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Gangster No.1 [2000]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Gangster No. 1 is without doubt the most stylish British violent crime thriller from the many produced at the end of the 20th century. For all the pop-video glamour of Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, neither have anywhere near as much a sense of danger as is shown here. Paul Bettany ignites the screen with a fury that explodes far more than it smoulders beneath his tautly kept temper. The tale concerns his ascent to the titular position of primacy in 1960s London, told in flashback by his present-day self (an equally riveting Malcolm McDowell). A lust for power won't allow anything to stand in either incarnation's way, especially the foppish posturing of established crime boss Freddie Mays (David Thewlis). What distinguishes this from many other tales of greed is that the never-named Gangster actually wants to be Freddie, not simply replace him. Saffron Burrows plays the suffering trophy moll in the middle of this personality clash and provides about the only level head and gentle tongue in what is otherwise a super-violent and super-profane script. This is what The Krays should have been, and therefore not for the squeamish. --Paul Tonks


A Great British Gangster Film
Review date: 2007-11-29 Rating: 10 out of 10

I have recently been reading a lot of the reviews on Amazon about this film and while some of them I can agree with there is a lot that I cannot. Quite simply this is a very disturbing Gangster film about people that you would certainly not like to meet up a dark alley - this is the point of the film really. One commentator pointed out that in this film there is not one likeable character - yes! Precisely, these people are not likeable in the least, and why should they be to the average person? Here is the truth for you, Gangsters and their Camp-followers are scum! plain and simple, the kind of people that make the lives of the average person a misery, they are not heroes in any shape or form and I think that this film puts this across admirably. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the young Gangster, played by Paul Bettany who had a certain level of manicness and energy about him while going about his awful trail of destruction of rival Gangsters and deposing his leader Freddy Mays played by David Thewlis, one of those Gangsters who had a more persuasive quality about him and managed to get other people on the whole to do the really nasty stuff; unlike Paul Bettany's character who relished doing all the really nasty business in person. Of course the other juxtaposition in the movie is between the young Gangster and the old Gangster shown in more recent times played by Malcolm MacDowell. The old Gangster is only a shadow of his former self, now a spent force talked about unflatteringly behind his back by his supposed old comrades and even told by a former member of his old gang that he would kill him given half a chance, when they were younger this would just not have happened as the young Gangster instlled such fear in his associates. The Final sequences in the Gangsters flat when Thewlis' character turns up to meet the Gangster in his flat is very memorable, Freddy Mays turns up fresh from jail but is not intent on revenge against the younger Gangster upstart, Freddy has learned his lesson and is tired of the futility of his former life, unlike Bettany's character who has learnt nothing in all the time his former boss was in jail. Get this movie when you can as it is getting harder to get hold of a copy now, there are a lot of serious issues confronted in this film, and while it is hard to watch at times it is certainly worth your time

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Reviews


The `c` word movie that fails to impress
Review date: 2007-11-02 Rating: 2 out of 10

Paul Bettany is hopelessly misscast in this mess of a film. Firstly, he`s about as threatening as a wet choirboy, with his blonde mop and his doe eyes (the latter used ineffectually as he scowls at the camera repeatedly trying to look tough but ends up looking ridiculous.) Secondly, he is a good foot taller than old Malc McDowell whom he is supposed to represent as a young man.

The writers have discovered the `c` word and it is sprinkled throughout in an attempt to shock and to show that this London/Brit gangster film is tougher than all the rest. Hey, it doesn`t work! Like a new teenager trying out his swearing skills and succeeding only in sounding silly and immature.

McDowell is on top form but is wasted in this B-movie (or should I say `c` movie!) Indeed, his whole career seems to have been wasted apart from some genius roles.

Avoid this nonsense. It ain`t hard and it ain`t clever, you c***!

Not meant to be a slick flick
Review date: 2007-01-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

Previous reviews have criticised the film for not being "slick" and "cool". Well, for a start, its not trying to be, and it shouldnt be compared to flicks such as Lock Stock and Snatch. More reminiscent of Get Carter and Long Good Friday, but with much more depth.
Its a very powerful and shocking portrayal of evil and lust for power. With the final message being that money cant buy happiness and trying to be something your not is the wrong way to go. Extremely good performances from the whole cast. Some probably dont like it because the violence can leave a nasty taste in the mouth at times, but then again your not supposed to like these people, and thats the idea.

Terrible
Review date: 2006-10-07 Rating: 2 out of 10

This really is one of the worst films ever made. Poor acting/dialogue and terrible story line.

Crazy, menacing looks, lots of swearing and not much else.
Review date: 2006-05-12 Rating: 4 out of 10

British gangster films really don't work as well as say Mafia films. The Krays was full of awful acting, Lock Stock was a joke, as was Snatch. Some do work though, such as A Clockwork Orange, Get Carter. This film is one of the ones that does not work. I have seen alot of gangster films and this is one of the worst.

Paul Bettany is a decent actor and he does do the menacing look VERY well, but that seems to be all this film is full of is him doing the menacing look and not really much happening. The torture scene is weak, as is all the other supposedly violent moments. I don't want to watch a sick film, but the violence of Goodfellas is the way a gangster film should be. Maclolm McDowell is a great actor, but even he fails to be effective with such a weak plot and bad directing. David Thewlis is awful and so badly miscast as the gang boss. He would be more at home in Priscilla Queen of the Desert than this film. I don't know if he intended making his performance as camp as how it turned out, but it was awful. It escapes me how anyone could find his character intimidating or powerful or charismatic. I have shown all my friends this film and they all agree it is awful and full of menacing looks and swearing and not much else. The acting and disappointing story make you cringe. None of the characters are relatable and you certainly don't care about them.

Eventually the film trundles along to a dull, meaningless ending. I seriously can not understand people giving this uneventful film 5 stars, as it is seriously not in that league.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Saffron Burrows
Paul Bettany
David Thewlis
Kenneth Cranham
Malcolm McDowell

Creators:
Malcolm McDowell (Primary Contributor)
David Thewlis (Primary Contributor)
Jonathan Cavendish (Producer)
Karsten Brünig (Producer)
Nicky Kentish Barnes (Producer)
Norma Heyman (Producer)
Peter Bowles (Producer)
Sheila Fraser Milne (Producer)
Johnny Ferguson (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: Cinema Club
Manufacturer: Cinema Club
EAN: 5014138290016
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2002-06-12
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
DVD layers: 2
DVD sides: 1
Region code: 2
Running time: 99 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2001-07-18
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)

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