Saw this period piece about two gang bosses warring for control of a city with a group of co-workers in the theater. Unfortunately, I was distracted by my internal loneliness in the presence of two women I hiddenly desired, and thought it was one of the worst films I'd seen... I couldn't invest myself in it. But, the next time I saw it was alone on television, and I couldn't even recognize it was the same movie. Suddenly, it was the smartest dialog acted to perfection, with the sweetest emotional pay-offs in a range of emotions, as one smart-alecky gangland outlier with his own inner demons of dangerous women and gambling addiction strove to keep the peace and protect his freind, the Irish gangland boss, in a surprisingly selfless way..

It's been years, but I think I've seen it fifteen times since then. I recommend it for it's witty banter by all, the acting and strong characterization and the haunting cinematography and sound around the location known as, "Miller's Crossing," where the denouement of the film occurs (as was foreshadowed at the beginning, but with a different "subject").

Invest yourself, and it'll pay back in spades!