Comparison between the Theatrical Version and the Alternate Cut (both included on the German Blu-ray from the 3-Disc Limited Edition of the 1983 remake)

 

- One difference

- Difference: 124.5 sec (= 2:05 min)

 

Most film fans probably associate the title with Brian de Palma's Scarface (1983), but it is well known that this is a remake of Howard Hawks' Scarface (1932), shot over 50 years earlier. This was created in the early days of the restrictive Hays Code, which was only accepted as an obligation by the MPAA in 1934, and so it is surprisingly rough for a film with so many years on its back. Nevertheless, Hawks had to shoot a more harmless alternative ending due to censorship requirements in some states. While Tony tries to escape in the original and gets shot, he surrenders here. He is sentenced to death and this punishment is still to be seen briefly. So the state has been able to take full action here.

In Germany (and many other countries), the remake is available as 4K UHD since 24 October 2019 in a normal and a limited edition. The Limited Edition also has a replica of the famous "The World is Yours" gold statue and a third disc exclusively on board in addition to 4K UHD and Blu-ray of the remake. Only here you can get the 1932 original for the first time worldwide on Blu-ray. The HD premiere offers a small surprise, because the alternate ending, which is included individually on DVD in the bonus material, can also be watched integrated in the film. For the sake of completeness, we have completely reviewed the individually selectable "Alternate Cut" again - otherwise there are no deviations.

 

Runtimes are ordered as follows: Theatrical Version Blu-ray / Alternate Cut Blu-ray

The identical beginning of the following deviating setting has been taken from another source, as one can notice in the alternative image section.

Theatrical Version	Alternate Cut

92:39-93:11 / 92:39-95:15

In the Theatrical Version, Guarino pulls out his handcuffs at the end of the shot and says: "Come on! Climb into this."
In the following half total Tony flees to the front, but is shot only a few meters away from the door. From his corpse on the ground the camera pans up to the "The World is Yours" sign. You see this sign again in close-up and it fades out.

(31,8 sec)

In the Alternate Cut, it goes straight to the half total and Guarino only says: "Come on!
Tony follows the instructions and is taken away.

After fading out, it continues in court, the guilty verdict is read out loud: "You have been tried by a jury of your peers in this court and the jury has found you guilty without recommendation of murder in the first degree. It is the judgment of the court that you are guilty as found. Antonio Camonte, I want to go on the record as stating that you deserve this verdict more than any criminal who's come before me for sentence. You are convicted of one crime, but you are guilty of hundreds. Until now you've escaped by corruption, perjury and vicious coercion of withesses. Since your arrest they've come forward for the first time and told the truth. You've commercialized murder to satisfy your personal greed for power. You've killed innocent women and children with brutal indifference. You are ruthless, immoral and vicious. There is no place in this country for your type. This court hereby sentences you on the 10th day of December, 1931 on the penitentiary of this state to be hanged by the neck until you are dead. And may god have mercy on your soul."

You can see how the mechanism is first tested with sandbags.

Again someone reads a letter: "That the said Tony Camonte suffer the penalty of death by hanging. Said execution to take place at the state prison on the 10th day of December, 1931."
Tony is then led in and his legs are tied up. The guard connects his face and the ropes on which the bags hang are cut. This is followed by a fade-out.

(156,3 sec)

Alternate Cut 124.5 sec (= 2:05 min) longer