed merchandise

In November 2007, Gameloft developed a mobile video game based on the movie, American Gangster.[39]

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americangangster.htm
  2. ^ a b c Fleming, Michael (2006-02-13). "'Gangster' redux". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117938111.html?categoryid=10&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  3. ^ a b c Kleinknecht, William (2006-10-05). "FROM FOES TO FRIENDS AND NOW ON TO FAME". The Star-Ledger. 
  4. ^ a b Fleming, Michael (2003-11-05). "U is re-Imagined". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117895211.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  5. ^ Leland, John (2006-10-29). "Gross National Product". The New York Times. 
  6. ^ Snyder, Gabriel; Michael Fleming (2004-03-15). "'Tru Blu' has liftoff at Imagine". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117901768.html?categoryid=1238&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  7. ^ Fleming, Michael (2004-05-23). "Del Toro's 'Tru' calling". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117905459.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  8. ^ "Ramirez Joining Fuqua's American Gangster". ComingSoon.net. 2004-09-13. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/topnews.php?id=6358. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  9. ^ a b c d Rebecca Ascher-Walsh; Jeff Jensen (2004-10-22). "'Gangster' Wrap". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,724273,00.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
  10. ^ Fleming, Michael (2004-10-03). "Fuqua ankles 'Gangster'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117911326.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  11. ^ Fleming, Michael (2004-10-06). "'American Gangster' pic rubbed out by U". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117911582.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  12. ^ Fleming, Michael (2005-03-13). "U's still high on 'Gangster'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117919334.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  13. ^ Fleming, Michael (2005-05-30). "Thesp's 'American' dream". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117923659.html?categoryid=1238&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  14. ^ a b Fleming, Michael (2006-03-23). "U gets going on 'Gangster'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117940290.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  15. ^ a b c Edward Douglas (2007-10-25). "Ridley Scott's American Gangster". ComingSoon.net. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=38623. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
  16. ^ Morris, Wesley (November 5, 2006). "Russell Crowe learns to smile". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/11/05/russell_crowe_learns_to_smile/. 
  17. ^ Thompson, Anne (Oct. 17, 2007). "American Gangster: A Grazer Tale". Thompson on Hollywood. http://weblogs.variety.com/thompsononhollywood/2007/10/american-gangst.html. Retrieved 2007-11-04. "Denzel Washington had already gotten paid his upfront guarantee pay-or-play, so he signed on just for his gross." 
  18. ^ Schwartz, Robert (2007-04-24). "'Gangster' puts hit on gentrification". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963680.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-04-30. 
  19. ^ "‘American Gangster’ Leaked Online a Whole Week Early!". New York. October 24, 2007. http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/10/american_gangster_leaked_onlin.html. Retrieved 2007-10-24. 
  20. ^ Pamela McClintock; Dave McNary (2007-11-01). "Buzz builds for fall box office". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975237.html?categoryId=1082&cs=1. Retrieved 2007-11-02. 
  21. ^ a b "American Gangster (2007)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=americangangster.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-25. 
  22. ^ "Crime pays at box office for 'American Gangster'". Reuters. 2007-11-04. http://in.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idINIndia-30327520071104. Retrieved 2007-11-04. 
  23. ^ Brandon Gray (2007-11-05). "'American Gangster' No. 1 with a Bullet". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2414&p=.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-06. 
  24. ^ "American Gangster". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_gangster/. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  25. ^ "American Gangster (2007): Reviews". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/americangangster. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  26. ^ Paul Harris (2007-09-30). "Why drug lord fascinates US". Guardian Unlimited. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2180318,00.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
  27. ^ Bradley Davis (October 26, 2007). "Breakfast with the real 'American Gangster'"]. Dateline (MSNBC). http://insidedateline.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/10/26/432807.aspx. 
  28. ^ a b c Susannah Cahalan (November 4, 2007). "GANGING UP ON MOVIE'S 'LIES'". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/seven/11042007/news/nationalnews/ganging_up_on_movies_lies_8968.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
  29. ^ "Is 'American Gangster' really all that 'true'?". CNN. January 22, 2008. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/22/film.american.gangster.ap/. 
  30. ^ "DEA agents sue over 'American Gangster'". WPRI. http://www.wpri.com/Global/story.asp?S=7734178&nav=F8nI. 
  31. ^ Larry Neumeister (February 15, 2008). "Lawsuit Brought by Retired Federal Drug Agents Dismissed". http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4298358&page=1. 
  32. ^ "Metacritic: 2007 Film Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2007/toptens.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-05. 
  33. ^ David Germain; Christy Lemire (December 27, 2007). "'No Country for Old Men' earns nod from AP critics". Associated Press, via Columbia Daily Tribune. http://www.columbiatribune.com/2007/Dec/20071227Go!013.asp. Retrieved 2007-12-31. 
  34. ^ Peter Travers (December 19, 2007). "Peter Travers' Best and Worst Movies of 2007". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17686508/peter_travers_best_and_worst_movies_of_2007/6. Retrieved 2007-12-20. 
  35. ^ Greg_Calloway
  36. ^ Dan Goldwasser (2007-05-15). "Marc Streitenfeld scores Ridley Scott's American Gangster". ScoringSessions.com. http://www.scoringsessions.com/news/87/. Retrieved 2007-05-20. 
  37. ^ a b c David M. Halbinger; Jeff Leeds (2007-09-20). "For Jay-Z, Inspiration Arrives in a Movie". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/20/arts/music/20jayz.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03. 
  38. ^ http://movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=4896
  39. ^ "American Gangster Review". IGN.com. November 16, 2007. http://wireless.ign.com/articles/835/835899p1.html. Retrieved October 10, 2008. 

