The Untouchables (1987) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Federal Agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop Al Capone; because of rampant corruption, he assembles a small, hand-picked team. Director: Oscar Fraley (suggested by book), Eliot Ness (suggested by book) | 1 more credit » Stars: Famous Directors: From Sundance to Prominence From Christopher Nolan to Quentin Tarantino and every Coen brother in between, many of today's most popular directors got their start at the Sundance Film Festival . Here's a list of some of the biggest names to go from Sundance to Hollywood prominence.

DC's Legends of Tomorrow Season 2 Episode 8 Review: The Chicago Way 8 December 2016 7:51 PM, -08:00 | TVfanatic a list of 46 titles created 02 Dec 2011 a list of 36 titles created 03 Jul 2012 a list of 37 titles created 22 Mar 2013 a list of 49 titles created 02 Jul 2013 a list of 40 titles created 15 Aug 2014 Search for " The Untouchables " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 15 nominations. See more awards » Videos A Puerto Rican former convict, just released from prison, pledges to stay away from drugs and violence despite the pressure around him and lead on to a better life outside of N.Y.C.

Director: Brian De Palma A father becomes worried when a local gangster befriends his son in the Bronx in the 1960s. Director: Robert De Niro An FBI undercover agent infiltrates the mob and finds himself identifying more with the mafia life, at the expense of his regular one. Director: Mike Newell When Robin and his Moorish companion come to England and the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham, he decides to fight back as an outlaw. Director: Kevin Reynolds A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him. Director: Martin Scorsese A freelancing former U.S. intelligence agent tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by both the Irish and the Russians. Director: John Frankenheimer Greed, deception, money, power, and murder occur between two best friends, a mafia underboss and a casino owner, for a trophy wife over a gambling empire. Director: Martin Scorsese After a prank goes disastrously wrong, a group of boys are sent to a detention center where they are brutalized; over 10 years later, they get their chance for revenge.

Director: Barry Levinson In Miami in 1980, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed. Director: Brian De Palma A mild-mannered chemist and an ex-con must lead the counterstrike when a rogue group of military men, led by a renegade general, threaten a nerve gas attack from Alcatraz against San Francisco. Director: Michael Bay The true story about an honest New York cop who blew the whistle on rampant corruption in the force only to have his comrades turn against him. Director: Sidney Lumet Lt. John Dunbar, exiled to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Indians, making him an intolerable aberration in the military. Director: Kevin Costner Edit Storyline Federal agent Elliot Ness assembles a personal team of mob fighters to bring Chicago crime boss Al Capone to justice using unconventional means during the mob wars of the 1920s. This fictionalized account of the arrest of Al Capone is heavy on style and gunfire. The end shootout combines a baby carriage and stairs with a nod to Eisenstein's _The Battleship Potemkin_.

Written by Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca> The Chicago Dream is that big See more » Genres: 3 June 1987 (USA) See more » Also Known As: 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)| Dolby (35 mm prints) Color: Did You Know? Trivia Though the patron saints of police are Michael the Archangel and Saint Sebastian, Irish police officers often carried Saint Jude medals, the patron saint of hopeless causes. See more » Goofs During the train lobby scene when Ness has the gun pointed at the sweaty thug Kevin Costner's gun goes from loaded to unloaded and stays unloaded for each following cut. See more » Quotes [first lines] Title Card: 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. It is the time of Al Capone.

Reporter : [to Al Capone] An article, which I believe appeared in a newspaper, asked why, since you are, or it would seem that you are, in effect, the mayor of Chicago, you've not simply been appointed to that position. [...] See more » Crazy Credits The title of the aria "Vesti la giubba" from Leoncavallo's opera "Pagliacci" is misspelled in the closing credits of the film: "Vesti la guibba". See more » Connections Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma Courtesy of London Records, A division of PolyGram Classics, Inc. (Athens, Greece) – See all my reviews "The Untouchables" is in my opinion De Palma's greatest work, with his other masterpiece, namely "Scarface", coming a very close second.

In "Scarface" the focus is on a paranoid and self-destructive gangster who rises to meteoric heights and then falls; in "The Untouchables" the focus is on a very honest man with a noble mission, Elliot Ness (Kostner), who is prepared to do anything to clean Chicago from the corruption and mayhem caused by the notorious gangster Al Capone (De Niro). His quest is really tough, as his opponent is determined and powerful, but he has the help of three invaluable partners: Malone (Connery), a no-nonsense experienced cop, Wallace (Martin Smith), an accountant who will try to help bring tax charges against Capone, and Stone (Garcia), a great shooter. As I noted before the film is brilliantly directed, with some scenes such as the one with the baseball bat, or the one with the baby in the train station, having become classic. The acting is superb, and while Connery was the one who received his well-deserved Oscar, Kostner and De Niro made Oscar-class performances too. Although belonging to a typical genre, this film certainly stands out. Don't miss it! 10/10.

116 of 180 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes The Untouchables (1987) YIFY - Download Movie TORRENT - YTS Reviewed by MinorityReporter 9 / 10 My Favorite! Quite a few words spring to my mind when I think of The Untouchables. Words like: Excellence, entertainment, larger than life and Sean Connery. These words basically summarize the entire film from my point of view of course because in my opinion (which I don't expect people to agree with) this is the best gangster film there is. Obviously people aren't going to agree because people prefer the likes of the operatic Godfather trilogy or the ultra realistic Goodfellas but in my head The Untouchables is the best. Here are a few reasons why. First reason is that The Untouchables is just so darn entertaining. All the other films had completely different aims and even though I love a deep and brilliant story my main objective when I see a film is to be entertained and basically no film does that better than The Untouchables. That does not mean, however, that The Untouchables is just some half baked action comedy. No.

There is genuine emotion and real story in this film. The story is, as most people know, loosely based on the actual events during the prohibition era in USA in the 1920s (the story is also based very, very loosely on the series that go by the same name) which to some extent means that what we see on the screen is real making the characters and general story seem that much more believable. This also adds greatly to the already very high entertainment value of the film because it draws the audience in. To add to the realism of the film the dialog is also very memorable and there are some great one-liners including some of my all time favorites in this film. The acting is nothing short of brilliant. This is without a doubt Kevin Costner's best role. Some people have remarked that he seemed stiff and unable to portray the emotion of the character and to that I can only ask: Were we watching the same movie?! He is a hundred percent believable all the way through. In the beginning he seems a bit too much like a square I-wanna-do-some-good kind of character but as the story progresses he really evolves and becomes more and more emotionally involved in what he does. Both in his friends and in the cause.

