While Martin Scorsese is known as one of the most important directors of gangster films in cinema history, this genre actually makes up only a quarter of his entire filmography. Works like Mean Streets, Goodfellas, and Gangs of New York showcase Scorsese's success in this area, but the gangster genre is part of a much broader and richer cinematic tradition. Therefore, stepping out of Scorsese's shadow to look at other significant examples of the genre and give them the recognition they deserve is quite meaningful.

One of the most important gangster films of the 1930s, The Roaring Twenties, premiered in 1939 and tells the story of the prohibition era almost like an epic. James Cagney's reliable performance and the impressive acting of a still-unknown Humphrey Bogart present the tale of gangsters involved in bootlegging liquor over a broad time span from the late 1910s to the early 1930s. While the film successfully captures the expected rhythm of such films, it possesses a much more epic scope than one might anticipate.

Infernal Affairs, remade by Martin Scorsese in 2006 under the English title The Departed, offers a striking comparison between the original version set in Hong Kong and its Boston remake. The successful screenplay, centered on the tension between a secret cop and a secret criminal, provides an experience that almost suffocates the viewer with its relentless pacing over just 101 minutes. Thanks to this irrational yet effective approach, the film manages to evoke a sense of tension that lasts from start to finish.

Although Kinji Fukasaku is best known for the film Battle Royale, he focused on the yakuza genre before 2000 and presented a unique style with Graveyard of Honor. This film, which tells the rise and fall of a soulless yakuza member, is particularly bold in its nihilistic stance that does not question violence and ethical boundaries. Despite over 50 years having passed since the film's production, its impact continues to endure, making Graveyard of Honor one of the most intense yakuza/gangster films of all time.

Considered the best gangster film of the Old Hollywood era, White Heat, released in 1949, came a decade after The Roaring Twenties, yet it took a massive leap forward in style and impact. In this film, which once again features James Cagney, a ruthless gangster released from prison prepares for a heist, but things inevitably go awry. The film serves as a magnificent finale to the style represented by earlier gangster films.