Bibliography

  • Leland, John (October 29, 2006). "Gross National Product". The New York Times. 
  • Collins, Max Allan (October 2007) (Mass Market Paperback). American Gangster. Novelization of the film. Forge Books. ISBN 0765359014. 

External links

Films directed by Ridley Scott
1970s
The Duellists (1977) · Alien (1979)
1980s
Blade Runner (1982) · Legend (1985) · Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) · Black Rain (1989)
1990s
Thelma & Louise (1991) · 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) · White Squall (1996) · G.I. Jane (1997)
2000s
Gladiator (2000) · Hannibal (2001) · Black Hawk Down (2001) · Matchstick Men (2003) · Kingdom of Heaven (2005) · A Good Year (2006) · American Gangster (2007) · Body of Lies (2008)
2010s
Robin Hood (2010)
See also: 1984 (television commercial) (1984), Boy and Bicycle (short film) (1965)

Quotes

Up to date as of January 14, 2010

From Wikiquote

American Gangster is a 2007 crime film about a detective in 1970s America who works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country from the Far East.

Directed by Ridley Scott. Written by Steven Zaillian.
There are two sides to the American dream (taglines)

Contents

Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson

  • This is the problem. This is what’s wrong with America. It’s gotten so big you can’t find your way.
  • This is the problem. This is the way it is now: You can’t find the heart of anything to stick the knife.
  • Forget it, Frank. There's no one in charge.

Frank Lucas

  • It’s chaos. Every gorilla for hisself.
  • The man I worked for, he had one of the biggest companies in New York City- he ran it for more than fifty years. Fifteen years, eight months, nine days- I was with him every day. I looked after him, took care of him, protected him... I learned from him. Bumpy was rich, but he wasn't white man rich, you see he wasn't wealthy. He didn’t own his own company. He thought he did, but he didn’t. He just managed it. White man owned it so they owned him. Nobody owns me, though. Because I own my company. And my company sells a product that’s better than the competition at a price that’s lower than the competition.
  • The most important thing in business is honesty, integrity, hard work, family, never forgetting where we came from. See, you are what you are in this world, that’s either one of two things: Either you're somebody ... or you’re nobody. I'll be right back
  • That basically the whole picture right there.
  • [To Trupo]'Detective. There are some things you don’t do. This is one of them. Not on a man’s wedding day.
  • Brand names mean something, Nicky. Consumers rely on them to know what they’re getting. They know the company isn’t going to try to fool them with an inferior product. They buy a Ford, they know they’re gonna get a Ford. Not a fuckin' Datsun. Blue Magic is a brand name; as much a brand name as Pepsi. I own it. I stand behind it. I guarantee it and people know that even if they don’t know me any more than they know the chairman of General Foods.
  • I do pay them, I pay them all. Cops, accountants, lawyers, who don’t I pay? Everybody. I pay them a fortune, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t satisfy them. The more you pay, the more they expect. You can’t start with them because they can’t stop. It’s like dope. They always want more.
  • This is my home. My country. Frank Lucas don't run from nobody. This is America.