He even bends some of the rules he initially tried so hard to uphold. Brilliant. Charles Martin Smith does a good job as well and even though his character is very limited he still manages to pull the audience in. Andy Garcia appears in this film in a very limited role as well and he serves his purpose brilliantly. He is the sharpshooter of the group and he is perfectly believable in that part. He doesn't get to say much but what he does get to say is said with as much passion as I have ever heard from him (he seemed a little stale and lifeless in Godfather III). Robert DeNiro is great as Al Capone. He steals every scene he is in and he really brings the larger-than-life quality to the character which is extremely fitting. The film's best performance belongs to Sean Connery though. The film is for lack of a better expression a Sean Connery tour-de-force. Not only does he steal every scene he is in but he also brings the certain indescribable something to the character that he always does and in every situation you feel with him (as you do in all his films whether he is a villain or a hero). He also got a well deserved Oscar for his performance.

People have claimed that the Oscar wasn't as much for this particular performance but an Oscar in recognition of his contributions to the film industry. This belittles his performance which I can safely say is the best of his career and one of the best displays of acting that I have ever seen. The film also has a memorable score made by the legendary Ennio Morricone who is perhaps best known for the work he did with the equally legendary western director Sergio Leone (who doesn't know the score from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and in my opinion the score he did for The Untouchables is the best he has ever made. The score is very unlike most scores from the 80s which does that the film doesn't feel like an 80s film as much as Scarface which I find inferior to this masterpiece. The score is grand and epic just like the story and the effects. For an 80s movie the effects are pretty amazing. Once again everything works. All in all The Untouchables is a riveting story which is highly recommendable to all fans of crime/gangster movies.

10/10 - on my top 10 of best films Reviewed by jcanettis 10 / 10 Brian De Palma's Masterpiece "The Untouchables" is in my opinion De Palma's greatest work, with his other masterpiece, namely "Scarface", coming a very close second. In "Scarface" the focus is on a paranoid and self-destructive gangster who rises to meteoric heights and then falls; in "The Untouchables" the focus is on a very honest man with a noble mission, Elliot Ness (Kostner), who is prepared to do anything to clean Chicago from the corruption and mayhem caused by the notorious gangster Al Capone (De Niro). His quest is really tough, as his opponent is determined and powerful, but he has the help of three invaluable partners: Malone (Connery), a no-nonsense experienced cop, Wallace (Martin Smith), an accountant who will try to help bring tax charges against Capone, and Stone (Garcia), a great shooter. As I noted before the film is brilliantly directed, with some scenes such as the one with the baseball bat, or the one with the baby in the train station, having become classic.

The acting is superb, and while Connery was the one who received his well-deserved Oscar, Kostner and De Niro made Oscar-class performances too. Although belonging to a typical genre, this film certainly stands out. Don't miss it! 10/10. Reviewed by Streetballa 2 / 10 Almost No Redeeming Qualities I was not expecting this movie to be this bad. With Depalma, De Niro, and what looked to be a huge budget with a story that is already compelling enough in real life, there's no reason to make a film this absent of quality. You can tell within the first ten minutes of the movie that the score is going to ruin the movie. The music was either cliche (smooth touching melodies in every single last moment of vulnerability in the movie) or "action music" that feels like it belongs in homeward bound, not a crime movie. Music was even put into places where it make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Indeed, it sets the tone for the movie itself, which is a tone of farce more than grit.

This movie just reeks of farce, from the accountant mowing down people with a shotgun with the nerdy grin symbolizing his transformation from mild mannered nerd to empowered bad-ass to the completely arbitrary scene of Robert DeNiro hitting a guy with a baseball bat (no back story,no plot movement, seemingly no reason for it to be in the movie whatsoever)to Sean Connery getting blasted with seemingly dozens of machine gun bullets, bleeding enough to have died three times over, and yet still having the power to gasp a few more words just as Elliot Ness gets there before finally dying. This movie is filled with enough corny commercial movie tricks and cliches that it just cannot be taken seriously. This is not a bad thing if you're making a Disney movie, but when you're making a crime drama, (especially one based on real life) realism is probably the way you want to go. This is not even to take into consideration the awful acting throughout the movie. This actually may be why the movie so heavily relies on cheesy music. The actor's performances were so weak that it required cheesy music to make them look better. Kevin Costner is just not a great actor and none of the supporting cast is exactly Daniel-Day Lewis.

Sean Connery won an academy award for his performance somehow. I suppose his acting may have not been particularly bad, but his character seemed so manufactured and out of step with reality that he simply couldn't be taken seriously. Maybe in a completely fictitious story it would have worked, but again, not in a story based on real people and real events. If you want to see a farce that tries to be serious, every movie cliche in the book (this is no exaggeration, just look for them) an out of place and overdone score, and substandard acting, then this is the movie for you. I somehow doubt, though, that the target audience for this movie were movie watchers who enjoyed this type of film. Take out the violence and this movie belongs next to Pete's Dragon on the movie shelf. It's a disgrace to Al Capone and Elliot Ness both and to anyone who likes good movies. The Untouchables (Film) - TV Tropes The Untouchables You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share The Untouchables is a 1987 movie directed by Brian De Palma and written by David Mamet .

It stars Kevin Costner , Sean Connery , Robert De Niro , Andy Garcia and Patricia Clarkson in her screen debut. Connery won an Academy Award for his interpretation. Based on the exploits of ( Real Life ) 1920s Chicago Prohibiton agent Eliot Ness and his group of loyal agents, nicknamed "The Untouchables" because of their refusal to be bribed by the Mob as many others were at the time. Most notable for pursuing bootleggers and gangster Al Capone (and eventually arresting him— on tax evasion charges !) The movie was theoretically The Film of the Series of the 1960s TV series , but Mamet ended up largely ignoring the TV series, going back to the original sources and crafting his own version of the story. The film includes the following touchable tropes: Adaptational Badass : The real Frank Nitti preferred not to get his hands dirty, and generally left the violence to his subordinates. Adipose Rex : Al Capone is an obese kingpin. Robert DeNiro gained 15 pounds for the role, which is not much by his standards .

