Martin Scorsese is a filmmaker known for shocking audiences. Part of what made him one of the most celebrated directors of all time is his refusal to shy away from ugliness and violence in his movies. He also knows how to play with audiences' expectations, avoiding clichés, and going for bold choices.
Even without violence and death, Scorsese's films can deliver huge surprises. Just when you think you have it all figured out, things will take a turn you didn't see coming. From small character decisions to huge reveals, these are the biggest plot twists in Martin Scorsese movies.
Vincent Threw The Game - The Color Of Money (1986)
Paul Newman reprised one of his most famous roles as "Fast" Eddie in this sequel to The Hustler. In The Color of Money, Eddie has stepped away from the world of poll hall hustling but comes back to train a talented yet arrogant young hustler named Vincent.
After a falling out, Eddie begins refining his skills and eventually faces off with Vincent in a tournament which Eddie wins. However, Vincent later reveals that he bet a sizable amount on Eddie and threw the game purposely.
Sam Survives The Bombing - Casino (1995)
Scorsese returned to the world of gangster epics with Casino, a look at the fall of organized crime in Las Vegas. The film is a compelling story that starts with a bang – literally. As Robert De Niro's Sam narrates the opening moments, he gets into a car, starts the ignition and the car explodes in a ball of fire.
The film then flashes back to the story leading up to this point. But when it reaches the climactic moment, Sam escapes certain death and avoid the assassination attempt.
George Is Legendary Filmmaker Georges Méliès - Hugo (2011)
While the thought of Scorsese making a kid's film seems odd, Hugo proves he doesn't need violence to tell a beautiful story. Set in Paris in the 1930s, the film follows a young boy named Hugo living in a train station attempting to fix a broken doll owned by his late father.
A reclusive shop owner named George in the station discovers Hugo's doll and insists he stole it from him. Finally, it is revealed that George is Georges Méliès, one of the most ground-breaking silent film directors and Hugo helps him regain his creative life.
Rodrigues Remains Faithful - Silence (2016)
Religion has always been a huge part of Scorsese's films and it is dealt with quite directly in the period drama Silence. Set in 17th century Japan, the film follows a Christian priest named Rodrigues who travels to Japan during a time when Christianity was outlawed.
As Rodrigues searches for his missing mentor, he helps the devoted and persecuted Christian people of the land. However, he is eventually captured and forced to renounce his faith in order to save his followers. Rodrigues remains in Japan for years and continues to renounce his former religion. However, after his death, it is revealed he secretly kept his faith all those years.
Archer Stays With May - Age Of Innocence (1993)
The period romance Age of Innocence might not seem like the typical Scorsese film, but it is another example of how versatile he is as a filmmaker. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Archer, a lawyer who is engaged to a lovely young woman named May but develops feelings for her cousin Ellen.
After years of flirtation and unspoken love for each other, while being married to May, Archer finally decides to be with Ellen. However, when he tries to tell May, she reveals that she is pregnant. Archer and Ellen decide to put aside their feelings and he and May spend their lives together.
Tommy Is Assassinated - Goodfellas (1990)
Tommy DeVito is one of the most intimidating characters Scorsese has brought to film. He is an unpredictable and violent gangster who can unleash his fury on anyone at any moment. However, he remains a valued member of the crime family.
Eventually, Tommy is told he will become a made man which means he will join the high ranks. He is thrilled by the news, but when he shows up to the meeting, he sees no one is there. He only has a moment to realize something is wrong before he is shot in the head.
Rupert Is Funny - The King Of Comedy (1982)
Robert De Niro gives one of his most underrated performances in The King of Comedy. He plays Rupert Pupkin, a delusional man with dreams of becoming the biggest comedy star in the world despite never actually stepping foot on a comedy stage.
Rupert decides to take a different approach to success and kidnaps a popular talk show host to force the network to let him do a comedy set on the show. But instead of the disaster one might expect, Rupert is a hit. But the question remains whether or not it was all in his head.
Travis Is Called A Hero - Taxi Driver (1976)
Many people consider Taxi Driver to be the greatest collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. It is a fascinating examination of Travis Bickle, a New York City cab driver whose dreams of being noticed lead him down a violent path.
After failing to assassinate a political figure, Travis seeks his glory by going on a murderous rampage through a brothel, killing the men inside. Travis survives the ordeal and is hailed as a hero for saving the young girl inside the brothel.
Billy Is Killed - The Departed (2006)
Scorsese returned to the gangster genre with The Departed which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Billy Costigan, an undercover cop working to discover a mob informant working inside the police department.
Eventually, Billy finds the mole to be an ambitious detective named Colin Sullivan. After arresting Colin, Billy is taking him down in an elevator. But as the elevator doors open, Billy is shot in the head by Colin's partner. It is a shocking gut-punch just as you think the good guy is going to win.
Teddy Is A Patient At The Asylum - Shutter Island (2010)
In one of Scorsese's more mainstream films, Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshal investigating the disappearance of an inmate from a psychiatric institution. As he and his partner search for the missing inmate, Teddy begins to suspect there is a conspiracy to keep him on the island.
As he delves deeper into the mystery, the shocking truth is revealed. Teddy is actually an inmate of the facility and the missing inmate story was a ruse to get him to confront his own violent crime in an attempt to heal him.