Art House: Scarface was based on Chicago gangster Al Capone

IN PROHIBITION-ERA Chicago, ruthless gangsters controlled bootleg liquor through intimidation and murder. For a young, ambitious immigrant who wanted a piece of the American Dream, the best tool for achieving his goal was the Thompson submachine gun (aka the "Chicago typewriter" or "tommy gun").

Directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson, 1932's Scarface tells the story of one particular mobster's rise to power and fall from grace. Tony Camonte (Paul Muni) works for Johnny Lovo (Osgood Perkins), a man who may become the new boss of the city following the murder of former kingpin "Big Louis" Costillo (Harry J. Vejar). But Tony's ambitions, both professional and personal, soon put him at odds with his mentor. Unsatisfied with the territory Lovo controls, Tony ventures into Chicago's North Side and open conflict with the Irish gangsters who control it. Lovo's girlfriend Poppy (Karen Morley) catches Tony's eye as well, and she responds in kind.

Based on Armitage Trail's novel about the exploits of real-life gangster Al Capone, Scarface mirrors many events Capone was involved in — including a power vacuum created by the murder of the old boss, a rival's murder in a flower shop, and the St Valentine's Day massacre. Aware of the project even before shooting began, Capone sent "associates" to see if the film was based on their employer.

Scriptwriter Ben Hecht convinced them it was not, and was rumoured to have retained them as consultants. When the film was released, Capone must have noticed the stark parallels. He was enamoured enough to acquire a personal copy. It is easy to see why he enjoyed it. Gritty, unromantic and jarringly matter-of-fact about the uglier side of human nature, Scarface is an entertaining and engaging affair. Fans of early Hollywood may recognise actors who later became screen legends, including Boris Karloff who makes an appearance as an opposing gangster.

Hawks and Rosson's motion picture was shockingly violent for 1932. While the depictions are not graphic, they are nonetheless brutal and unflinching. This film contributed in no small way to the creation and adoption of the Hays Code, draconian precursor to the rating system still in use in the US.

While the depictions of Italian-Americans are, by modern standards, occasionally cringe-inducing, they are no worse than Al Pacino's flagrantly Latino portrayal of Tony Montana in the 1983 Brian De Palma remake. Scarface provides glimpse into Hollywood's (and America's) past and it remains as watchable today as it was when it was new.