The Untouchables Movie Reviews

I must confess that I watched The Untouchables at the time I was getting really engrossed and interested in all things film. The first frame I saw was the explosion that blows up the little child. I liked the film an awful lot then, just like I still do these days. Not because of its quality nor in admiration, but as one of the first films I watched as a young, bonafide "critic" and not as a mere film goer. I am still affectionately fond of it and it remains one of the films I still want to watch over and over again.

Many things that I didn't know then, I know now - especially things like the famous and still riveting staircase shootout - this was Brian de Palma's "tribute" of sorts, to Sergei Eisenstein's The Battleship Potemkin; also that this is one of the more controlled and less gory de Palmas. The first time ever I heard about Eliot Ness was in the film; Al Capone, of course, I had heard about, thanks to Mario Puzo's The Godfather. The first time I ever saw Kevin Costner was in this film.

I especially loved the opening title sequences, "The Untouchables", backlit with shadow in black and white. I liked the flawless recreation of Chicago in the Depression - right down to scalpel-sharp accurate wardrobe. It's a handsome, handsome film, mounted attractively on a grand scale. Ennio Morricone's unforgettable score creates a good counterpoint to the story. Add to this, two absolutely first-rate and memorable scenes - the first being the time Malone (Sean Connery) and Ness (Kevin Costner) meet at night, on the lonely bridge, and the second, of course, being the famous staircase shootout.

This famous scene plays to the gallery and grandstands predictably - the use of slow motion etc. It is definitely a far, far cry from the famous Eisenstein film that inspired it, but I don't expect the moon from de Palma so I'm okay with it. Sean Connery almost pockets the film's acting honours (which, alas, are not too considerable). de Niro is his usual Martin Scorcese self as Capone - I always wonder if de Niro really does any other kind of role in any film he is in. Costner does quietly and solidly, as does a young Andy Garcia.

Now on to the bad stuff - The Untouchables, alas, is almost entirely fictitious - this is definitely how we would have LIKED things to happen, not how things actually happened in history. de Palma has taken a lot of liberty with historical accuracy to support his needlessly flashy direction. Mostly, it doesn't work, never more than that sorry scene with Frank Nitti and Ness at the courthouse. But we go with it because there's plenty else to keep our attention. The script is one-dimensional and glib, even though it's written by experienced David Mamet, except for a few lines that I consider worth the effort:

Malone : Are you okay, pal?

Ness : I just had a rough day on the job.

Malone : Are you going home now?

Ness : I was about to.

Malone : Well, then, you just fulfilled the first rule of law enforcement. Make sure when your shift is over, you go home alive. Here endeth the lesson.

Every script writer sometimes has to make do with just a few stellar lines in an entire screenplay; Mamet's earned his stripes with those lines right there:) The rest of it can be summarily tucked away as ordinary.

It's a bit of a goody-goody good versus evil kind of a look that de Palma imparts to the film; mostly, it's tiresome. The cumulative effect may be good, but we know from history that Ness himself was no goody-two-shoes, and the character of Costner in the film very feebly resembles the aggressive Ness of history. It's an over-simplification and lessens the film considerably.

Never mind. I'd recommend you watch the film anyway - if nothing else, it will teach you a bit of history (Eliot Ness and his Untouchables team) and stoke an interest in you to find out what REALLY happened. And there's plenty else to keep you interested and enthralled. But don't ever believe it happened like it does in the film!!!

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This post is a movie review. It so feels nice to write about a movie you truly liked.Long time since I opened blogs to write a review. It didn’t feel to write something about the stuff I watched since Hotel Rwanda. Giving this example as the movie I am writing for is also based on truth. It even has the same names which appear in the Chicago court files. I’m writing for The Untouchables.

“1930.Prohibition has transformed Chicago into a City at War. Rival gangs compete for control of the city's billion dollar empire of illegal alcohol, enforcing their will with the hand grenade and Tommy gun. It is the time of the Ganglords. Itis the time of Al Capone.”

This is how the movie starts. The title card gives you the hint that movie is crime case. As its known what the result is, they movie does not pose any sense of mystery. Since 1920 to 1933 United States had banned all sort of Alcoholic beverages, more widely known as the Prohibition era.

That had opened up a major sector of moneymaking for those who have the ability to twist and turn the rule books by use of flawless team work.This empire founded on guns and terror, often corruption, and bribery used for firm the grip over the law-enforcement agencies.

