Gangster No. 1 2002

The film begins with an unnamed British veteran gangster attending a boxing match with his friends. During their conversation, he learns that Freddie Mays, another notorious gangster, is about to be released from prison after 30 years. This news causes him to fall silent, prompting him to leave the table in an attempt to gather himself.

As the story unfolds, we flash back to the 1960s, showcasing the younger gangster’s rise to prominence. He catches the eye of Freddie Mays, who recruits him as an enforcer. Eager to impress, the young gangster displays his violent tendencies, which endear him to Mays. Nevertheless, he becomes increasingly obsessed with Mays’ success and lavish lifestyle, marked by Mays’ stylish clothing and upscale apartment.

Upon discovering that Lennie Taylor, Mays’ rival, is plotting to kill Mays, the gangster makes a fateful decision: Instead of warning Mays, he allows the attack to happen and eliminates the only other gang member aware of the scheme. What follows is a horrifying scene where Taylor’s gang shoots and stabs Mays, and tragically, they also murder Karen, Mays’ fiancée.

Seeking revenge, the gangster retaliates by confronting Taylor at his flat, shooting him in the leg, and ultimately torturing him to death. The following day, he learns that Mays survived the attack but has been unjustly imprisoned for 30 years for orchestrating Taylor’s murder. With Mays behind bars, the gangster assumes control over the gang, expanding its operations and building a formidable organization over the years—a journey that showcases bank heists, casino openings, and race-fixing, all while growing his gang to over 300 members.

Returning to the present, the aged gangster finds himself once again at the boxing event where he learns that Karen has survived and is set to marry a transformed Mays, who has recently been released from prison. In a desperate attempt to confront his past, the gangster summons Mays to his current flat, which he has taken over. He offers Mays both money and the flat, but Mays is no longer the fighting man he once was, desiring only to marry Karen and live a quiet life.

In a climactic moment, the gangster threatens Mays with a gun, before inexplicably handing it over and confessing his role in the murder attempt and Taylor’s death, pleading for Mays to take his life. Instead, Mays walks away, leaving the gangster to reflect on the emptiness of his existence. The film culminates in a haunting finale where the gangster, apparently losing his grip on reality, chooses to end his own life by stepping off a building, declaring his last words: > “I’m number one.”