He wanted to double that figure, but the schedule was tight, so he had to wear pads and pillows under his clothes. Adult Fear : Nitti threatens Ness' family, but particularly his daughter. Clichéd as it is, the Baby Carriage scene is this. Come on, your kid's carriage is not only going down a flight of stairs, but it's caught in the middle of a shootout! Artistic License ï¿½ History : Capone and Ness never met face to face. Frank Nitti wasn't thrown off a roof. He and Capone were both sent to prison on tax evasion charges, but he got a much lighter sentence and took charge of the Chicago organization (at least in name) after his release. Nitti committed suicide in 1943 rather than face the possibility of another prison sentence. Artistic License ï¿½ Law : A defense attorney cannot change his client's plea without said client's permission, and he certainly shouldn't be doing that in public view. At the Opera Tonight : Al Capone is seen attending an opera when Frank Nitti comes up and whispers the news that Jim Malone had been killed.

Baby Carriage : During the fight in the station, a runaway baby carriage presents Ness with the dilemma of trying to save the baby or dealing with a gun-wielding mobster. He chooses the mobster, trusting that Stone will save the baby. It's the right choice, as Stone stops it with his legs. While still shooting down some mobsters. And the baby is fine in the end. Badass Boast : Several, especially considering: a) Eliot Ness is trying to convict Villain with Good Publicity Al Capone; and b) Ness' team is called The Untouchables. Best seen when he refuses a bribe from an alderman. Alderman: You're making a mistake. Ness: Yeah, I know, well I've made them before, I'm beginning to enjoy them. Alderman: You fellows are untouchable, is that the thing? No one can get to you? Hey, everyone can be gotten to. Ness: You tell Capone, that I'll see him in hell. Badass Bookworm : Oscar Wallace. An accountant by trade, he shows his courage under fire during the bridge shootout. Badass Mustache : Malone.

Batman Gambit : At Capone's trial, Ness realizes that the judge is skewing the trial in Capone's favor, and that the judge must have been on Capone's payroll. He forces the judge to conduct a fair trial by threatening to reveal evidence, proving that the judge took bribes. The threat works because they have Al Capone's ledger. We quickly find out that it was all a (successful) bluff, when the DA quietly notes to Ness that the judge's name isn't in the ledger.... Batter Up : Al Capone famously used a baseball bat to savagely murder one of his subordinates. Big Bad : Capone, of course, is the main antagonist of the film. Berserk Button : Don't insult Stone's heritage, or he'll shoot you. Malone uses this as a Secret Test of Character when recruiting his team. At the beginning of the shootout at the bridge, Oscar Wallace is cringing, with a "Oh dear God please get me out of here" look on his face. Then Stone gets shot. Cue Roaring Rampage of Revenge . Eliot Ness flips and throws Frank Nitti off a building when he gloats about killing Jim Malone.

Bittersweet Ending : Capone is behind bars, his deadliest enforcer Nitti gone and his criminal empire shattered. But two of the Untouchables are dead, and Ness had to violate a lot of his personal code of honor - including his tossing Nitti off a roof in revenge for Malone's death - to get Capone. Black and White Morality : Capone orders the deaths of children and beats men to death with baseball bats. Ness is all-American Hero who loves nothing more than his family and getting notes from his wife in his lunch. As the film goes on, it turns into Black and Gray Morality as Ness adapts Jimmy Malone's "escalate" philosophy to bring down Capone. Blood Brothers : Malone takes Ness to a church, where they talk about a Blood Oath and Malone tells Ness they are now bound by it. Bond One-Liner : A classic Non-Bond example. Happens after Ness has thrown Frank Nitti off the roof of the courthouse and he lands on the roof of a Model A: Stone: Where's Nitti? Ness: He's in the car Notably, this is all vengeance for killing Malone. Also, Ness's line to Nitti just before.

Bring My Brown Pants : Implied during the border raid when Malone tricks the thug into talking after he shoots the already dead mobster: Malone: And don't let him dry his pants until after! By-the-Book Cop : Eliot Ness, at least at first. California Doubling : The Canadian Border raid was film at Hardin, Montana, which is about as far away from the Canadian border as you can get while still be in Montana. Call Back : "There endeth the lesson." (Malone to Ness, then Ness to Capone) Car Cushion : Frank Nitti's in the car after being thrown off the roof by Eliot Ness. Chekhov's Gunman : The mobster with the bowtie. He is seen several times, particularly when he lures Malone out to be shot by Nitti and is later the one who takes the bookkeeper hostage on the train station steps and gets shot by Stone. The mobster Ness punches in the face when he tries to stop Ness from confronting Capone. Unfortunately this means he remembers Ness, which sets off the shootout when he sees Ness with the Baby Carriage at the railway station.

Comically Missing the Point : Capone tells Eliot Ness, "You talk to me like that in front of my son? Fuck you, and your family!" In front of his son... . Couldn't Find a Pen : After murdering Oscar Wallace and George the Bookkeeper in an elevator, Frank Nitti uses their blood to write the word "TOUCHABLE" on the wall. Dangerously Close Shave : The opening scene. Desecrating the Dead : A pragmatic variation occurs in the Mounties raid, when the eponymous squad has captured a Capone henchman and is trying to get him to talk about Capone's finances. When the henchman refuses to talk, Malone wanders outside, grabs the corpse of another henchman they killed in the preceding gunfight, and after pretending to threaten to kill him if he won't talk, shoots the corpse through the head, spattering the window with gore. The henchman, believing he'd witnessed an actual execution, is very cooperative afterwards. After killing Wallace and George, Nitti writes "TOUCHABLE" on the elevator wall with their blood, leaves George's body lying in the corner, and hangs Wallace's body from the ceiling.

Died in Your Arms Tonight : Malone dies in Ness's arms. Dying Moment of Awesome : While he's lured to his death quite easily, Malone doesn't die after absorbing a full magazine of bullets , crawls almost the full length of his apartment to bring a vital clue into Ness' attention, and then delivers meaningful Final Words in his final breath. The scene couldn't be underscored better by Morricone's death theme . Disproportionate Retribution : Done in the first scene when Capone's thugs blow up a bar that wouldn't buy his booze. Malone passionately defends that the only way to defeat Capone is by escalating the conflict because Capone will, and the mobster won't give up the fight until Ness is dead. It is a simple rule: They pull 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! The Dragon : Frank Nitti. Escalating War : "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's how you get Capone." Evil Gloating : Something Nitti probably should have done after getting safely off the roof! When Capone hears of Malone's death, right at the most heartbreaking scene of Pagliacci, he chuckles for a moment. Historical Villain Upgrade Well, sure, Capone himself was a Corrupt Corporate Executive who wasn't above killing his own associates or starting a Mob War , but the real Al was much less monstrous than the version here. Also, the movie's Capone had no problem killing kids, while the real Capone tried to avoid any bystander injuries in gun battles, and paid their hospital bills for them if they were hurt. Despite his nickname , Frank Nitti was Capone's number two rather than an enforcer, managing the outfit's organization and financial dealings. The movie's Nitti can be viewed as a Composite Character of various Capone henchmen. Hollywood Law : There are quite a lot of liberties with the depiction of Capone's trial: When they discover the jury has been bribed, they switch Capone's jury with the jury next door. Something like this really happened , but not the way it's depicted in the film.

