Gangster No. 1 (2000)

Director:

Paul McGuigan

Writer:

Johnny Ferguson (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 June 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There can only be ONE.

Plot:

Chronicles the rise and fall of a prominent, and particularly ruthless English gangster.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Rise And Fall | Prison | Cockney Gangster | Gang War

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Malcolm McDowell	...	Gangster 55
David Thewlis	...	Freddie Mays
Paul Bettany	...	Young Gangster
Saffron Burrows	...	Karen
Kenneth Cranham	...	Tommy (as Ken Cranham)
Jamie Foreman	...	Lennie Taylor
Eddie Marsan	...	Eddie Miller
Andrew Lincoln	...	Maxie King
Doug Allen	...	Mad John
Razaaq Adoti	...	Roland
Cavan Clerkin	...	Billy
David Kennedy	...	Fat Charlie
Johnny Harris	...	Derek
Anton Saunders	...	Trevor (as Anton Valensi)
Alex McSweeney	...	Bloke In Tailor's

Also Known As:

Gangster No. 1 (Australia)
Gangster Nr. 1 (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, and brief drug use and nudity.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK | Germany | Ireland

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (censored version) | Canada:R | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R18 | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Babelsberg Studios, Berlin, Germany

Company:

FilmFour

Trivia:

Jamie Foreman (Lennie Taylor) is the son of Freddie Foreman, a notorious gangster who used to run with the Kray Brothers. His life was the basis for the movie The Long Good Friday (1980).

Goofs:

Factual errors: Exactly an hour into the film, the young Gangster states that he is carrying a "Beretta" on his way to kill Lennie. It is actually a Browning P-35 "Hi-Power," the same weapon he has carried throughout the movie.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[song "The Good Life" begins as scene opens at boxing match; crowd noises]
Gangster 55: [laughing] What? With Scotland Yard breathing down me neck? Fuck off. Do me a favor!
[laughter]

Movie Connections:

References Pulp Fiction (1994)

Soundtrack:

The Good Life

"Paul Bettany shows his acting chops"

Gangster No.1 shows the rise and fall of a prominent English gangster. Malcolm McDowell is Gangster 55, telling the story in voice overs, and Paul Bettany shines as the Young Gangster giving a great performance, which carries the film from cookie cutter gangster film, to one of the best.

This film is filled with inspirations from many others, such as Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Get Shorty, etc. While some do work, such as "Look into my eyes", others don't, McGuigan, near the end of the film, fast forwards through decades in just a couple of minutes, we don't feel like we are with these people throughout their reign of terror in England. The film does have bits of originality, such as the "torture" while we see the FPV of the victim, fades in and out in his dying minutes, as the killer stands over his body, continuing the slaughter.

Paul Bettany shows how good he is in this film as he carries it to another level. His eyes in his "Look into my eyes" scenes are so hollow and terrifying that you know if he was interrogating you, that he could and probably would kill you at anytime. He has the look in his sharp suits and the style. It's a shame no awards went his way. McDowell, to me in this film is a little bit of, I don't know how to say it, but he didn't do all that much for me. The rest of the cast holds up well, blending well with the story line and environments they are put in.

The script is sharp and has a Goodfellas/Reservoir Dogs feel to it, the Goodfellas aspect shows the rise and fall, where as Reservoir Dogs, comes from it's dialouge. I've never heard the word c*nt used so many times. The film took it's time to showcase the rise of this young gangster from a common thug, to a crime lord. The one thing that did out me off though was the fact the he was just picked up out of a bar and given a spot. When Freddie goes to prison, that's when the young gangster takes his spot in being no. 1. Years go by and Freddie finally is released, while McDowell eagerly awaits his return, he expect some conflict, but what he get is a let down, I won't ruin what happens, but you'd expect something explosive.

So Gangster No. 1 showcases great performances from the actors involved and shows a great story that takes it time, instead of bang bang, you're dead. The film just lacks that one special thing to take it to greatness, above and beyond those other movies, but for now, it can just be the one to stand out.