Although mob movies do not occupy a large percentage of the top 600 grossing movies at the box office of all time —
the first doesn’t appear on Internet Movie Database's list until 343rd — many of these modern mob movies box office hits have given movie lovers some memorable lines.
“The Godfather”
In an interview published on
Smithsonian.com, Megan Gambino speaks with the author of “The Godfather Effect,” Tom Santopietro, who provides this definition for the “Godfather Effect”: “The film changed Hollywood because it finally changed the way Italians were depicted in the film. It made Italians seem like more fully realized people and not stereotypes.” Well said, and it gives a glimpse into the trilogy’s success. “The Godfather” was also the highest grossing film of all time in 1972, a title it held until 1975 when “Jaws” hit the big screen.
“The Departed”
“The Departed” attracted Hollywood royalty Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg to team up in this Irish mob movie.
Vote Now: Who Is Your Favorite Actor of All Time?
“American Gangster”
The most recent film to make this top 10 list, renowned director Ridley Scott leads the audience through a tale of a heroin drug lord aligned with the New York mafia. The film is based on a true story.
“Road to Perdition”
The 2000s were a popular decade for mob movies as “Road to Perdition” comes in fourth for the highest grossing mob movie at the box office of all time. Tom Hanks embraces this dark role and Paul Newman won an Oscar for his role as the patriarch of the Irish-American gang.
“Public Enemies”
The hits kept rolling in the 2000s with this 2009 biography of infamous John Dillinger played by the charming Johnny Depp. The film brought in $97 million at the box office.
“Gangs of New York”
A second Leonardo DiCaprio film lands on this top 10 mob movies box office list, this time set in 1863 in New York City pitted against Daniel Day-Lewis’s Bill ‘The Butcher’ Cutting character.
“The Untouchables”
This film earned legendary Sean Connery an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, in part because two other superstars, Kevin Costner and Robert De Niro, take on the other prominent roles.
“Bugsy”
Warren Beatty tackles the biographical role of Bugsy in this mob movie, which gives a glimpse into the beginnings of the Las Vegas of today.
“Goodfellas”
Robert De Niro also loved mob movies and is forever tied to the genre; this classic mob movie depicts the lust for power that often takes over mobsters’ lives.
Vote Now: Which of These Actors Stands the Test of Time?
“Scarface”
The phrase mob movie and Al Pacino fit together like peas and carrots; as MovieFone’s Gary Susman writes, “Al Pacino has played cops, lawyers, spies, moguls, crusaders, heels, soldiers, mentors, Shakespearean tragic heroes and even Satan, but he’ll always be best remember for his gangsters.”
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.