Of particular note, in real life the jury was switched much earlier in the trial, and it wasn't specifically the jury that was changed - it was the pool of jurors both sides could select or veto that was switched; switching it when they did in the film, even if it had been allowed, would have meant that the new jury was handicapped by having missed the presentation of key evidence. Capone's lawyer attempting to enter a plea without his client's consent is not based on reality, and, in real life, is a good way to have a mistrial, an overturned conviction, and disbarment for the attorney. Iconic Item : Malone's St. Jude medallion. He toys with it from time to time and gives it to Ness before dying, and Ness in turn gives it to Stone at the end of the film. Idiot Ball : Ness and Co are in a corrupt town, they know they can't trust most of the police and what do they do with their key witness? They put him in an elevator with just one Untouchable (Oscar the accountant) and don't bother to clear out the elevator of anyone they don't trust. They were really holding onto it that day.

Implied Death Threat : When all the escorting mobsters are dead in the train station, Stone points the gun at the bookkeeper, and pulls back the hammer. The implication is that if he refuses to cooperate, one more dead Capone associate isn't going to make a whole lot of difference. Improbable Aiming Skills : George Stone. He shoots the Bowtie Gangster through the *teeth* at a good 10 yards, while holding up a carriage and laying on his back. I Need a Freaking Drink : On asked what he'll do when Prohibition is over, Ness replies he'll have a drink. Wallace sneaks a mouthful of whiskey from a shot-up barrel after the Canadian border raid. Infant Immortality : Averted and subverted. Ness' own young daughter and (at the start) unborn child, prominently featured throughout, survive without a scratch. On the other hand, one of the first scenes in the movie shows a gangster walking out of a bar, and a little girl running after him, carrying him the suitcase he left behind. Guess what's in the suitcase .... It's Personal : Malone warns Ness that he must take this mindset in order to win. Because the gangsters certainly will.

Jury and Witness Tampering : Al Capone bribes all the jurors in his tax dodging trial to acquit him—but Ness smells something fishy with the trial, and asks the judge to switch the juries. He even puts some pressure on the judge, on a hunch that he's also been bribed, and the gambit pays off. Justice by Other Legal Means : Getting Al Capone on tax evasion, of all things. Even Ness lampshades it in the movie when his accountant sidekick keeps pointing it out. (Though a standard legal tactic today, convicting criminals on tax evasion was a radically new idea at the time, and though it had been used successfully as far back as 1927, no one had ever tried it on so large a scale, or against so prominent a criminal.) Kick the Dog : Capone personally beats one of his goons to death with a bat to bring home the point that despite his attempts to paint himself as a good-natured high-roller, he is quite the vicious, ruthless gangster Ness says he is. Also, he has no problem with little girls getting blown up at the beginning.

Laser-Guided Karma : Nitti, who has killed Malone and shot at least three other people during his escape, isn't too concerned. He knows he'll never go to jail. Ness, however, has other ideas. Technically what Ness did was cold blooded murder, but it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. The Capone hoodlum who lures Malone into Nitti's tommy-gun ambush gets a bullet in his head from Stone towards the end of the film. And of course, Al himself. He had an intricate empire that let him do horrible things with impunity... and was taken down in a way he didn't expect. Leeroy Jenkins : Ness and company specifically tell the Mounties to wait for the signal to charge. And what do they do...? Charge before the signal. Let's Get Dangerous! : After he runs out of bullets Wallace runs towards a gangster, screaming, and hits him twice with the butt of his gun. Finally Wallace enjoys a sip from a nearby barrel of liquor. He's an accountant, by the way. Mentor Occupational Hazard : Jim Malone.

Mob-Boss Suit Fitting : A variation, with Al Capone talking business while getting a straight-razor shave from a barber. Mohs Scale of Violence Hardness : It gets a 7 (possibly a hard one), because of some of the blood splattering and Al Capone (Robert De Niro) bloodily bashing in the head of one of his stooges with a baseball bat. Moral Dissonance : Ness is a crusader , but Malone quickly shows him that if he's going make any headway in this war, he needs to operate on the edges of the law, sometimes outside. Naturalized Name : George Stone's birth name is Giuseppe Petri, a close-enough translation ("Petri" is close to pietre, Italian for "stones", but Giuseppe's English equivalent is traditionally Joseph, not George; normally, George would be the Anglicized version of "Georgio"). Never Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight : Malone provides the page quote and this memorable line, "Now isn't that just like a wop, brings a knife to a gunfight!" Subverted in that the knife guy is actually just bait meant to lure Malone into Frank Nitti's Tommy gun ambush.

Could also be a Call Back to Malone's "Chicago way" speech Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! : Ness' speech about the Chicago way and all his moves to honor it (read the conflict escalation ) ultimately puts his family in great danger, so that his wife and daughter have to move away from their house to avoid murder or worse . Strangely enough, the threat to his family comes as a surprise to Ness, implying that he honestly thought that Capone would never go that far (or, as in his speech he always has the last word, maybe he would go even further than Capone's murder of his family... Better not to know ). Noble Bigot with a Badge : Malone is very vocal about his anti-Italian prejudice, but Stone earns his respect. Nitti when he realizes Ness isn't taking him into custody after all . Old-Fashioned Copper : Although not a British film, Malone fills this role. He is introduced by being such a hardass that he tells Elliot Ness to straighten up. His idea of recruiting a new cop? Go directly to the Police Academy and find the guy who shoots straightest.

Gets downplayed in the end, seeing Malone ultimately picked the second-best shooter, as the best shooter could barely put together an intelligible sentence: Malone: I give you the next chief of police! Old-School Chivalry : The Mounties. To such a ridiculous degree that almost blows the whole Whiskey Exchange ambush. Their glorious melodramatic head-on charge gives the gangsters plenty of warning to get ready. If The Untouchables didn't cut them off from behind, the gangsters would have probably escaped. Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping : Sean Connery's Irish-Scottish brogue. Almost comical when Jimmy Malone's talking to Chief Dorsett (who has a pronounced Irish brogue)... it's even more obvious Connery's accent is Scottish, not Irish. Pragmatic Hero : Malone. In spades. The standout example is his gruesome "interrogation" and "execution" to scare George into cooperating. It's disturbing, but works extremely well. Pre-Mortem One-Liner : Ness, to Nitti. Technically, it's still pre-mortem, as Nitti is still falling when Ness says it. Nitti: He died like a pig. Ness: What did you say?

