About American Gangster

American Gangster is a 2007 American biographical crime film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian. The film is based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from Harlem who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War.

Making / Production

The production of American Gangster was a massive undertaking. From the initial scripting to the final cut, Ridley Scott directed and produced the film, Steven Zaillian wrote the screenplay, and it was filmed on location in New York and Thailand, encapsulating the terrifying and glamorous life of Frank Lucas.

Actors

• Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas - Denzel embodied the role of Frank Lucas with an intimidating yet charismatic charm. His performance showed the gritty, ruthless, yet sophisticated nature of the character.
• Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts - Russell imbued his character Richie with a sense of determination and morality, creating a perfect contrast to Denzel's character.
• Chiwetel Ejiofor as Huey Lucas - As Frank Lucas's brother, Chiwetel delivered a worthy performance, depicting the sibling connection convincingly.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Denzel Washington turned down the part of Frank Lucas twice before agreeing to play the role.
• Most of the movie was shot on location in Harlem, the real-life setting for much of the action in the film.
• The film was almost entirely shot using a blue filtering process to mimic the look of older films.

Awards

American Gangster received two Oscar nominations: Best Supporting Actress for Ruby Dee and Best Art Direction. Denzel Washington also got a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor.

Quotes

• "The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room." - Frank Lucas
• "This is my home. My country. Frank Lucas don't run from nobody." - Frank Lucas
• "Blue Magic. It's a brand name, like Pepsi." - Frank Lucas

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's original score was composed by Marc Streitenfeld, who had previously worked with director Ridley Scott on several projects.
• The song "American Gangster" by Jay-Z was inspired by the film and is featured in the promotional material.
• The film also features several songs from the time period, enhancing the viewers' sense of the era.