Det. Richie Roberts

  • The number one fear of people isn't dying, it's public speaking.
  • Pick up the fuckin' glass!
  • For a cop the uppermost thing is the arrest. For a prosecutor, the arrest is nothing without the evidence to convict. We don’t have any real evidence on anyone on this board, so they’re coming down. We’re starting over from the street.
  • His name is Frank Lucas. Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina. Couple of arrests years ago. Gambling, robbery, unlicensed firearm. For fifteen years he was Bumpy Johnson’s collector, bodyguard and driver. He was with him when he died. Five brothers, he’s the oldest, lots of cousins, all living here now, spread out around the boroughs and Jersey. The brothers are Eugene Lucas in Brooklyn, Earl Lucas in Newark, Lester Lucas in Queens, Turner Lucas, the Bronx and Teddy Lucas, in Bergen County. Except for the chinchilla coat, which no one can explain, Frank’s life seems orderly and legitimate. He gets up early. Five a.m. Has breakfast at a Midtown place, usually alone. Then goes to work. Meeting with his accountant, or lawyer, dropping in on one of the several office buildings he owns. Nights, he usually stays home. When he does go out, it’s to a club or dinner - with his new wife - friends, celebrities, sports figures - never O.C. guys. Sundays he takes his mother to church. Then drives out to change the flowers on Bumpy’s grave. Every Sunday, no matter what.
  • Won’t get any informants. Not inside. It’s like a Sicilian family. Like he’s structured his own family the same way to protect himself. Being with Bumpy long as he was, he would have been around Italians a lot. Enough to learn that much.

Others

  • Rossi: They seize it, arrest everybody, whack it up and sell it back to us. Our dope. They been living off it for years, these New York cops. They basically control the market with it. What the fuck has happened to the world, Frank?
  • Toback: What’re you doing counting this in front of everybody? Are you out of your fuckin' mind? Take it into a room. Now.
  • Rivera: I’m a leper. Because I listened to you and turned in a million fucking dollars. You know who’ll work with me after that? Same as you. No one.
  • Tango: What’re you going to do, boy? Shoot me in broad daylight? In front of everyone?
  • Trupo: When’s the last time I was in Jersey? Let me think. Never. What’re you doing coming over here without letting anybody know? You don’t know you can get hurt doing that? You got your money. Now, never, ever, come into the city again unannounced. You come in to see a fuckin Broadway show you call ahead first to see if it’s okay with me.
  • Cattano: I always wonder if people know when history’s being made. And what they’re doing at the time. This, for instance, could be a historic moment, and you’re sipping a glass of ice water.
  • Laurie:What are you saying? That because you were “honest” and didn’t take money like every other cop, I left you? You don’t take money for one reason: to buy being dishonest about everything else. And that’s worse than taking money nobody gives a shit about - drug money, gambling money nobody’s gonna miss. I’d rather you took it and been honest with me. Or don’t take it, I don’t care. But don’t then go cheat on me. Don’t cheat on your kid by never being around. Don’t go out and get laid by your snitches and secretaries and strippers. I can tell just by looking, she’s one of them. You think you’re going to heaven because your “honest.” You’re not. You’re going to the same hell as the crooked cops you can’t stand.
  • US Attorney: No fucking nigger has accomplished what the American Mafia hasn’t in a hundred years!
  • Cattano: Success. It's got enemies. You can be successful and have enemies or you can be unsuccessful and have friends.