Nitti: I said that your friend died screaming like a stuck Irish pig. Now you think about that when I beat the rap. [As Nitti walks away, Ness grabs him] Nitti: Hey! AAHH! Reality Is Unrealistic : The infamous baseball bat scene seems like an over-the-top fabrication. But not only did Al Capone really do this... he attacked three associates during a dinner party this way. At the same time! Capone didn't kill them outright, though; he beat them senseless and then had his bodyguards finish them off with bullets. The Chicago police department seems outrageously corrupt for dramatic purposes. But this is more or less what The Feds had to deal with. The Mafia and the local police often were public rivals, but secret partners. As long as the mob kept the violence low and kept to the shadows, they allowed them to bootleg and operate. For a cut, of course. (In addition, Prohibition was basically unenforceable.) Reckless Gun Usage : Probably unintentional on the part of the filmmakers, but the Untouchables in general and Ness in particular have a problem with this trope.

The latter has a nasty habit of pointing at things with his weapon, and even hugs his daughter while carrying a .45 with his finger in the trigger well. Reliably Unreliable Guns : The tommy gun of one gangster jams during a fight. ( Truth in Television : a problem real tommy guns were frequently subject to, which is one of the many reasons it was never as popular as gangland movies would have you believe.) To the gangster's credit he tries repeatedly to clear the jam, but it gives the mousy accountant among the Untouchables time to get close enough to KO him with the butt of his shotgun. Rooftop Confrontation : The final showdown between Ness and Nitti takes place on the roof of the courthouse. Scenery Porn : While they may be on the wrong side of Montana, the Rockies seen in the border raid are breath taking. Schiff One-Liner : "I think I'll have a drink". Doubles as a meta-continuity nod to the TV-series. Screw the Money, I Have Rules! : Moral crusader Eliot Ness earned his men the nickname "The Untouchables" by his vehement refusal of a large bribe from Al Capone.

Shame If Something Happened : Frank Nitti threatens Eliot Ness's family in this manner. Frank Nitti: Nice house. Shotguns Are Just Better : With the exception of the occasional Tommy Gun, the Untouchables wield pump-action shotguns as their main long arms. Malone keeps a double-barrel sawed-off in his apartment for protection, but never gets to use it before Nitti mows him down. The baby carriage rolling down the stairs in Union Station is a direct homage to the famous " Odessa Steps " sequence in Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 masterpiece The Battleship Potemkin . This being a Brian De Palma film, the opening bar bombing owes a debt to Hitchcock. The Sociopath : Capone is a violent psychopath who finds joy in the death of his adversaries, and so does Nitti, his dragon. Steel Ear Drums : The baby in the carriage sequence. Suicidal "Gotcha!" : Elliot Ness chases Frank Nitti onto the roof where he waits in ambush. Ness rolls to the side to evade his fire, only to roll right off the roof with a scream.

A smirking Nitti saunters up to the edge to look over, only to be shot by Ness who's lying on a wooden platform, presumably put up for painting or window washing. Team Shot : See the image up there. Also an in-universe example, the four pose for a family photo in a restaurant. Title Drop : "You fellows are untouchable, is that the thing? No one can get to you? Hey, everyone can be gotten to." Too Dumb to Live : No, Mr. Nitti, I don't think it's a particularly good idea to taunt Ness about his partner you murdered when both of you are standing on top of a tall building. The Sicilian gunman who tries to shoot Ness with a pistol, when the latter has a shotgun on him, at virtually arm's length. Even Ness gets one! Furious at Capone, he draws his pistol and points it at the gangster, whose cordon of gunmen all draw on him. They were well within their legal rights to gun him down, since he was going to pull the trigger on an unarmed man for all they knew. Though it should be noted that he wasn't necessarily "dumb," just blinded by rage.

Took a Level in Badass : Oscar, the federal accountant assigned to Ness's team. More an office worker than a field agent, he takes to wielding a shotgun pretty quickly and gets a few Moments of Asskickery during the Canadian border raid. Tragic Keepsake : Malone's keychain. Try Not to Die : Essentially, Malone's first rule of law enforcement: Make sure when your shift is over, you go home alive. Very Loosely Based on a True Story : Ness and his Untouchables really existed. They really did get Capone on tax evasion. The baseball bat scene and the jury switch are based on real events. On the other hand, quite a lot of the story is just plain made up. The depiction of Ness owes more to dramatic effect than historical accuracy, and the rest of the Untouchables depicted in the film are entirely fictional. In real life there were 11 "Untouchables" not counting Ness, and they all lived to see the end of Prohibition. So did Frank Nitti, who took the reins of the Chicago Outfit after Capone went to prison, successfully diversified the Outfit's interests to keep it going after Prohibition ended, and eventually committed suicide in 1943.

The tax evasion case was based on information collected by Frank J. Wilson, from the Treasury Department's Bureau of Internal Revenue; the credit for bringing down Capone belongs to him, not Eliot Ness. Capone and Ness never met face-to-face. Of note is that Jim Malone is named after Mike Malone, an agent that infiltrated Capone's organization and then served as a witness in the trial. He died of natural causes in 1960. Villainous Breakdown : Capone's unflappable demeanor slips badly after he learns about the raid at the Canadian border: I want you to get this fuck where he breathes! I want you to find this nancy-boy Eliot Ness, I want him dead! I want his family dead! I want his house burned to the ground! I want to go there in the middle of the night and I want to piss on his ashes! During the court case: As soon as the Judge decides to switch the Juries, Capone freaks out at his lawyer. As soon as his lawyer switches pleas, Capone punches him.

When Ness gloats to his face, he repeats the phrase "You're nothing but a lot of talk and a badge" to the point where the more he says it, the more he realizes his life of crime is over. Villain with Good Publicity : Capone, who is popular with the media (and somewhat of a celebrity) despite his illegal ties. RCMP Captain: I do not approve of your methods. Eliot Ness: Yeah, well... You're not from Chicago. What You Are in the Dark : Ness is sorely tempted to shoot Nitti during the rooftop chase, when it's just the two of them there. He decides against it and arrests Nitti instead. But then Nitti just had to go taunting about how Malone died by his hand, and how he'll still beat the rap... so Ness tosses Nitti off the roof to punish him, taunting him as he falls to his very Karmic Death . Why Don't Ya Just Shoot Him? : A heroic example. When George is outrunning the older (and much heavier) Malone, Malone fires a quick burst from his Tommy Gun in the air to end the chase.

