Crime: 145

Rumble Fish (1983), an American drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is based on the novel of the same name by S. E. Hinton. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, Rusty James is the younger brother of ‘The Motorcycle Boy’, a well-known figure among the local gangs who had previously brought peace between them. When the Motorcycle Boy mysteriously disappears for two months, chaos ensues as heroin takes over the streets and Rusty James struggles to maintain his reputation. As he battles a rival gang leader and gains the upper hand, he is suddenly interrupted by the unexpected ...

The Outsiders (1983), an American coming-of-age crime drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is based on S. E. Hinton’s 1967 novel of the same name. In 1965 Tulsa, the Curtis brothers’ parents are deceased, leaving eldest brother Darrel to raise and support his two younger brothers, Sodapop and Ponyboy. The ‘Socs’ continually harass and attack Ponyboy until some of his fellow greasers intervene. Later at the drive-in theater, Dallas attempts to flirt with ‘Soc’ Cherry Valance but instead becomes angry and leaves abruptly. Cherry ...

Widows (1983–1985), a British crime drama that originally aired in 1983 and 1985 on the ITV network, was produced by Euston Films for Thames Television. The two six-part series were written by renowned crime writer Lynda La Plante. During an armed robbery, three men — Harry Rawlins, Terry Miller, and Joe Perelli — are fatally shot, leaving behind their wives Dolly Rawlins, Shirley Miller, and Linda Perelli. With pressure from the police and a rival gang attempting to take control of Harry’s criminal empire, the widows turn to Dolly for guidance. Utilizing Harry’s infamous ‘ledgers’ which detail ...

Vabank (1981) is a Polish comedy heist film written and directed by Juliusz Machulski. It follows the story of Henryk Kwinto, a renowned safe cracker and jazz trumpeter, who is released from prison in October 1934 after serving six years. Upon returning home, Kwinto discovers that his wife has moved on to a new relationship with Karelicki, a police commissioner. He takes out a hidden roll of banknotes from under his chair’s leg, leaves his key on the table, and departs. As he nears the city gates, he is approached by two young criminals, Moks and Nuta, who have recently pulled off a successful jewel store robbery ...

Choice of Arms (1981) is a French crime film directed by Alain Corneau. Noël, a former gangster now breeding horses on his large estate outside Paris with his beautiful wife Nicole, has his tranquil life turned upside down when two wanted crooks arrive in a stolen car. One is an old accomplice known as Serge, who is fatally shot, while the other is a young psychotic named Mickey. Upon Serge’s death, Noël performs a burial for him. However, Mickey soon makes his way to Noël’s house and confronts two police detectives, Bonnardot and Sarlat. After threatening them, he flees to the city and takes refuge with ...

Directed by Abel Ferrara, Ms.45 (1981) is an American exploitation thriller film about a mute seamstress named Thana living in New York City’s Garment District. On her way home from work, she is sexually assaulted at gunpoint by an unknown assailant in an alley. In self-defense, Thana strikes the attacker with a small glass apple and then uses an iron to fatally beat him. Following the traumatic incident, Thana goes into shock the next day when her boss, Albert, aggressively rips a shirt off of a mannequin. This behavior worries her co-workers and she is sent home for the day. Alone at home, Thana dismembers the ...

The American Western film, The Long Riders (1980), directed by Walter Hill, follows the James-Younger gang as they terrorize the Midwestern United States in the years following the Civil War. Led by Jesse James and Cole Younger, along with their brothers, the gang targets banks and trains. During a bank robbery, Ed Miller’s impatience leads to a shootout where Jesse is injured. As a result, Jesse dismisses Ed from the group while his brother Clell stays on. The Pinkerton detective Mr. Rixley is determined to capture the outlaws and ends up accidentally killing a Younger cousin and the youngest James brother, as ...

Don Siegel directed and co-produced the epic prison action thriller film, Escape from Alcatraz (1979). The story follows Frank Morris, a seasoned criminal who is transferred to the infamous maximum security prison on Alcatraz Island in the early 1960s. Known for its strict security measures, no inmate has ever successfully escaped from this facility. On the day of his arrival, Morris swipes a nail clipper from the Warden’s desk. As time passes, he befriends other prisoners such as Litmus, who has a sweet tooth; English, a black man serving two life sentences for killing in self-defense; and Doc, an elderly inmate ...

Série noire (1979), a French crime film directed by Alain Corneau, is based on Jim Thompson’s novel A Hell of a Woman. In the outskirts of Paris, Franck Poupart sells goods door to door on commission, living in a rundown apartment with his despondent wife. Struggling with alcohol and withdrawal symptoms, Franck seeks out a man named Tikides who owes him money. His search leads him to an old woman’s dilapidated house, where he learns that Tikides can be found at the gym. Despite being drawn to a girl he meets there, Franck manages to control his impulses and departs.