This is the time when the federal Bureau has had enough of the Al Capone’s reign. They send over a man to remove the stains of Capone’s Outfit from Chicago. Little that they know that majority of the police force is already compromised by means of money or terror.

Just when he is about to loose the hope in the case, after a failed attempt of a raid, he meets a seemingly ordinary looking aged patrolling guard. This ordinary looking gentleman rekindles the hope in our hero’s heart.They set out on a common goal, resulting in the downfall of the relaxed realm of Mafia.

What makes it special is its solid connection with the truth. Additionally when you have actors like Sean Connery, Robert De Nero and Andy Garcia doing the job for you, you can relax in the performance aspect as well. The movie does well in every aspect; you won’t get IMDB rating of 8.0 otherwise.

“You wanna get Capone? Here'show you get him. He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital; you send one of his to the morgue! That's the Chicago way, and that'show you get Capone!”

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In the 1920’s and early part of 1930’s, prohibition in US, led to the rise of illegal liquor or what is called in common terms as bootlegging. Mafia gangs fought pitched battles for the control of the trade, and none more serious than Chicago, which emerged as the focal point. The notorious St.Valentine’s Day massacre highlighted, this dangerous trend. The law enforcement agencies choose to look the other way, as gangsters merrily plied their trade. And of all the gangsters, one name struck terror alike in the hearts of cops, civilians and rival gangsters alike. Alphonse Gabriel Capone or more commonly known as Al Capone.

The Untouchables** is a 1987 movie that takes its inspiration from a real life story of a Fed agent Eliot Ness who along with his incorruptible team, took on Capone, and managed to nail him for tax evasion.

The movie starts off with a young girl, dying in an explosion engineered by Capone’s men. The FBI appoints  Eliot Ness( Kevin Costner) to take on Al Capone( Robert De Niro). Not an easy task, Capone has completely bought over Chicago city. The police department is corrupt from top to bottom, and a number of cops are on his payroll. The legal system is stacked with Capone’s cronies. None are willing to testify against Capone. Ness’s attempts to go straight, are met with failure, due to corrupt officers in the Department.

After a raid ends in a fiasco, Ness encounters an Irish cop Jimmy Malone( Sean Connery), who advises Ness to encounter Capone on his own terms. He also advises Ness to form his own team of people who owe no allegiance to Capone. And so he picks upGeorge Stone( Andy Garcia), an Italian American trainee cop and an expert marksman, and a nerdy accountant Oscar Wallace( Martin Smith) who has a record of Capone’s tax violations.

Now in US, not paying your tax, is a much worse crime than rape or murder. You can get away committing murder, you can get away with rape claiming mental insanity. But god forbid, you are caught for tax violation, not even God can save you there. Which is how Capone was ironically arrested. As this group starts to raid Capone’s hideouts and busting his deals, they earn the nickname of The Untouchables.  How they finally manage to nail Capone, is what the movie is about.

The Untouchables** is director Brian De Palma’s third gangster outing after Scarface and Wise Guys. Scarface was an in your face, brutal, hard hitting realistic account of Cuban gangster Tony Montana. It was noted for it’s high violence quotient, its jerky camera shots, its fast cutting dialog. The Untouchables has an equally high amount of gore and violence, but its more Hollywoodized. The dialogues are more measured and slow, and the camera work is more panoramic. In a way the movie pays tribute to the early gangster classics of Hollywood starring actors like Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney.

There are some excellent dramatic sequences. The first encounter between Ness and  Malone, and then Maloneinstructing Ness how to tackle Capone

“You want to get Capone, this is what you do, he takes out a knife, you take out a gun, he sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. This is how you fight crime Chicago style”- Total seeti maar dialogue

Another superb scene is where Malone recruits George Stone, by mocking at his Italian origins. As also the scene where Capone smashes a gangster’s head with a baseball bat, Ness having a showdown with Capone after Malone has been shot dead, Malone’s death scene.

And for action movie buffs, you have some great scenes, like the shootout at the Canadian border,  Ness pushing the gangster who shot dead Malone over the building and yes of course the classic Odessa Steps sequence in Chicago station.

The Odessa Steps sequence so called because it was adapted by Brian De Palma from a similar sequence in Battleship Potemkin, is brilliantly shot. In total slow motion, the gun shots mixed with the cry of a mom, as she sees her pram fall down the steps. 10-15 minutes of sheer cinematic brilliance. On par with Ben Hur’s chariot race scene and the Mexican stand off scene in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The Untouchables** is also helped by some solid acting from its performers.