"Enough of this running shit..." Wicked Cultured : Capone, resplendent in evening wear, is enjoying a performance of the opera Pagliacci when his henchman arrives to inform him of another successful hit. Truth in Television : the real Capone was an opera lover and also a fan (and impresario) of the hot new sound of his era, jazz. Would Hurt a Child : The Establishing Character Moment for Capone's organization involves a child being killed when a bar is blown up. You Have Failed Me : Al Capone beats one of his goons to death with a bat. :: Indexes :: The Untouchables (1987) - "Eliot Ness meets Malone" - YouTube The Untouchables (1987) - "Eliot Ness meets Malone" Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Sep 24, 2014 In this scene, we see Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) returning home from a bad first day on the job. His first liquor bust turns out to be a "bust" in itself and he fails to make his first big score against Al Capone's mob. On his way home, he runs into a Chicago beat cop named Malone (Sean Connery) and the two have a memorable encounter. Sean Connery won an Oscar for his performance in this movie. Category Amazon.com: Untouchables: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia: Amazon Digital Services LLC Format: Amazon Video Verified Purchase Very good movie. Like the TV series that shared the same title, The Untouchables (1987) was an account of the battle between gangster Al Capone and lawman Eliot Ness, this time in the form of a feature film boasting big stars, a big budget, and a script from respected playwright David Mamet. Kevin Costner stars as Ness, a federal agent who has come to Chicago during the Prohibition Era, when corruption in the local police department is rampant.

His mission is to put crime lord Capone out of business, but Capone is so powerful and popular that Ness is not taken seriously by the law or the press. One night, discouraged, he meets a veteran patrolman, Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery), and discovers that the acerbic Irishman is the one honest man he's been seeking. Malone has soon helped Ness recruit a gunslinger rookie, George Stone, and, joined by nebbish accountant Oscar Wallace, the men doggedly pursue Capone and his illegal interests. At first a laughingstock, Ness soon has Capone outraged over his and Malone's sometimes law-bending tactics, and the vain mobster strikes back in vicious style. Ultimately, it is the most unexpected and minor of crimes, tax evasion, which proves Capone's undoing. Rated: 4.7 By Irwin Chiu on August 20, 2013 Format: Blu-ray Verified Purchase The Untouchables is a solid effort from Brian De Palma describing the corruption and greed in the Chicago area during the Prohibition era.

Kevin Costner stars as the earnest federal agent Eliot Ness whose ideals are put to the test in his attempt to put away the powerful Al Capone, played with zeal by Robert De Niro. While unable to prove some of the larger evils perpetrated by Capone and his henchman, Ness forms a team of his own and in the process learns to put aside some of his idealistic notions of crime fighting in favor of a more practical approach. It is this support team that forms a solid acting backbone, with tremendous performances put in by Sean Connery as Malone who teaches Ness his unique approach to Chicago-style justice, Andy Garcia as the sharp-eyed rookie fresh out of the academy, and Charles Martin Smith as the everyman accountant who gives Ness the initial idea to bring Capone to justice by tax fraud. Perhaps the strongest performance in the film is none other than Ennio Morricone's rousing score which lifts several scenes in the movie to mythic proportions and helps set the tempo of this film. Morricone's mastery of the musical medium is on full display here, from the suspenseful and dramatic opening theme to the eerie baby lullaby in the classic Potemkin-inspired train station shootout scene to the triumphant victory in the courthouse room.

The wide variety of styles Morricone employs in the film proves to be the ideal partner to the solid cinematic work and acting in the film. The Blu-ray edition of this film is a solid effort. Read more › Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again By Alexander G. on April 8, 2014 Format: Blu-ray Verified Purchase The Untouchables is one of the best movies of the '80's, gathering some of the finest actors of of all generations - Sean Connery, Robert DeNiro, Kevin Costner and Andy Garcia - in a memorable piece of cinema that has only grown better with age.

Perhaps De Palma's masterpiece, The Untouchables won the Academy's hearts and Sean Connery finally got his Oscar, which was long overdue, for the role of a tough but honored beat cop, Malone, who helps Elliot (Costner) Ness take down Al Capone (DeNiro) Fast-paced, it's filled with action, but it's never action-driven, sometimes slowing down to present the viewers with good moments of intimacy between the characters - like when the Untouchables are celebrating after they first case, or between Ness and his family. DeNiro gives a brilliant performance as a ruthless Al Capone who thinks he's above law and will do anything to keep it away from him. Even in the hands of De Palma this movie could have failed, were it not for a very intelligent script filled with catchy one-liners and well-thought dialogues. Finally, the score adds a lot to the movie's strength, either assisting the action during the shootouts, or just using a more depressing tone when the movie slows down to a more emotional feel. 10 out of 10, a movie that everyone who likes thrillers shouldn't miss. Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again By Bkwmn2 on October 19, 2016 Format: Amazon Video Verified Purchase Directed by Brian De Palma. With Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro, Charles Martin Smith. This is a great gangster flick. It tells the story of the fall of evil crime lord, Al Capone, at the hands of Eliot Ness and his team of federal agents. Al Capone rose to power during Prohibition and he and his evil team seemed impossible to capture, partly because of his web of moles in the Chicago police department. But, he didn't see Eliot Ness & The Untouchables as a threat and that was his mistake. The story includes interesting characters, suspense, violence, and even humor. Warning: There are some racial slurs, which were common in this time period. Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback... Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote.

Please try again By Karen Amrhein on September 9, 2014 Format: Blu-ray Verified Purchase I'm a pretty timid movie viewer: I can't watch horror or graphic films. Yet I love "The Untouchables" despite all its violence. This is simply a fantastic film. Everything works: the acting, the direction, the David Mamet screenplay, the cinematography, the costumes and set design, and the sublime score by Ennio Morricone. The cursing and violence -- both of which I normally avoid and detest -- are applied artistically and appropriately. The film is gorgeous and simply a sublime experience, and the blu-ray really makes it shine. The lovely opening shot of a "court" in attendance on Al Capone (Robert DeNiro) as he's shaved is a perfect demonstration of the improvement of the blu-ray over the DVD. The beautiful inlaid art deco floor gleams with color and clarity and detail on the blu-ray. The blu-ray is worth getting just for the cinematography. The film itself is worth getting for that too..., or for the score..., or for the screenplay.... Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...