The American neo-noir psychological vigilante film Taxi Driver (1976) follows Travis Bickle, a chronic insomniac and lonely man in New York City. To cope, he takes a job as a night shift taxi driver and frequents adult movie theaters while keeping a diary filled with aphorisms. However, he becomes disillusioned with the city’s crime and urban decay, yearning to rid ‘the scum off the streets’. Along the way, Travis becomes infatuated with Betsy, who works as a campaign volunteer for Senator Charles Palantine’s presidential bid. After visiting her at the campaign office and asking her out for coffee, she agrees and confesses to feeling a special ...

Capone (1975), a film directed by Steve Carver and written by Howard Browne, follows the story of Chicago mob boss Al Capone during Prohibition. From his rise to power to his eventual conviction and imprisonment, the film depicts Capone’s control over the city. This includes an incident in Brooklyn on May 6, 1918 where he tipped off police about a fur clothing heist in order to ambush them. However, things take a turn when Capone ends up being thrown through a glass window during the ensuing fight, leaving him with a scarred left cheek. Despite this, he is released ...

The American biographical crime drama film Dog Day Afternoon (1975), directed by Sidney Lumet, follows Sonny Wortzik’s first-time attempt to rob the First Brooklyn Savings Bank on August 22, 1972 with his friends Salvatore ‘Sal’ Naturile and Stevie. However, their plan quickly falls apart as Stevie becomes overwhelmed and runs away. Despite arriving after the daily cash pickup, Sonny and his accomplices only find $1,100 in cash. In a desperate move, Sonny takes the bank’s traveler’s checks and sets fire to the register in a trash can. The smoke draws attention from outside, leading to the ...

The American epic crime film, The Godfather Part II (1974), was produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Loosely based on the novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola, it serves as both a sequel and a prequel to the 1972 film of the same name. In parallel storylines, one follows Michael Corleone in 1958 as he takes on his role as Don of the Corleone family after surviving an assassination attempt. The other delves into his father Vito’s journey from his childhood ...

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), an American crime comedy film written and directed by Michael Cimino, follows the story of a young man named Lightfoot who impulsively steals a car. Meanwhile, an assassin targets a preacher giving a sermon and chases him on foot. By chance, Lightfoot comes to the preacher’s rescue when he unintentionally runs down the assailant and offers him a ride. As they continue to evade danger, they bond over stealing cars and visiting prostitutes. However, Lightfoot soon discovers that his companion is actually infamous bank robber ‘Thunderbolt’, hiding under the guise of a ...

The Sugarland Express (1974) is an American crime drama film, marking Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut in the theatrical world. Lou Jean Poplin pays a visit to her incarcerated husband, Clovis Michael Poplin, informing him that their son will soon be placed under foster care. Despite his release being only four months away, she persuades him to escape and aid her in retrieving their child. Hitching a ride from the prison with a couple, they are eventually stopped by Texas Department of Public Safety Patrolman Maxwell Slide. In the ensuing chaos, the felons take control of the vehicle and flee with Slide as ...

Badlands (1973), an American neo-noir crime drama film, marks the directorial debut of Terrence Malick. Holly Sargis, a 15-year-old in Fort Dupree, narrates the story from her perspective. Following her mother’s death from pneumonia, Holly’s relationship with her father, a sign painter, becomes strained. Her admiration for actor James Dean leads her to take notice of Kit Carruthers, a troubled greaser and Korean War veteran who shares similar features. As their bond deepens, Holly learns of Kit’s underlying violent and antisocial tendencies. Despite her father’s disapproval and his consequent ...

The film The Sting (1973) takes place in September of 1936, during the Great Depression. It follows two skilled con artists as they attempt to swindle a mob boss. Their first scam in Joliet, Illinois brings in $11,000, but Hooker’s luck turns when he loses his share in a rigged roulette game. His partner Luther, on the other hand, decides to retire after their big score. Before leaving, he advises Hooker to seek out his old acquaintance Henry Gondorff in Chicago for ‘the big con’. However, their victim turns out to be working for corrupt police officer William Snyder and notorious gangster Doyle Lonnegan. After Luther and the victim are murdered by ...

Mean Streets (1973), an American crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, follows the story of Charlie Cappa, a young Italian-American living in Little Italy, New York City. Charlie is constantly weighed down by his sense of responsibility towards his reckless friend John ‘Johnny Boy’ Civello. Johnny is a small-time gambler who refuses to work and is deeply in debt to several loan sharks. Throughout the film, Charlie struggles with balancing his Catholic beliefs and his involvement in the Mafia at the request of his powerful uncle Giovanni. Adding to this turmoil is the fact that Charlie is having a ...

Camorra (1972) is a crime film written and directed by Pasquale Squitieri, following the rapid rise of a young Neapolitan in a world of contraband, gambling dens, bribes, and illegal activity. As he climbs the ranks, he ultimately reaches the highest level within his ‘Family’.

The Godfather (1972) is an American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel of the same name. Set in 1945, it tells the story of Vito Corleone, the powerful don of the New York City Corleone family. During his daughter Connie’s wedding to Carlo, Vito receives requests from various guests. At the reception, his son Michael introduces his girlfriend Kay Adams to the family. Johnny Fontane, a popular singer and ...