Within the cinematic panorama of gangsters, weapons, and sheer gravitas, one identify stands out, and it’s Robert De Niro. Whether or not he’s orchestrating a on line casino empire within the neon-lit Las Vegas, pulling the strings from the backrooms of Brooklyn, or delivering monologues in Sicilian, De Niro doesn’t simply play gangsters, he redefines them.
Earlier than he turned synonymous with the gangster style, De Niro was simply one other New York-born actor grinding away in off-Broadway performs and low-budget indies. His breakout got here with Martin Scorsese’s Imply Streets in 1973, and in some ways, his character of Johnny Boy turned the cornerstone of his future persona. From there on, he carved a legacy, generally main with precision, different occasions, lurking within the margins.
The gangster style anyway thrives on pressure, code, paranoia, and betrayal, and De Niro brings all of it to the desk. That’s why so many films are rapidly identifiable with the legendary actor. Even when the highlight isn’t his to maintain, he makes the drama extra intense together with his lived-in, unpredictable power.
This checklist celebrates and ranks each Robert De Niro gangster film.
12
‘The Gang That Could not Shoot Straight’ (1971)
The Gang That Could not Shoot Straight
- Launch Date
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December 22, 1971
- Runtime
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96 minutes
- Director
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James Goldstone
- Writers
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Waldo Salt
- Producers
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Irwin Winkler
Forged
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Leigh Taylor-Younger
Angela
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-
The Gang That Could not Shoot Straight is an offbeat mob comedy that follows Child Sally Palumbo, a small-time prison who desires to show himself to his boss, Baccala. When he’s tasked with organizing a bicycle race as a entrance for the mob enterprise, issues spiral uncontrolled and Mario Trantino, a naive Italian bicycle owner, stumbles into New York Metropolis’s prison underworld.
De Niro’s First Foray Into Mob Dramas
Although it’s removed from one in all Robert De Niro’s most acclaimed roles, it earns a spot on the checklist as his earliest foray into gangster territory. His Mario masquerading as a priest and falling for Sally’s sister and his interventions trigger the gang lots of hassle. The film’s total tone swings between broad comedy and mob drama, however De Niro’s earnest outsider continues to be a standout. As a matter of truth, Al Pacino was initially solid within the position, however he dropped out to star in The Godfather, and the position was given to De Niro as an alternative.
11
‘Analyze That’ (2002)
Analyze That
- Launch Date
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December 6, 2002
- Runtime
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96 minutes
A sequel to the 1999 basic, Analyze That follows mob boss Paul Vitti, who begins exhibiting erratic habits after a stint in Sing Sing, which secures him an early launch from jail. Nervous about his situation, the FBI locations him beneath the care of his outdated therapist, Dr. Ben Sobel, who seems to be grappling together with his personal grief and id disaster.
A Uncommon Comedic Flip
Reuniting together with his Analyze This co-star Billy Crystal, Robert De Niro leans into parody and pokes enjoyable at his personal mobster persona via a chaotic mix of remedy classes, gangster politics, and reluctant makes an attempt at going straight. The film is clearly not as sharp and humorous as its predecessor, however it presents a self-aware tackle the style, because of Harold Ramis, who retains the little little bit of motion buzzing all through.
10
‘The Alto Knights’ (2025)
The Alto Knights
3.5
/5
- Launch Date
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April 21, 2025
- Runtime
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120 Minutes
- Writers
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Nicholas Pileggi
- Producers
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Irwin Winkler, Jason Sosnoff, Charles Winkler, David Winkler, Mike Drake, Barry Levinson
Set in Nineteen Fifties New York, The Alto Knights chronicles the bitter rivalries between two real-life gangsters – Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. Apparently sufficient, they’re each performed by Robert De Niro. The story begins with an tried hit on Costello, orchestrated by Genovese, which units off a series response, and as Genovese claws his option to the highest, Costello plots a quieter however extra crafty revenge.
Two Gangsters, One De Niro
The movie forges forward via betrayals, courtroom drama, and backroom offers, whereas leaning into themes of energy and paranoia. The interval element and deliberate pacing are synonymous with the style, and it echoes Goodfellas and On line casino with a extra introspective lens. De Niro makes positive there’s a distinction between each his characters, however the film bombed as a result of it didn’t reinvent the style in a becoming method.
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9
‘Imply Streets’ (1973)
Imply Streets
- Launch Date
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October 14, 1973
- Runtime
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112 Minutes
Imply Streets takes place within the again alleys of New York’s Little Italy and revolves round Charlie, a younger man torn between his Catholic guilt, his ambition to rise within the native mob, and his loyalty to his finest buddy Johnny Boy. Charlie works for his uncle, who’s a revered mafioso, however his private life is tousled as a result of he’s courting his epileptic cousin Teresa and continually bailing out Johnny Boy, a gambler who owes cash throughout city.
An Influential Gangster Drama
Imply Streets marked a turning level not only for Robert De Niro, however for all the crime style. Because the unpredictable, hot-headed Johnny Boy, who refuses to take something critically, he delivers a efficiency that crackles with an nearly feral power, stealing the highlight from even Harvey Keitel. Martin Scorsese’s immersive route completely enhances his self-destructive character, and the position earned him the Nationwide Society of Movie Critics and New York Movie Critics Circle awards for Finest Supporting Actor.