Thank you for your feedback. Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again Untouchables, The (1987) - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games Pistols Star Model B Treasury Agent Eliot Ness ( Kevin Costner ) carries a Star Model B as his sidearm in the film (the pistol was used due to its resemblance to the M1911A1 and because 9mm blanks were more reliable than .45 blanks) in scenes in which he fires it. Bowtie Driver ( Vito D'Ambrosio ), a gangster who holds the bookkeeper Walter Payne (Jack Kehoe) from Ness and Stone in the train station holds a Star Model B to Payne's head. Blued Star Model B - 9mm pistol from the movie The Untouchables (1987) . This one is a screen-used and fired handgun from the movie and was used by Kevin Costner on screen. Treasury Agent Eliot Ness ( Kevin Costner ) holds his Star Model B outside the Capone warehouse. Ness holds his Star Model B on a nosy reporter outside the warehouse. The Bowtie Driver fires his Star Model B during the final shootout.

The Bowtie Driver ( Vito D'Ambrosio ) holds Walter Payne hostage. Ness fires his Star Model B during the train station shootout. Ness's Star Model B runs out of ammunition and locks back. One of Capone's gangsters (left) pull a Star Model B on Ness and Malone. The external extractor is faintly visible. Star Model B (Nickel) Frank Nitti ( Billy Drago ) carries a nickel-plated Star Model B in court, which Ness uses as an excuse to kick him out. Star Model B Pistol with a custom bright nickel plated finish and pearl grips - 9mm. This is a screen used Star Model B from the films The Untouchables and Pulp Fiction . Ness and a court officer take Nitti's nickel Star Model B. Nitti holds his nickel Star Model B on the court officer. Nitti waits for Ness to walk out of the roof entrance so he can shoot him. Nitti tries to fire his locked back nickel Star Model B. Nitti ejects the empty mag of his nickel Star Model B and takes a new one in his pocket. Nitti inserts a new mag into his nickel Star Model B. Nitti finally releases the bolt of his nickel Star Model B.

Nitti holds his empty nickel Star Model B. M1911A1 Treasury agent Elliot Ness ( Kevin Costner ) carries an M1911A1 throughout the film in scenes in which he is not firing his weapon. Treasury accountant Oscar Wallace ( Charles Martin Smith ) keeps one in a shoulder holster. Several of Capone's mobsters carry them. Colt M1911A1 pistol - .45 ACP. Ness comforts his daughter, M1911A1 in hand. An Italian-speaking mobster credited as "Gunned Head" ( Robert Miranda ) is cornered by Ness with his own pearl-gripped M1911A1 on the Canadian border. One of Capone's gangsters (right) pull a M1911A1 on Ness and Malone. Revolvers Colt Official Police Officer Stone ( Andy Garcia ) uses a Colt Official Police while on the police academy firing range. The court officer is later seen with one which he hands off to Ness for him to chase Nitti down.

What is interesting about Ness's gun is that this particular version of the Official Police is actually a Post-War gun (meaning it wasn't made until after 1950) whereas this movie takes place in the 1930s. The ramped front sight, flat hammer, and longer ejection rod cap are changes that were made after 1950. Pre-War guns would have a half moon front sight and shorter ejector rod cap. Colt Official Police - .38spl. Officer Stone ( Andy Garcia ) on the firing range with his Colt Official Police. Ness takes the court officer's revolver to chase Nitti. Ness holds his revolver while looking for Nitti. Ness is about to pull the trigger on Nitti when he has second thoughts. Ness un-cocks the hammer using the knuckle of his thumb. In reality, this is a very unsafe method, as using your knuckle instead of the thumb, has a greater chance of slippage, thus a nasty surprise awaits Nitti. Colt Detective Special A nickel plated Colt Detective Special is carried by Chicago patrolman George Stone ( Andy Garcia ) as his backup gun, which he tosses to Ness during the train station shootout.

Colt Detective Special 1st Gen (Nickel) - .38 Special "Oh, I like him." Stone threatens Malone with his Colt DS when they meet. Stone runs through the train station with his Model 10 and Detective Special. Ness aims the snubnose at one of Capone's gangsters. Colt New Service One of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers is seen firing a Colt New Service while on horseback. Colt New Service - .45 ACP. A Mountie to the left fires his Colt New Service. Smith & Wesson Model 10 A Smith & Wesson Model 10 is carried by Stone ( Andy Garcia ). He uses it to kill the Bowtie Driver who is holding Payne hostage at the end of the shootout in the train depot. Malone ( Sean Connery ) also carries one, which he infamously uses to shoot an already dead gangster. Many other Chicago policemen carry Model 10s. Screen Used Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver - .38 Special. This particular firearm was the one held and used by Malone ( Sean Connery ) when he shoots an already dead gangster in the mouth.

Malone and Stone pull out their Model 10s when the reporter interrupts their meal. "What's the matter? Can't you talk with a gun in your mouth?" Malone put the barrel of the S&W Model 10 into the mobster's mouth. Stone runs through the train station with his Model 10 and Detective Special. Stone aims his Model 10 at the Bowtie Driver. "One!" Stone with the Model 10. "Two." Stone holds his Model 10 after firing it. Webley Mk IV The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Captain ( Robert Swan ) is seen firing a Webley MK IV into the air when he prematurely launches the assault on Capone's men at the border. Webley MK IV - .38 S&W. The Mountie Captain ( Robert Swan ) fires his Webley MK IV into the air. Submachine Guns Thompson M1928 Many gangsters as well as Malone and Stone use the Thompson M1928 during the film. Stone and Malone use them to great effect during the Canadian shootout. Frank Nitti notably uses one in a confrontation with Malone outside his apartment. Several Chicago Police Department officers carry these during the first raid in the film.

According to the Ellis Props & Graphics NFA weapons list available on Long Mountain Outfitters' web site, there were a mix of M1921s and M1928 Thompsons used in the film. M1928 Thompson "Tommy Gun" .45 ACP Stone holds a Thompson as Malone explains their plan to Ness. Stone on horseback with a Thompson. Malone lays near a shot-up car belonging to the gangsters with his Thompson. Nitti aims his Thompson at Malone. The Thompson is pulled by the gangster ( Valentino Cimo ) whose nose was broken by Ness. While in the station, a gangster ( Joe Greco ) opens fire with the Thompson. The gangster ( Joe Greco ) takes a shot in the throat from Stone. Rifles Winchester Model 1894 The Chicago Police Department uses Winchester Model 1894 rifles. A number of Winchester '94s can be seen in a gun rack at a police station. Winchester Model 1894 - .30-30 Winchester Behind Ness is a rack full of Winchester '94s.

