Tony Montana Proves That Introverts Can Be Hard
Since its premiere in 1983, Tony Montana has been recognized as one of the most controversial, unhinged figures in American cinema. His violent antics and famous Cuban accent, performed brilliantly by Al Pacino, will forever be embedded in the memories of audiences who praise or detest him.
After the first watch of the film, and if asked, it is easy to confuse Tony as an extrovert judging by his bold decision-making, his willingness to kill someone, and his outlandish tendency of telling the truth. However, these are three of the many makeups that distinguish him as an assertive introvert, or INFJ-A:
Introverted
iNtuitive
Feeling
Judging
Assertive
In Scarface, Tony proves that introverts are not soft. He sticks to his beliefs and is unapologetic in his reserved, yet unorthodox mannerisms on his path to achieving his goals. In a world where law and order control our actions and shape our ways of thinking, Tony shows from beginning to end that no one is over him.
He is invincible. Despite his tragic downfall, he never loosened his control.
A Deep Understanding of Society and the Roles We Play
“You’re not good. You just know how to hide.”
Introverts possess a resourceful skill of deep thinking, and it is this skill that catalyzes Tony Montana’s rise to power.
He is a criminal. He understands and accepts this fact without guilt or remorse. He uses it to his advantage in man’s neverending struggle for survival.
He is a political refugee, transported from Cuba to the United States in Fidel Castro’s attempt to rid his country of criminal scum. Where a small-time criminal may use this exodus as a chance to become a model citizen, or they may just decide to continue committing petty crimes because that’s all they know, Tony accepts who he is, yet he is determined to become something more. The most powerful man in the world.
He understands that the world is not all “flowers and candy.” He understands that one must personify toughness to attain a goal. America was built by criminals like him, therefore, he must maintain his criminal ways to get the power.
He mentions in the film that the first step in achieving success is getting the money. After that, everything else will follow along. The story proves his technique works. He got the girl he wanted, he established a profitable business, he bought a mansion, and he made it to the top of the mountain. Of course, he continued practicing criminal activities such as money laundering and drug trafficking. But to him, and like most billionaires, it was the only way to remain at the top.
Innovative Thinker
“All I have in this world is my balls and my word, and I don’t break ‘em for no one.”
Since arriving in the United States, and possibly further back, Tony’s goal was to escape the hardships of criminal life and achieve ultimate power. Step one was the most important rule: “You gotta make the money first.”
Using Manny as a connection, he landed a job killing a communist, in which he succeeded. This convinced drug kingpin Frank Lopez to hire him for a drug deal. With his clever strategizing, he managed to secure the loot and “handle” the other party that tried to double-cross him. Unfortunately, it cost the life of one of his friends, but he understood that sacrifices are necessary to win in the criminal world.
Tony immediately recognized that Frank’s right-hand man, Omar, had helped set him up to die in that drug deal, and warned Frank of his suspicion. His suspicion proved to be true during the meeting with Sosa when Sosa’s men apprehended and killed Omar for being an informant for the police.
Recognizing an opportunity to make more money, Tony negotiated a larger deal with Sosa without Frank’s consent, which would be a win-win for all parties.
Tony viewed Frank as “soft” and knew he would be able to use that weakness to build his empire.
Once Frank was finally out of the picture, the cash flowed like a tsunami.
Keeps a Small Circle of Friends
“ I got ears. I hear things.”
Although it is not unveiled in the film that large groups exhaust Tony, his association with his small circle of friends and partners proves he does not trust many people, or maybe none. I would go as far as to say that the only person he trusts is his best friend, Manny.
Perhaps his cool demeanor is a tactic for concealing any hints of anxiety that mob bosses may use to attack him. Tony remains calm when around other people, observing their behaviors and listening carefully to their dialogue to interpret whether they are trustworthy, as well as to find their strengths and weaknesses.
He is not a people person, yet he keeps his enemies close.
The partners and connections he works with are like instruments inserted for building business, including his love interest Elvira. There never seemed to be a romantic connection between the two. Although he tells her he liked her from the moment he saw her, he also tells her that, “with the right woman, no one can stop me,” indicating that she is another instrument for constructing his empire.
Tony’s energy derives from the pursuit of his goals, not the people he encounters. When he is in meetings or attending parties, he rarely speaks or smiles because he is conserving his energy for important moments.
For Tony, the only things that matter in this world are his balls and his words. And you know the rest.
Soft Spoken with an Alarming BOOM
“HEY!!! She’s not for you.”
Tony is a man of few words, but every sentence contains a logical meaning. He is no-nonsense and he speaks with purpose—no awkward and pointless chit-chat.
He speaks softly with a slight mumble. But when situations intensify, he can bellow an ear-bursting line to show someone he means business, such as when Manny expressed interest in Tony’s sister.
Fans of the film enjoy reciting memorable quotes, as I have done in this article. One other quote that may be the most famous is, “Say hello to my little friend.” It’s one of the more humorous quotes compared to one more serious like, “A man without his word is a cockroach,” which validates his notion of honor.
Tony believes in speaking the truth and avoiding lies, except in certain situations. Because of this behavior, his dialogue comes off as simple, yet inspiring. Most introverts hate small talk. It is perceived as pointless and a complete waste of time.
Kindhearted (to the innocent)
“You want a job?”
Although the idea of introverts being thoughtful individuals is a myth, there are studies suggesting their extensive time in thought allows them to recognize the goodness in people. In Tony’s case, however, adults are tainted with permanent evil, while innocent children are clean and pure. The true treasures of the earth.
From a certain point of view, he is a good guy at heart.
He admits he will kill anyone or (expletive) anyone that has it coming. But taking the lives of children is where he draws the line. In a memorable scene where he participates in an assassination with a group of Sosa’s men, he sabotages the mission when he learns of children being in the danger zone.
His 20-year-old sister Gina is the only light in his life. When he sees her for the first time in many years, he emits a glow that we don’t see for the remainder of the movie. In his eyes, she is still a child, untainted by the contagious evil given off by adults. Anyone who tries to taint that innocence will feel his wrath.
And then there’s Earnie. Yes, he is an adult and was once a henchman of Frank Lopez. But after Frank’s demise, Tony showed mercy instead of taking him out and asked Earnie if he wanted to work for him. He didn’t view Earnie as a threat, but instead as someone who could start over and become a valuable asset to him. It can also be interpreted as Tony showing kindness to a child-like adult. Earnie accepted it and thanked him graciously. For Scarface fans, it may be the most feel-good moment of the movie.
Closing
“You f*** with me, you f*** with the best!”
Introverts display their talents and behaviors in unique ways that help them survive in a world that reaches new heights of insanity every generation. Despite his remorseless killings, his drug dealings, and drug abuse, Tony saw his low-life self as no different from a rich man with women and expensive cars. His beliefs are honorable to a deep thinker.
Once he finally achieved the power he desired, it was the beginning of the end. He alienated his best friend, pushed his woman away, became a drug addict, and he became more reckless. It is easy to conclude that his strategy for reaching his goal was a failure, but he continued to stay true to himself and might’ve come out alive if some things were done differently.
Perhaps hiding behind a mask and subjecting oneself to political policies is the true way to survive.
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