8
‘A Bronx Story’ (1993)
A Bronx Story
- Launch Date
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October 1, 1993
- Runtime
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121 Minutes
This coming-of-age facilities on Calogero, a younger Italian-American boy rising up within the radically charged Bronx of the Nineteen Sixties, as he finds himself torn between wanting as much as two father figures. One is his sincere, working-class dad Lorenzo, and the opposite is a charismatic native gangster named Sonny. Issues get extra difficult when Calogero falls for Jane, an African-American lady from his college, igniting tensions within the neighborhood.
Robert De Niro Behind the Digital camera
A Bronx Story is ostensibly Calogero’s story, however it’s Robert De Niro who leaves an indelible mark as Lorenzo, the loving however no-nonsense father determined to stop his son from getting sucked into the attract and glamor of mafia life. It’s additionally the actor’s directorial debut, and it’s a deeply private and surprisingly tender entry in his gangster filmography as a result of he attracts from his background and experiences and performs in opposition to kind.
7
‘Analyze This’ (1999)
Directed by Harold Ramis, Analyze This follows mob boss Paul Vitti, who suffers a nervous breakdown in the course of a success and begins feeling a creeping sense that he’s shedding his edge. A serious mafia summit is across the nook, so he strong-arms a neurotic New York psychiatrist named Dr. Ben Sobel into changing into his therapist. As Vitti opens up about his childhood trauma and anxiousness, Sobel will get entangled in mob affairs and dodges FBI brokers.
Wiseguys Additionally Want Emotional Assist
Robert De Niro flips the gangster archetype on its head on this hilarious drama. His portrayal of Vitti is a parody of and a tribute to the mobsters he has performed earlier than. His chemistry with Billy Crystal is ideal, with the 2 combining deadpan supply with manic dialogue. Analyze This was a field workplace hit, incomes over $170 million worldwide and paving the best way for a sequel.
6
‘As soon as Upon A Time In America’ (1984)
Spanning over 5 a long time, As soon as Upon a Time in America is a gangster epic that follows the lifetime of David “Noodles” Aaronson, a Jewish gangster from New York’s Decrease East Facet. In a non-linear trend, the story drifts between Noodles’ childhood within the Nineteen Twenties, his rise via Prohibition-era crime together with his associates Max, Patsy, and Cockeye, and his return to New York within the Nineteen Sixties as a person haunted by remorse.
The Ghosts Left Behind By Gangsters
De Niro’s efficiency as Noodles is exceptionally restrained and layered with feelings. He performs the character throughout a long time as he navigates a world of bootlegging, political corruption, and private loss. The narrative reveals the devastating decisions he makes, whereas De Niro captures the youthful ambition, middle-aged ruthlessness, and aged sorrow with precision. Initially butchered, the restored model of the film is hailed as a masterpiece.
5
‘The Untouchables’ (1987)
Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, The Untouchables is directed by Brian De Palma, and it finds federal agent Eliot Ness attempting to take down the town’s most infamous crime lord, Al Capone. However he can not do it alone, so he assembles a small crew, together with the grizzled cop Malone, rookie sharpshooter George Stone, and accountant Oscar Wallace. After they achieve traction, Capone retaliates.
A Traditional Gangster Thriller
Reworking himself into the long-lasting Al Capone, Robert De Niro is a pure theatrical menace. He’s charismatic, brutal, magnetic, and bigger than life. He reportedly research Capone’s mannerisms obsessively to utterly dissolve into the position. De Palma’s route is trendy and daring, with David Mamet’s script crackling with intelligent dialogue and ethical ambiguity. The film additionally stars Kevin Costner, Sean Connery (who gained an Oscar), Andy García, and Charles Martin Smith.
4
‘The Irishman’ (2019)
The Irishman
- Launch Date
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November 27, 2019
- Runtime
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210 minutes
An adaptation of the guide I Heard You Paint Homes by Charles Brandt, The Irishman is advised via the angle of Frank Sheeran, a truck driver within the Nineteen Fifties who will get drawn into the orbit of mob boss Russell Bufalino and ultimately turns into the trusted enforcer for union chief Jimmy Hoffa. As he rises via the ranks, Frank is compelled to decide on between the 2.
De Niro’s Gangster Swan Music
The film unfolds like a confession, with Frank reflecting on the times of previous and recounting the alternatives that led to Hoffa’s disappearances in addition to the emotional toll that the lifetime of violence took on him. De Niro reunites together with his longtime collaborator Martin Scorsese and delivers one of the vital nuanced performances of his profession. He lets go of the manic power that outlined his most iconic gangster roles and as an alternative imbues Frank with a heavy, regretful, and resigned vibe.
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3
‘The Godfather Half II’ (1974)
Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Half II performs out in two parallel timelines. One takes place in early Twentieth-century New York, the place younger Vito Corleone escapes Sicilian tragedy and slowly builds his profession via manipulation and violence, ultimately avenging his household. The opposite takes place within the Nineteen Fifties, and follows Michael, now head of the Corleone household, as he battles betrayal from inside, offers with an assassination try, and heartbreak.
A Revered Movie In The Style
The sequel’s construction is intelligent and operatic, its tone elegant, and its ultimate picture is completely devastating. De Niro portrays younger Vito as a soft-spoken and observant man who’s deadly when essential. He speaks nearly solely in Sicilian (which he devoted himself to studying to be genuine), and but his presence alone earned him an Academy Award for Finest Supporting Actor. After all, it wouldn’t all be achieved with out Coppola’s bold route. General, The Godfather Half II gained six Oscars, together with Finest Image.