Overlook Film Encyclopedia: The Gangster Film

Since the initial publication of the first three groundbreaking volumes -- Horror, Science Fiction, and The Western -- The Overlook Film Encyclopedia series has been deemed the most authoritative, stylish and compulsively readable film reference series ever. Hailed for the breadth and depth of their reviews and the excellence of hteir long-range vision of each genre, they are the essential film reference books.

Now, with this new volume, The Gangster Film, series editor Phil Hardy has created yet again a landmark in film reference. Included are critical entries of more than 1,500 films dealing with gangsters, complete with plot synopses and credits, and 650 black and white photographs to capture the very essence of this exciting genre. Arranged chronologically, The Gangster Film offers deliciously opinionated and detailed descriptions, statistical information, credits and trivia from early classics such as Public Enemy, Key Largo, Dragnet and On the Waterfront to contemporary blockbusters like The Grifters, Chinatown, The Godfather, and Pulp Fiction, with such stars as James Cagney, Paul Muni and Edward G. Robinson. Authoritative and entertaining, The Gangster Film is the guide for serious students of film, film buffs and home viewers.