Dialogue

Campizi: I swear to God, Richie, I didn’t know it was you. I would never slam a door on your hand. Knowingly.
Richie: You bit my fuckin' hand!
Richie: [after finding the money in the back of the car] This isn’t a couple of bucks.
Rivera: It’s the same thing. In principle.
Richie: We’re talking about principle?
Rivera: Richie, a cop who turns in this kind of money says one thing: He’ll turn in cops who take money. We’ll be pariahs.
Richie: We’re fucked either way.
Rivera: Not if we keep it. Only if we don’t. Then we’re fucked, you’re right. But not if we keep it.
Richie: Yes, we are.
Rivera: Goddamn it, did we ask for this? Did we put a gun to someone’s head and say, Give us your money? Cops kill cops they can’t trust. We can’t turn it in.
Chinese General: How would you get it into the States?
Frank: You ain't got to worry about that.
Chinese General: Who do you work for in there?
Frank: You ain't got to worry about that, neither.
Chinese General: Who are you really?
Frank: It says right there. Frank Lucas.
Chinese General: I mean, who you represent?
Frank: Me.
Richie: Bandage his head.
Paramedic: Detective ... he’s dead.
Richie: I know he’s fucking dead. Bandage his head, clean him up, put him on a gurney and prop it up so he’s sitting. And open his eyes.
Tobuck: Richie, a detective who doesn’t have the cooperation of his fellow detectives can’t be effective.
Richie: You know why I don’t have it.
Toback: Doesn’t matter.
Richie: No, they’re all on the take and I’m not and it doesn’t matter to anyone. Instead of giving you a medal for turning in money, they bury you.
Frank: What is this?
Huey Lucas: What? This? These are clothes.
Frank: Yeah that.
Huey: This is a very, very, very nice suit.
Frank: That's a very, very, very nice suit, huh?
Huey Lucas: Yeah.
Frank: That's a clown suit. That's a costume, with a big sign on it that says "Arrest me". You understand? You're too loud, you're making too much noise. Listen to me, the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.
Banker: You got a stockbroker, Frank?
Frank: I deal with enough crooks as it is.
Cattano: How you feel about monopolies?
Frank: What, the game?
Cattano: Monopolies are illegal in this country, Frank, because no one can compete with a monopoly. If they let the dairy farmers do that, half of them would go out of business tomorrow.
Frank: I’m just trying to make a living.
Cattano: Which is your right. Because this is America. But not at the unreasonable expense of others. That’s un-American. You know the price you pay for a gallon of milk doesn’t represent its true cost of production. It’s controlled. Set.
Frank: I set a price I think is fair.
Cattano: It’s very unfair, in fact. Your customers are happy, but what about your fellow dairy farmers? You’re not thinking of them.
Frank: I’m thinking of them as much as they ever thought of me.
Eva: Why would you trust these people, the way they look at you?
Frank: They look at me like it’s Christmas and I’m Santa Claus.
Richie: You going to the fight?
Spearman: I don't like boxing.
Richie: It's not about boxing, it's about politics.
Trupo: Want to come over here a minute, Frank? [points to the heroin in the trunk of the car] Now what are we gonna do about this?
Frank: We’re gonna shut the trunk and go home to our wives, have some warm apple pie, apple cider.
Trupo: I got a better idea. [Takes out two slabs of heroin] Or would you rather I took it all and threw you and your brother in the fuckin' river?
Frank: I don’t know, would you rather it’s your house that blows up next time?
Richie: What the fuck is a microwave?
Tony: It’s a scientific force like atomic energy. It rearranges the molecules.
Richie: Of what?
Tony: Of anything. Of popcorn. You don’t want to put your head in there.
Trupo: What's this? Don't tell me you're actually gonna arrest Frank Lucas, are you?
Richie: What? Haven't you heard? We're all fucking crazy over here. You know what we do here? Cops... arrest... bad guys. The next time you come across the bridge, you should call me first. Just make sure it's safe.
Richie: INS, FBI, IRS - I can’t get anything out of them. Nothing on his travel, his bank accounts, property holdings - nothing.
Toback: That’s because they all think you’re on the take and you think they are.
Richie: They don’t want this to stop. It employs too many people. Cops, lawyers, judges, probation officers, prison guards. The day dope stops coming into this country, a hundred thousand people lose their jobs.
