Top 10 Crime Films on Underground Business

Description: This film follows two NYPD detectives as they attempt to bust a French heroin smuggling ring. It's a gritty, realistic portrayal of police work and the underworld of drug trafficking, highlighted by one of the most famous car chases in cinema history.

Fact: The famous car chase was shot without permits, and the director William Friedkin had to bribe the police to look the other way. Also, Gene Hackman improvised much of his dialogue.

Description: This iconic film follows the Corleone family, an Italian-American mafia clan, as they navigate the treacherous waters of organized crime, family loyalty, and the American Dream. It's a quintessential example of how a family business can be both a source of immense power and a catalyst for internal strife.

Fact: The film was initially offered to Sergio Leone, who turned it down because he felt it glorified the mafia. Also, Marlon Brando improvised the famous line, "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."

Description: Sergio Leone's epic spans several decades, following a group of Jewish gangsters from their childhood in the Lower East Side of New York to their rise in the criminal underworld. It's a sprawling, nostalgic, and often brutal look at the American Dream through the lens of organized crime.

Fact: The film was originally over six hours long, but was cut down significantly for its theatrical release. Also, Robert De Niro and James Woods did not get along during filming, which added to the authenticity of their characters' rivalry.

Description: Martin Scorsese's masterpiece chronicles the rise and fall of Henry Hill, a small-time hoodlum who becomes part of the Lucchese crime family. This film provides an insider's look at the mafia's inner workings, from the allure of the lifestyle to the brutal realities of betrayal and paranoia.

Fact: The famous "Copacabana" tracking shot was done in one take and took three days to set up. Also, the real Henry Hill was paid $550,000 for the rights to his story.

Description: Robert De Niro's directorial debut, this film tells the story of a young Italian-American boy torn between his honest father and a charismatic local mob boss. It's a coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of the mafia's influence in the neighborhood.

Fact: The film is based on Chazz Palminteri's one-man show, and De Niro was so impressed by it that he insisted on directing the film with Palminteri playing the role of Sonny.

Description: Another Scorsese gem, "Casino" dives into the world of Las Vegas in the 1970s, where a casino manager and his mobster friend navigate the treacherous waters of gambling, skimming, and organized crime. It's a vivid depiction of how the mafia infiltrated and controlled the gambling industry.

Fact: The film was shot in sequence, which is rare for movies, allowing the actors to age naturally with their characters. Also, the real-life Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, on whom the character Sam "Ace" Rothstein is based, was a consultant for the film.

Description: Guy Ritchie's crime comedy-drama revolves around a diamond heist gone wrong, intertwining the lives of various characters from the London underworld, including a boxing promoter, a Russian gangster, and a pair of small-time crooks. It's a fast-paced, darkly humorous look at the criminal world.

Fact: Brad Pitt's character, Mickey, speaks in an unintelligible Irish accent, which was Pitt's own creation. Also, the film was originally titled "Snatch'd."

Description: In this modern take on the classic "Infernal Affairs," a cop goes undercover in the Irish mob, while a mobster infiltrates the police. It's a tense, thrilling exploration of loyalty, identity, and the blurred lines between right and wrong in the criminal underworld.

Fact: The film was originally set in Hong Kong, but Martin Scorsese moved the setting to Boston. Also, Jack Nicholson improvised many of his lines, including the infamous "I'm the guy who does his job."

Description: Set in London, this film explores the dark world of the Russian mafia, focusing on a driver for the mob who gets entangled in a web of crime, loyalty, and personal redemption. It's a gritty portrayal of the underbelly of the city's immigrant communities.

Fact: Viggo Mortensen learned to speak Russian for his role and even got a tattoo of the three stars, which are a symbol of the Russian criminal underworld.

Description: Set in Boston, this film follows a group of bank robbers who find themselves in over their heads after one of their heists goes wrong. It's a tense, character-driven story about loyalty, redemption, and the inescapable pull of the criminal life.

Fact: Ben Affleck, who directed and starred in the film, used real-life bank robbers as consultants to ensure authenticity. Also, the film's opening heist scene was shot in one continuous take.