Based on the real life prohibition era federal agent Elliot Ness and his takedown of the iconic gangster Al Capone, “The Untouchables” is a true story that opens our 7th annual Mob Movie March. Nominated for four Academy Awards and winning one, “The Untouchables” is a character driven film propelled by the mega stars involved portraying epic figures from history. Side note – it also serves as my 500th Movie Buff review.
The setting is one that wreaks of crime and corruption. It’s Chicago, and the year is 1930. Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) has established a team of trustworthy agents in effort to bring down the ruthless Al Capone (Robert De Niro). Director Brian De Palma has a lot of great tools to work with in terms of talent and story. He adds an array of visually appealing and perfectly choreographed scenes, coupled with a mood-setting score to make the story a blissful combination of entertainment and history.
Kevin Costner was a top star in 1987, and shows his versatility in the role of Elliot Ness. He can be funny and serious. He can follow the law strictly but fire on a bad guy when the time comes. The team of agents he acquires are played well by Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, and the legendary Sean Connery who would win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his brilliant performance of Chicago police officer Jimmy Malone. Malone serves as a mentor to the young Ness, who was just 27 years of age in 1930, teaching him the ways of good police work; being honest and fair, but also how to bypass the red tape when needed in the notoriously corrupt Windy City. “Welcome to Chicago.” He advises Ness after he turns down a blatant bribe to leave Capone and his businesses alone. “This town stinks like a whorehouse at low tide.” Only Connery could deliver such a line with a snarling accent and composed demeanor.
Everyone knows the name of Al Capone, perhaps the most infamous Italian-American mobster of all time. The film showcases his abilities to rub elbows with the media, who have nicknamed him the “Mayor of Chicago” due to his charismatic nature and control of the entire town. He holds press conferences like a movie star, but also shows his barbaric side and violent temper.
De Niro plays the part as well as anyone could, and his scenes are some of the best in the movie. “You can get further with a kind word and a gun than you can with just a kind word.” He advises reporters with a smile. And though only in a handful of scenes, a review would be remiss in not lauding the performance of character actor Billy Drago as Capone’s top enforcer Frank Nitti. Together they make for a pair of unforgettable villains.
Mob movies tend run with an elevated minute count: The Godfather (177), The Godfather II (200), The Irishman (209) Goodfellas (146), Once Upon a Time in America (250). The latter two sit firmly in my Top 100 favorite films list, despite the absurd lengths. De Palma’s other famous mob movie “Scarface” clocks in at a robust 170 minutes. While “The Untouchables” may seem short just under two hours, the pacing is quite slow, particularly in the second act. That said, its start and finish are full of action and excitement.
“The Untouchables” is a great mob movie that showcases some amazing actors and a historical plot and setting that work well in tandem for a good movie. Welcome to March and the start of my quest to 1,000 reviews.