Frank: I’m watching the news. Where the hell’s everyone going?
Nate: Home. The war’s over.
Frank: Just like that? We’re going to leave the fuckin' country to the communists?
Nate: We been here since 1961, Frank.
Frank: I haven’t!
Trupo: Your husband’s illustrious career is over. The Feds are going to come in and take it all. Everything. But not before I get my gratuity. Where’s the money?
Ana: There was some on that dresser, but it’s gone now so I guess you took it.
Trupo: The money! The getaway money Frank and every other gangster keeps in his house!
Ana: If you leave now, there’s a chance Frank might not kill you.
Richie: The warrant permits me to search the plane and its cargo.
[Soldiers aim their rifles at Richie])
Captain: But you don’t have my permission.
Richie: I don’t need it.
US Attorney: That was a military transport plane. If there was heroin on board then someone in the military would have to be involved. Which means that even as it fights a war that’s claimed 50,000 Americans lives, the military is smuggling narcotics. That’s how these events are being interpreted by General Easton in that call to me. That someone employed by the this office believes the United States Army is in the drug trafficking business - and is trying to prove it by desecrating the remains of young men who’ve given their lives in the defense of democracy.
Richie: There are drugs on that plane-
US Attorney: Shut the fuck up.
US Attorney: Is it any wonder then, because of your actions, the entire federal narcotics program is now in jeopardy of being dismantled as completely and enthusiastically as that fucking transport plane? That’s what you’ve accomplished Mr. Roberts. Single-handedly.
Richie: I had good information the target of my investigation was bringing dope in on that plane.
US Attorney: And that target is?
Richie: Frank Lucas.
US Attorney: Who? Who’s Frank Lucas? Who’s he work for? Which family?
Richie: He’s not Italian. He’s black.
US Attorney: Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? You’re this close to the end of your career in law enforcement, you’re making jokes?
Richie: My investigations indicate that Frank Lucas is above the mafia in the dope business. My investigations also indicate that Frank Lucas buys directly from the source in Southeast Asia, cuts out all the middlemen, and uses US military planes and personnel to transport No. 4 heroin into United States.
Frank: I just heard something. I said it couldn’t be true. You didn’t really turn in a million dollars you found in the trunk of a car, did you? Want me to tell you what happened to it? It ended up in cops’ pockets.
Richie: Maybe.
Frank: Maybe? No. It did. All you did was give it to them for nothing in return. Not nothing: You got their contempt. Why’d you do that? What’re you trying to prove, you’re better than them? You’re not better than them. You are them.
Richie: I don’t have the time or interest to listen to this-
Frank:You did it because it was right. That’s all. Why’s that hard to say? The question is would you do it again? That was a long time ago. It’d be very easy to find out. Tell me you want to find out, tell me the address, and a car will be there, the trunk loaded.
Richie: No, thanks.
Frank: Let me ask you something. You think by putting me in jail, you’re going to stop even one junkie from dying? Because you won’t. If it isn’t me, it’ll be someone else. With me or without me, nothing’s going to change.
Richie: Then that’s the way it is.
Frank: Now, I got no problem with you showin' up in court tomorrow with your head blown in half.
Richie: Get in line. That one stretches around the block too.
Richie: I want to know everyone you’ve met for the last twenty years. Everyone you sold to. Every cop you ever paid off. Every one who ever stole from you. Every one you remember.
Frank: Oh, I remember them all. That’s not the problem.
Richie: What is?
Frank: The jail’s aren’t big enough.
Frank: What can you promise me?
Richie: I can promise you you lie about one name- you'll never get out of prison. You lie about one dollar, one offshore account- you'll never get out of prison. (sips coffee) Now you can be rich- in jail- for the rest of your born days... Or be poor outside for some of them. That's what I can promise you.

Taglines

  • There are two sides to the American dream.

Cast

External links

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