Robert De Niro as Al Capone, is brilliant as ever. Being a method actor, De Niro, in fact hired Al Capone’s own tailor, to design the costumes for him, when in fact, it was Giorgio Armaniwho designed the costumes for the rest of the cast. Be it strutting around like a master, blustering and bullying people, **De Niro, once again proves that when it comes to being nasty, he is a master.

Sean Connery got the Best Supporting Actor, for his role of **Jimmy Malone, and he also gets some of the best lines. If you can overlook his Scottish accent, though he is supposed to be Irish in the movie, Connery as usual, gives a superb act. Especially in the church scene, where he mentors Ness and also the scene where he provokes Stone.

It is quite tough to hold your own, when pitted against scene stealers like De Niro and Connery. To his immense credit, Kevin Costner, comes up with a solid, understated performance as Eliot Ness. His emotions are superb especially in the pre climax scene, when he hears Nitti saying that his friend died like a pig. As a loving father, as a honest agent, as a man of principles, Costner gives a great performance.

Andy Garcia as the rookie cop George Stone is in fine form, and he is just brilliant in that Odessa steps sequence, while Martin Smith provides comic relief as the nerdy accountantWallace.

And of course excellent background score by Ennio Morricone, especially in the opening credits. The art work wonderfully recreates the 1920’s Chicago era. All in all a great movie to be watched, any day and any time, thanks to some solid performances, wonderful screenplay and great action sequences.

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It’s been a while now since I watched some really old movie and the 2 decade old ‘Untouchables’ I must say proved to be more than a pleasant comeback for me into the arena. Well, it’s a film full of action, purpose and drama and I suppose must have made it big at the time of its release , especially considering the quality star cast it had to go with the kind of theme which’ll attract most viewers.

THE CAST

The Untouchables

Kevin Costner: aka Eliot Ness

Sean Connery: aka Jim Malone

Charles Martin Smith: aka Agent Oscar Wallace

Andy Garcia: aka Agent George Stone

Robert DeNiro: aka AL CAPONE

What’s it about? – The Untouchables Vs. Al Capone

The movie is set around the time, just somewhere about 1930 when the prohibition acts prevalent in Chicago made the competitors in the business of selling and trading unauthorized alcohol resort to unscrupulous means, controlling their monopoly with violence, maiming and killing. The master of the trade here was none other than lord of all ganglords, Al Capone . Most people in the police, and in every department in the government are either owned or bribed by this sly crook who doesn’t care how he gets his work done. The question is not where he and when he carries out his dirty work for the aspiring crusaders but who can stand upto him.

This movie is about one such crusader, Eliot Ness ,a treasury officer who decides to take up the challenge. However, it doesn’t take him long to realize the hopelessness of his cause as he gradually realizes how far and wide Capone’s reach is, who has his faceless men swarming everywhere. That is until he comes across a sane veteran, Malone ,an accountant Wallace and an aspiring cop Stone. They aka ‘The Untouchables’,with a certain others whom they can trust go about the task of busting Capone’s racket with some degree of initial success. But to overthrow Capone himself is no child’s play as Ness realizes as he puts himself into a situation where his family, his friends’ lives are on the line, as he treads deeper yet into Capone’s shady dealings. How long will Ness hold his nerve under pressure? Will it be a cakewalk or quite the opposite for him? Or will he have to lose much to attain what he wants to achieve? Find out these exciting answers yourself…..no better alternative really, if you ask me!

Performances:

Kevin Costnerdoes less than a fantastic job but laudable all the same with his unsure but passionate demeanor. One can see both his pain and will to succeed in various situations.

Andy Garciawas a very welcome presence on screen with his free flowing but to the point style of going about his business no matter how intense circumstances were.

Martin Smithmakes for a funny personality, who adds a touch of humor to anything he sets upon doing and no matter what he does, he eventually has to bring in accountancy into it .Nice role played by him!

Sean Conneryfor me was the best of the lot of the ‘Untouchables’. With his omniscient disposition he was one who seemed in control in most of his roles and the one with the biggest sense of purpose. He may been in a supporting role but he definitely stole some of Costner’s thunder.

DeNirodoes a perfect Al Capone as must have been expected of him ,he being a symbol for such roles. But I must say we should’ve had more of him in the big picture .I did feel we don’t get enough of him in the film.

