I'll kill the communist for fun, it will be my pleasure

The memorable line "SAY HELLO TO MY LIL' FRIEND!" led me to put Scarface on my must see list. I was not disappointed.

Many times, when viewing an older film, much is left to be desired because of updates in special effects and film quality. Scarface is not one of these films.

This film from Brian DePalma stars Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee, released from prison by Castro during the 1980 refugee boatlift, in order to flood America with undesirables. Pacino plays Tony Montana, a former imprisoned assassin who finds himself in a refugee camp in Florida, looking for a way out. That opportunity comes when one of Castro's former aides is part of a load of immigrants to America. Kill the communist as a job, and some well connected people will get Tony out of the camp, and get them working somewhere. Tony enjoys the chance to kill this former taker of Freedom, and in doing so, get out of the camp.

Tony is an assassin with a conscience. In many ways, he is a tragic hero. He quickly gets involved in the beginning of the cocaine importation and distribution trade. With his ruthlessness, his loyalty, and his negotiation skills, he quickly moves up the ladder in this world of organized crime. While doing so, we pull for him to make it. Tony is a good guy, doing some very bad things. All he seeks to do is gain power, respect and a life of luxury for himself, and those he loves. His never ending, all consuming drive is what leads to his downfall.

We know, as we watch this film, that Tony will eventually break down. He has to. Not only is it foreshadowed often, but there hasn't been many films where a guy as nasty, in the drug distribution business, has been a hero and walked away from it all alive.

Tony's quest for power and money lead to others seeking to eliminate him. Try as they might, Tony is elusive, and eventually he takes over the drug trade which his boss ran. He also ends up marrying the boss' former wife or girlfriend. Theirs is a bizarre relationship, having no real chemistry, or scenes together, prior to Tony arriving and telling her he loves her, and wants to have children with her. This part is played by Michelle Pfeiffer, who looks incredibly thin and nowhere near as good as she would later in her career.

As Tony becomes more powerful and wealthy, he begins to become more and more greedy. The cost of laundering his drug money leads to his set up and eventual arrest. Having been incarcerated in Cuba, he vows to never go back to jail. At the same time, he falls victim to an increasing drug addiction, a failed marriage, the character struggle of seeing himself for what he has become, his own worst enemy.

The one thing Tony seems to value more than his wealth and power is his sister, Gina. Tony warns his partner not to even think about getting involved with her. It seems Tony sees Gina as everything pure. She isn't a drug addict, she works, is putting herself through school, and she doesn't sleep around. Tony clearly doesn't want her corrupted and ending up involved in anything he has become. Of course, she is lured into the lifestyle by the drugs, money and good times. Tony's over protection of Gina will only complicate things in his life, and tragically, lead to what must become his demise.

We admire Tony. He lives by a code. He won't kill women and children, he isn't a womanizer, and he looks to protect what he sees as pure. Sadly, living by this code will lead to a coalition including his Colombian supplier, to be very upset with Tony, and ordering an attack on his home.

The film is long. This is perhaps its' only negative. Coming in just shy of 3 hours, Scarface is not a film to begin late in the evening.
The film is violent, it depicts the drug world, it depicts killings, drug use, sexual situations, and uses what many would consider foul language.

SAY HELLO TO MY LIL' FRIEND!
This was the only thing I knew about Scarface before watching the film. I looked forward to hearing it, and what scene it would be in. "SAY HELLO TO MY LIL FRIEND" occurs in the final, climactic, powerful scene. It is well worth the wait.

Scarface, I would consider, to be one of the greatest films of all time. We are presented with the tragic story of the American dream gone awry.