M1917 Enfield The M1917 Enfield rifle is used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. M1917 Enfield Rifle - .30-06 "Mounties" with M1917 Enfields slung over their backs. More Mounties with M1917 Enfields over their backs. Shotguns Winchester Model 1897 The Untouchables use Winchester Model 1897 shotguns on several occasions, such as the post office raid. Several Chicago Police Department officers carry these during the first raid in the film. Winchester Model 1897 - 12 gauge. This is an imported copy of the non-take down version of the Winchester 1897 Shotgun (a Norinco 97W shotgun, imported by IAC). An iconic photo of The Untouchables armed with their shotguns. The Untouchables ( Kevin Costner , Sean Connery , Andy Garcia , and Charles Martin Smith ) arm themselves with Winchester '97s for the post office alcohol raid. The Untouchables prepare to raid the alcohol center inside the post office.

Winchester Model 1912 A Winchester Model 1912 is used by Elliot Ness ( Kevin Costner ) during the shootout in the train station. These are also used during the shootout on the Canadian/U.S. border. Several Chicago Police Department officers carry these during the first raid in the film. Winchester Model 1912 Riot Gun - 12 gauge Ness riding a horse while armed with the Winchester shotgun. Wallace ( Charles Martin Smith ) takes out a gangster with his Winchester shotgun just before he runs out of shells. Ness fires his shotgun in a promotional image. Ness reloads his Winchester as a gangster hides inside the house. Ness pulls his shotgun from under his jacket and shoots a gangster one-handed. Ness fires his shotgun during the train station shootout. Rossi Overland sawed-off shotgun A 12 Gauge Rossi Overland sawed-off shotgun is kept by Malone ( Sean Connery ) in his apartment as a "home defense" weapon. The Rossi Overland sawed-off shotgun was built by the late gunsmith Branko Wohlfahrt for Ellis Mercantile. The Rossi Overland sawed-off shotgun used in the film, supplied by Ellis Mercantile.

The screen used Rossi Overland sawed-off shotgun held and used by Sean Connery in the film - 12 gauge. Malone answers the door, 12 Gauge Rossi Overland sawed-off shotgun in hand. Malone berates the Bowtie Driver for "bringing a knife to a gunfight". Other Mk 2 hand grenade Ness tosses a Mk 2 hand grenade over the Canadian cabin to force a gangster to run inside. Mk 2 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade The grenade lands next to the porch. AMC Total Ratings: 30 (avg 4.5) Excellent Review Why would anybody still want to watch a movie as deeply flawed as The Untouchables? Certainly it’s not for historical accuracy: The real Federal Agent Elliot Ness was perfectly happy to dun mob kingpin Al Capone on tax evasion and avoid the intense gunplay that the movie depicts. It’s not De Palma: Scarface is his better mob picture, and Blow Out has more drama. And Lord knows it’s not the performances: Kevin Costner earned much of his rep as a wet blanket here, and Sean Connery’s stubborn refusal to change his accent for his role is almost comic.

Never has an Irish cop sounded so Scottish, though Connery did get the last laugh – he took home a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Jim Malone. Why watch? Because despite its flaws, The Untouchables is a magnificent movie about political clout — a worthy subject that Hollywood’s rarely bothered to tackle and usually gets wrong. Clout isn’t bribing a police chief with a briefcase full of hundred-dollar bills; it’s making sure the police chief’s son gets a cushy job at your concrete firm, thereby ensuring you’re the low bidder on sidewalk contracts. Clout isn’t hiring hit men to off your worst enemy and toss him in a ditch; it’s buying drinks for a high school buddy who works at the county assessor’s office who just happens to find so many structural problems with your enemy’s grocery store that he’s forced to close shop and leave town. Those aren’t events in The Untouchables, but they echo the kind of emotional noise that David Mamet’s script makes – it’s a revenge fantasy for any person who wondered why they had to suck up to their alderman or local ward heeler just to get their trash picked up on time. Clout isn’t muscle – it’s clever muscle.

And The Untouchables understands that cleverness. Of course it’s set in ‘30s Chicago – that’s where clout was practically invented. Capone (Robert De Niro) is cooly running the liquor interests in what is supposed to be a dry, Prohibition-era burg, when Agent Ness (Costner) is hired to shake up things and nail Capone. Ness’ milquetoast, by-the-book approach to policework gets him precisely nowhere at first – Capone has so much goodwill with the press and enough eyes and ears in the police department that he anticipates Ness’ every move. Enter Malone, an aging beat cop who’s sympathetic to Ness’ cause. When Ness asks him how to nail Capone, Malone responds with one of the movie’s great lines: ‘You wanna know how you do it? Here’s how. They pull 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’s how you get Capone.’ So informed, Ness starts assembling his team, which includes police cadet Giuseppe Petri (a fine, understated Andy Garcia ) and wimpy government accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith). De Palma, always brilliant with violence, escalates the bloodshed as the new team of ‘untouchables’ starts to enjoy some success; in the only scene where De Niro really gets to show off, he lectures his cronies about loyalty as he carries a baseball bat before whacking the weak link in his Outfit but good. But a funny thing happens in the midst of the struggle between the Feds and the Outfit: Ness and his crew start acting just as immorally as Capone and his men do. ‘They pull a knife, you pull a gun’ – how exactly does that make you the good guy? Are the Untouchables freedom fighters or loose cannons? Mamet and De Palma don’t give a damn. What matters is the battle itself, and the tail end of the film has some wonderfully constructed sequences of violence.

The slow-motion ballet of gunplay at the steps of Chicago’s Union Station is serious stuff, but it comically integrates a baby carriage bouncing down between the gunmen, an absurd quote of Potemkin ‘s ‘Odessa steps’ sequence. And the courtroom scenes in the film’s last act isn’t nearly as interesting as the climactic battle between Ness and Capone lackey Frank Nitti (played with creepy brilliance by Billy Drago) above the courthouse. Justice doesn’t stand a chance against clever muscle. Alas, there’s a pat ending where the good guys win, but the film doesn’t make much of it. Indeed, the last lines of the movie suggest that Mamet’s having a laugh at the whole good-evil idea anyhow. When Ness is told that Prohibition – the law he’d fought and killed on behalf of – is going to be repealed, he simply smirks and says, ‘I think I’ll have a drink.’ That, too, is the Chicago way. The new collector’s edition DVD includes a handful of new and classic behind-the-scenes featurettes.

Question: Who played Elliot Ness in the 1987 film The Untouchables?
Answer: Kevin Costner