Direction:

Another feather in the cap for Mr. DePalma here, very well directed and balanced in the events although the incident between Costner and Capone’s thug towards the end was a bit stretched out.And overall a nicely executed work having all the essentials of an enticing drama.

OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE MOVIE YOU’D WANT TO KNOW

1.Well, there is nothing special about the circumstances under which the film has been shot, only thing special being the effect it’ll have on you – that’s right it leaves you feeling full in a positive way.

2.However I did feel it was more of Ness going after Capone rather than Capone showing us why he has the effect of everyone shuddering at the mention of his name. He should’ve been more offensive than defensive is a nice way to put it!

3.There’s a bit of a question mark regarding how Malone gets his friend to spill the whereabouts of the bookkeeper, or how did his friend know so much in the first place. Even if he was one of Capone’s spies it doesn’t make much sense that in spite of knowing it Malone didn’t turn him in earlier since he has been shown to be so self righteous.

4.This film has its fair share of bloodshed by anyone and everyone. So, if you are not too hot on gory scenes maybe you should consider not watching it!

5.I thought the scene at the station towards the end when Ness waits for the bookkeeper was especially well played out. Credit to the director here, he built up such suspense that I was literally urging the movie to pour forth what was actually going to happen and before I knew it did happen and didn’t disappoint as is mostly the case.

6.Again, not many ambiguities here and there in the plot. Everything connects up pretty well leaving no real room for major doubts to creep in.It clings to its primary theme throughout.

7.There are some surprises here and there in the sense there are situations where you might believe something would happen as is common but the improbable but not impossible does happen, which is a refreshing change for every viewer.

All in all, an entertaining watch. I was certainly glued to the film while I watched it and am very sure most others would be too. Don’t make the mistake of giving this one a miss. I almost had!

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I have seen this movie more than once. Every time I see it I feel good, I feel like clapping, I feel I can be a hero, I start believing in nobility. The movie actually makes me a better man. I think that is the ultimate compliment one can give a movie.

The Story

The movie is set in Chicago during the prohibition era. The story traces the exploits of federal agent Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner), who create a core group of like minded individuals to take on Al Capone (Robert De Niro), the all powerful don who ruled the city with an iron hand. He befriends Malone (Sean Connery) an Irish beat cop on the streets and both teams up with an accountant Wallace (Charles Martin Smith) and a sharpshooter Stone (Andy Garcia) to form a special task force. The team came to be known as The Untouchables because the City police gave them extra ordinary powers to achieve the objective of putting Capone behind bars. The four characters have been fleshed out in minute details by the script. Soon we, the audience start relating to these ordinary normal real characters who are fighting against all odds to uphold justice and destroy evil. We rejoice with them on their initial victories. We are aghast when the villains struck brutally to kill Malone and Wallace. We pray as Ness carries on his crusade to the end with Stone’s help.

Finally all ends well when Ness finally puts Capone behind bars on the basis of evidence given by the Don’s Bookkeeper.

The Rest

The movie is directed by Brian De Palma, a self confessed fan of Alfred Hitchhock. He is complimented by the equally brilliant David Mamet (the scriptwriter) and the end result is pure magic. The actors are all brilliant. Costner underplays his role and became the next big thing in Hollywood after this movie. Sean Connery won a supporting oscar for his role as the experienced, street smart Irish beat cop. Martin Smith does full justice to his nerdish character who can hold a shotgun when required. Andy Garcia just acts with his sometime piercing and sometime twinkling eyes. He has the least dialogues but wins the maximum hearts. Robert De Niro just scorches the screen with his act as the brutal cigar chewing Don.

The review of this movie will be incomplete without commenting on the famous station scene. It is an action set piece that still thrills whenever I see it. I understand that the scene is somewhat inspired by a similar scene in the classic Battleship Potemkin. But the situation is different and in the end of scene you just have to clap. The editing and the direction is an absolute treat in this scene which just goes on and on though the whole incident which is enacted is supposed to happen within a few seconds.. The pram with the baby falling, bullets spraying all over, Costner coming down the steps to save the child and the final slide of Stone stopping the pram with his leg and shooting a gangster on his head need to be seen to be relished.

The Untouchables will to me remain Brian De Palma’s greatest masterpiece pushing Scarface to a close second. The pure nobility of the mission depicted in the movie through its characters is awe inspiring. However the success of the movie lies on the fact that the movie is paced very well and takes the audience on a pure adrenaline roller coaster. Entertainment coupled with human virtues makes a lethal combination.

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