Best Crime Movies: 10 Essential Gangster Films to Watch
Posted inMovies & Series

Best Crime Movies: 10 Essential Gangster Films to Watch

Best Crime Movies: 10 Essential Gangster Films to Start With

Key takeaways

  • *The Godfather* and *Goodfellas* are strong first picks, offering different approaches to crime-family stories.
  • AFI’s gangster-film list provides a starting point, but it doesn’t cover every crime-film subgenre.
  • The selection ranges from early sound-era films to later, unconventional crime stories.
  • Choose a film based on whether you’re in the mood for a family saga, a mob drama, an outlaw story or a different kind of crime film.

Table of contents

The best crime movies don’t all tell the same kind of story. Some follow the rise of a criminal empire; others focus on outlaws, volatile gangsters or a web of intersecting lives. For a dependable starting point, the American Film Institute’s gangster-film list offers a useful backbone: it ranks The Godfather, Goodfellas and The Godfather Part II in its top three.

That list is specifically about gangster films, not every kind of crime movie. It won’t cover the full range of detective stories, heist films or courtroom dramas. But it does offer a strong mix of eras and styles. Here are 10 picks, organized by the kind of crime story you’re in the mood for.

The best crime movies for a first watch

AFI’s ranking provides a point of reference rather than a universal verdict. Its list includes films from the early 1930s through the 1990s, and each selection offers a different take on criminal ambition, power or loyalty. See AFI’s gangster-film list and its explanation of the 10 Top 10 genre lists.

1. The Godfather (1972) — for a sweeping crime-family saga

Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather follows the Corleone family as power and responsibility shift between generations. It’s the most natural first choice if you want an expansive story about family loyalty, influence and the cost of maintaining control. AFI ranks it first among its gangster films.

2. Goodfellas (1990) — for a brisk, close-up mob story

Where The Godfather takes a broad, formal approach, Goodfellas draws you into the routines and momentum of life around organized crime. Martin Scorsese’s film follows Henry Hill’s involvement with the mob, balancing the pull of that world with its volatility. AFI ranks it second, making it a strong choice if you’d prefer a faster-moving crime drama.

3. The Godfather Part II (1974) — for a layered sequel

Rather than simply repeating the first film, The Godfather Part II broadens the Corleone story. It follows Michael’s efforts to protect and expand the family’s power while also showing the earlier life of his father, Vito. It’s a rewarding follow-up to The Godfather and, in AFI’s ranking, sits just behind it and Goodfellas.

4. Pulp Fiction (1994) — for a more unconventional crime film

If you want a crime movie that doesn’t unfold like a traditional mob saga, try Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Its intersecting stories follow criminals and people caught up in their world, with a structure that moves between different events rather than proceeding in a straight line. AFI includes it among its top 10 gangster films, though its style is quite different from the older classics on the list.

Classic gangster films worth exploring

The early gangster films on AFI’s list are useful for seeing how the genre developed on screen. Their pacing and storytelling reflect a different era, but they remain compelling choices if you’re interested in crime cinema beyond contemporary styles.

5. White Heat (1949) — for a volatile crime boss

James Cagney plays Cody Jarrett, a criminal whose ambition and instability make him a forceful central character. White Heat is a good pick if you want a classic film built around a dangerous personality rather than a sprawling criminal organization. AFI places it among its top four gangster films.

6. The Public Enemy (1931) — for an early gangster story

The Public Enemy follows Tom Powers as he rises through the criminal underworld. Its place among AFI’s selections makes it a worthwhile stop for viewers curious about the genre’s early sound-era films. Choose it when you want to see a foundational gangster story, not a modernized take on the same subject.

7. Little Caesar (1931) — for a rise-and-fall crime drama

In Little Caesar, Edward G. Robinson plays Rico, a small-time criminal with ambitions to gain power. The film’s focus on his ascent makes it an accessible early example of the gangster-rise story. It’s a useful companion to The Public Enemy: both come from 1931, but they center on different criminals and their paths through the underworld.

Outlaws and crime stories with a different shape

Not every crime film is about a city’s organized-crime hierarchy. These selections shift the focus to notorious outlaws or to contrasting versions of a familiar title.

8. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) — for an outlaw story

Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde follows the criminal couple Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. It’s the pick on this list for viewers more interested in outlaws than in a structured mob family. AFI includes it among its leading gangster films, although its central figures and story give it a different feel from The Godfather or Goodfellas.

9. Scarface (1932) — for a classic crime-boss story

The original Scarface, directed by Howard Hawks, is a 1932 gangster film centered on criminal ambition and power. It’s worth choosing when you want to explore an older version of the genre rather than jump straight to its better-known 1980s counterpart. AFI lists the 1932 film separately from the later Scarface.

10. Scarface (1983) — for a modernized rise-to-power story

Brian De Palma’s Scarface reimagines the story with Tony Montana’s criminal ascent in Miami. Its setting and era distinguish it from the 1932 film, so the two shouldn’t be treated as interchangeable versions. Pick this one if you want a later, more contemporary-feeling crime saga; AFI includes it as a separate entry on its gangster list.

Which crime movie should you watch first?

  • For a sweeping family saga: Start with The Godfather.
  • For a faster-moving mob drama: Choose Goodfellas.
  • For a classic from the early sound era: Try The Public Enemy or Little Caesar.
  • For an outlaw story: Watch Bonnie and Clyde.
  • For an unconventional structure: Pick Pulp Fiction.
  • For a story about criminal ambition across two eras: Compare the 1932 and 1983 versions of Scarface.

Are these the best crime movies in every subgenre?

No single list captures every kind of crime film. AFI’s selections are specifically focused on gangster cinema, so this guide leans toward organized crime, criminal power and outlaws. A list centered on detective investigations, heists or courtroom cases would need different criteria and different recommendations.

The practical takeaway: if you’re new to crime movies, begin with The Godfather for scope or Goodfellas for pace. Then use the older films and stylistic outliers to explore how varied the genre can be.