Who is the best Al Pacino mob boss: Tony Montana or Michael Corlione?

[clearspira]

Here's one just for fun (because I watched both Scarface and the Godfather this weekend).

See, here's my thinking: Tony Montana is a complete rags to riches story. He is a penniless immigrant who reaches the top using nothing but his ''balls and word'' as he puts it. He is largely self-taught but is also a former soldier. He is equally as terrifying alone as he is in a group. But he is also arrogant and hot-headed to the extreme which causes him to make mistakes.

Michael Corlione is more strategic, more of a thinker. He comes from a long line of mobsters and thus has more connections and experience. And whilst he is a cold blooded murderer, he seems to require his henchmen to do the dirty work more than Tony does. One-on-one, you have far more chance surviving against Mikey. He'll cut you a deal or talk you down. Tony will put a magazine into you before you even have a chance to talk.

I think my conclusion would be that Tony Montana was far more successful in the short term than Michael, with far more power and influence. But Michael is the one with the staying power. His empire seems smaller but he also did not die within a few short months of reaching the top.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Michael Corleone puts the organ in organized crime. I'm not brushed up on Scarface, much less Godfather, but I think I remember Michael originally not being cut out for family business, which was what made him so good.

[Nealithi]

Been a little while since I saw Godfather. But I thought Michael was a US Marine who served in war time. Wouldn't that make him more dangerous?

[LittleRaven]

One-on-one, you have far more chance surviving against Mikey. He'll cut you a deal or talk you down. Tony will put a magazine into you before you even have a chance to talk.

Being a terrifying combatant means dick-all to being a good mob boss, though. It's perhaps vital to being a good mob enforcer...but those are two very different jobs. A good mob BOSS is someone who guides his organization with a subdued but steady hand, allowing it to continue to operate quietly, profitably, and with minimal interruption from rivals and government officials alike.

And nobody illustrates this better than Tony Montoya. Tony is a terrifyingly effective street level operative. He's SO good that he catapults himself to the rank of boss in just a few short years. But once he's AT the top...he almost immediately implodes. He gets addicted to his own product, brings his organization to the attention of the Feds, gets in fights over women of all things, and sees EVERYTHING he's built crash down around him in less than 2 years. 2 years. That's how bad of a mob boss Tony is. Tony is a great mobster in a lot of ways, but he was completely unsuited for the top level job.

By contrast, Michael Corleone is almost perfect for the role. He understands the people he's dealing with, and knows how to manipulate them to get what he wants. He possesses the self-discipline to force an almost sociopathic detachment on himself. Everything...EVERYTHING...his marriage, his children, his brother, his friendships...is subsumed in his quest to preserve his organization. (and, by extension, his own power) He would never allow a woman to distract him, never allow a drug to take hold over him - NOTHING can be allowed to rule him, lest it compromise his ability to do his job. This makes him a fantastically successful mob boss, and his family thrives under his leadership for decades , even as he becomes a monster of a man.

So, yeah, in terms of who's the better boss...it's not even a contest. Michael is so far out of Tony's league that they might as well be playing different sports.

Tony is a hell of a lot of fun to watch, though.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

Well yeah they're pretty much the antithesis of each other as far as how to or how not to be a mob boss. That's the whole catch of Scarface.

[clearspira]

One-on-one, you have far more chance surviving against Mikey. He'll cut you a deal or talk you down. Tony will put a magazine into you before you even have a chance to talk.

Being a terrifying combatant means dick-all to being a good mob boss, though. It's perhaps vital to being a good mob enforcer...but those are two very different jobs. A good mob BOSS is someone who guides his organization with a subdued but steady hand, allowing it to continue to operate quietly, profitably, and with minimal interruption from rivals and government officials alike.

And nobody illustrates this better than Tony Montoya. Tony is a terrifyingly effective street level operative. He's SO good that he catapults himself to the rank of boss in just a few short years. But once he's AT the top...he almost immediately implodes. He gets addicted to his own product, brings his organization to the attention of the Feds, gets in fights over women of all things, and sees EVERYTHING he's built crash down around him in less than 2 years. 2 years. That's how bad of a mob boss Tony is. Tony is a great mobster in a lot of ways, but he was completely unsuited for the top level job.

By contrast, Michael Corleone is almost perfect for the role. He understands the people he's dealing with, and knows how to manipulate them to get what he wants. He possesses the self-discipline to force an almost sociopathic detachment on himself. Everything...EVERYTHING...his marriage, his children, his brother, his friendships...is subsumed in his quest to preserve his organization. (and, by extension, his own power) He would never allow a woman to distract him, never allow a drug to take hold over him - NOTHING can be allowed to rule him, lest it compromise his ability to do his job. This makes him a fantastically successful mob boss, and his family thrives under his leadership for decades , even as he becomes a monster of a man.

So, yeah, in terms of who's the better boss...it's not even a contest. Michael is so far out of Tony's league that they might as well be playing different sports.

Tony is a hell of a lot of fun to watch, though.

Very good analysis. Tony really should have quit whilst he was winning.