Thank you so much for that thoughtful reply. I really appreciate it. I was beginning to think it wasn't going to get any kind of reply (which I would have accepted, of course; just would've been a bummer). Interesting, too, to get the perspective of someone who grew up in the time and place the film depicts.

I rewatched certain portions of the film last night . . . I was grabbing some audio samples, actually, to potentially use in some music. (Not hip-hop, heheh.) And one scene in particular reminded me of other aspects of Tony Montana and causes me to definitely agree with you when you say he wasn't motivated by greed. The scene at dinner with Manny and Elvira, where Tony complains and wonders, "Is this it? Is this what I worked for?" All the excess and all the drugs and the "fucking and sucking" etc, and he complains about not being able to have a child and so forth. Then Elvira leaves him, and he leaves the restaurant pointing out the hypocrisy of everyone there and that they all need a villain like him. I think that's my favorite scene in the film. So yeah I agree with you that I don't think he was motivated by greed, at least not entirely. And that he took a route that screwed him and those close to him out of everything he actually wanted. He could have stayed at the restaurant (and so forth), but I don't know if that would have gotten him what he wanted either. Like anything real, there isn't really a simple answer. I think you're right on target with your reply though. I have to go; otherwise I'd write and ramble on more! But thanks again for your great reply, much appreciated.