Gangster No.1
by martin on In the late 1960s, Freddie Mays (David Thewlis) is the quintessential gentleman ganster. Ruthless, impeccably dressed, and with a reputation for style. The unnamed ganger of the title is played by Paul Bettany (as a young man) and Malcolm McDowell (as his older self, 30 years later). Freddie Mays takes on this gangster as a young thug, and crafts him into one of his sharp-dressed, tough-as-nails crew. But Gangster wants more than that--he craves the power that Freddie Mays has, his money, his lifestyle, his easy way with women. He burns himself up with this obsession. And when he is finally in a position to take it all for himself, he discoveres that the victory his hollow. It's a powerful and brutal film, with a great--and highly disturbing--performance by Paul Bettany.
And why wasn't he the star of A knight's tale? He's got a better bum than Heath. And he's a better actor (although I like Heath's career path - same as Denzil's - one film to pay the bills, one good film, on film to pay the bills.....
