Greatest Film Scenes
and Moments



Carlito's Way (1993)

 



Written by Tim Dirks

Title Screen
Movie Title/Year and Scene Descriptions
Screenshots

Carlito's Way (1993)

In director Brian de Palma's gangster film, told in flashback:

  • the beginning credits sequence of wounded Puerto Rican drug-dealing criminal Carlito Brigante (Al Pacino), on a Grand Central Station train platform after being shot, being wheeled on a stretcher - with his lengthy voice-over - before the film's major flashback on his life: ("Somebody's pullin' me close to the ground. I can sense, but I can't see. I ain't panicked. I been here before. Same as when I got popped on 104th Street. Don't take me to no hospital, please. F--kin' emergency rooms don't save nobody. Son of a bitches always pop you at midnight when all they got is a Chinese intern with a dull spoon. Oh, look at these suckers scramblin' around. What for? My Puerto Rican ass ain't supposed to have made it this far. Most of my crew got washed a long time ago. Don't worry. My heart, it don't ever quit. I ain't ready to check out...")
  • the confrontation one night in Carlito's nightclub/restaurant "Club Paradise" between insistent, obnoxious Bronx punk Benny Blanco (John Leguizamo) and Carlito, when Benny desired to have Steffie (Ingrid Rogers), now the girlfriend of Carlito's lawyer Dave Kleinfeld (Sean Penn); Carlito harshly insulted Benny and refused his offer of champagne: ("Maybe I don't give a s--t. Maybe I don't remember the last time I blew my nose either....What, you think you're like me? You ain't like me, motherf--ker. You're a punk. I've been with made people, connected people. Who you been with? Chain-snatchin', jive-ass, maricn motherf--kers. Why don't you get lost? Go ahead, snatch a purse. Take a f--kin' walk")
  • after Benny was dragged from the club, Carlito's ultimatum: ("OK, Benny Blanco from the Bronx. The chick Steffie belongs to the club. And if I ever, I mean if I ever see you here again, you die, just like that"). Blanco threatened: ("You're over, man. You're f--kin' in the history books. That's where you are, man. So you might as well f--kin' kill me now, 'cause if I ever see you again, I swear to God, I'm gonna f--kin' kill you"); angered by the insult, Carlito retaliated and pushed Benny down a long flight of stairs
  • in the next moment, Carlito spoke in voice-over about his poor judgment in dealing with Benny: ("Dumb move, man. Dumb move. But it's like them old reflexes comin' back. I know what's supposed to happen now. Benny's gotta go down. And if I don't do it, they're gonna say: 'Carlito, he's flaky, man. Slacked-out. A used-to-be bad guy. Joint got to Carlito.' The street is watchin'. She is watchin' all the time")
  • although tempted to kill Benny in the alleyway, Carlito decided in the end to let him go: ("Let him go. Get him outta here") - followed by more of his voice-over: ("Any other time, that punk would die, but I can't do that s--t no more. Don't want to burn nobody, even when I know I should. That ain't me now. All I want is to get my $75 grand and get out")
  • the concluding cat-and-mouse chase through the subway and Grand Central Station, including a shootout on an escalator, before Carlito was shot dead in the stomach on the train platform by Benny Blanco: ("Hey, remember me, Benny Blanco from the Bronx?) and died in ballet dancer/stripper Gail's (Penelope Ann Miller) arms; at the time of Carlito's demise, Gail begged over his body: ("Charlie. Don't leave me, Charlie. Not yet, Charlie. Don't leave me, Charlie. Don't go, Charlie. Oh, Charlie. Charlie, please don't leave me. Charlie, don't go. No Charlie, you can't do this to me. Oh, God. Don't leave me...")
Carlito's Death on Train Platform
  • Carlito's voice-over at the time of his death - although his eyes were open for a short while as he was taken away on a stretcher bound for the hospital, with his dream of "Escape to Paradise" (as he looked up at a billboard with a Caribbean beach depicting a band and a woman dancing before a sunset, that in his mind came to life) just before the end-credits: ("...Sorry, boys, all the stitches in the world can't sew me together again. Lay down. Lay down. Gonna stretch me out in Fernandez Funeral Home on 109th St. Always knew I'd make a stop there, but a lot later than a whole gang of people thought. Last of the Mo-Ricans. Well, maybe not the last. Gail's gonna be a good mom. New, improved Carlito Brigante. Hope she uses the money to get out. No room in this city for big hearts like hers. Sorry, baby. I tried the best I could. Honest. Can't come with me on this trip, though. Gettin' the shakes now. Last call for drinks. Bar's closin' down. Sun's out. Where we goin' for breakfast? Don't wanna go far. Rough night. (His eyes slowly closed) Tired baby, tired.")

Credits Sequence Before Lengthy Flashback


Confronting Bronx Punk Benny Blanco in Club


Benny Dragged Away and Pushed Down Stairs

Outside in Alleyway, Carlito Decided to Let Benny Go


Chase and Exciting Escalator Shootout Throughout Subway and Train Station

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