No, Capone did not die from a gunfight. He died of cardiac arrest in 1947, "but his decline began earlier. After his transfer to Alcatraz prison, his mental and physical condition deteriorated from paresis (a late stage of syphilis). He was released in November 1939 and was sent to a Baltimore mental hospital before he retired to his Florida estate".
Charles Martin Smith (Wallace) is severely underrated. Solid character actor (Starman, American Graffiti, Never Cry Wolf) and he’s done some directing too (“Stone of Destiny” with Charlie Cox and Robert Carlyle, and S1E2 of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”). 7:34 Andy Garcia, who’s Cuban, always seems to play an Italian.
It was a BEAUTIFUL film. The cinematography was amazing, wasn't it? Pre-CGI and the city scene looked so authentically 1920s. Capone showed signs of neurosyphilis early in his sentence and became increasingly debilitated before being released after almost eight years of incarceration. On January 25, 1947, he died of cardiac arrest after a stroke.
This film is a masterpiece, and one of the few movies I've seen in my life I would rate "A", as I don't give that grade out often. Amazing acting, music, story, directing, etc. Just a top shelf film.
The train station scene with the baby in the stroller is a direct lift from Russian director Sergei Eisenstein’s 1926 silent epic, “Battleship Potemkin.” Kudos to Brian dePalma and his knowledge & appreciation of film history.
P.S.S. The music was by far the best part of this movie IMO. The composer was the legendary Ennio Morricone, who also did The Thing (1982), The Hateful 8, amd The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
The reason you couldn't see the headshot when Stone shot the thug holding the bookkeeper hostage: He shot him right through the mouth when he opened it to say "two", which Stone finishes saying for him.
If you're an Andy Garcia fan (and seriously, he's great in everything he does), check out Steal Big, Steal Little. It's indy, and more than a little tongue in cheek, but highly entertaining.
Al Capone died from syphilis in 1947. In his later years he had the brain of a toddler. He's died at 48 years old. While in prison he was frequently attacked and abused by his fellow inmates.
My favorite movie of all time. I love Chicago and its history. Some friends and I went to the train station just to walk through that scene on the steps, literally shot by shot.
Great reaction, guys. You make such a good team. It's a somewhat fanciful fictionalised version of the real events, but a terrific movie with fine performances nonetheless. Fun fact: Capone was never part of the Mafia. You had to be Sicilian and he was Neapolitan. That's why he moved from New York to carve out his own turf in Chicago. Nailing him with tax evasion was a big PR coup for the cops, but there were actually plenty more to take his place.
Illness and death Due to his failing health, Capone was released from prison on November 16, 1939,[130] and referred to the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for the treatment of syphilitic paresis. Because of his unsavory reputation, Johns Hopkins refused to treat him, but Union Memorial Hospital was willing to take him as a patient. Capone was grateful for the compassionate care that he received and donated two Japanese weeping cherry trees to Union Memorial Hospital in 1939. After a few weeks of inpatient and outpatient care, on March 20, 1940, a very sickly Capone left Baltimore and travelled to his mansion in Palm Island, Florida.[131][132][133] In 1942, after mass production of penicillin was started in the United States, Capone was one of the first American patients treated by the new drug.[134] Though it was too late for him to reverse the damage to his brain, it did slow down the progression of the disease.[125] In 1946, his physician and a Baltimore psychiatrist examined him and concluded that Capone had the mentality of a 12-year-old child.[89] He spent the last years of his life at his mansion in Palm Island, Florida, spending time with his wife and grandchildren.[135] On January 21, 1947, Capone had a stroke. He regained consciousness and started to improve, but contracted bronchopneumonia. He suffered a cardiac arrest on January 22, and on January 25, surrounded by his family in his home, Capone died after his heart failed as a result of apoplexy.[136][137] His body was transported back to Chicago a week later and a private funeral was held.[138] He was originally buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago. In 1950, Capone's remains, along with those of his father, Gabriele, and brother, Frank, were moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.[139][140]
Prohibition was a weird law with a lot of holes. It was never illegal to drink or own alcohol. Cops didn't search individuals or care what was in their homes. It was illegal to Produce it and distribute it/sell it. But even that part had holes if it was considered medicinal. Doctors could give it out. So lots of people got alcohol from their doctor or illegally on the street obviously.
What made this movie so great was the script, written by the great playwright, David Mamet. If you want to see a great movie adaptation of one of his plays, check out “Glengarry, Glenn Ross.”
Capone went to Alcatraz prison for tax evasion, just as the movie said, but he did not serve the entire 11 years. He was released early for health and humanitarian reasons. He had severe dementia from untreated syphlis which he died from soon after release at his retirement home/mansion in Florida.
Ness wasn't a cop. He was a Prohibition Agent in the Department of Treasury assigned to enforce the Volstead Act, which was the enforcement act of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution that prohibited alcohol. It was later repealed by the 21st Amendment.
“The Untouchables” started as a novel that Ness ghost wrote with another person. He definitely intended his team to be known as the untouchables, meaning they were untouchable by corruption.
A necessary correction to make. Frank Nitti did not get thrown off a roof by Eliot Ness. The real Nitti committed suicide in 1943. The picture of which was featured in the Godfather newspaper montage scene after Michael kills Sollozzo and McClusky.
@@jstube36 You're welcome! If I made a historical gangster film, then I would have to look up the people, the events, and make it look accurate as possible.
@@StephenLuke Embellishment of real stories is not new in film. The Untouchables seems more like the crusade of some avenging angel like Ness. The part with the horses. made him look like some heroic western hero. And I seriously doubt that the real Ness confronted Capone like the film would have us think.
The Untouchables is more Hollywood than reality. Elliot Ness rarely carried a gun (his holster was usually empty). He was more of an "office" type of law enforcement officer. In fact, Ness only met Capone once and that was during a prison transfer. This movie received mixed reviews, but there are a lot of fans of the movie. Sean Connery was really good in this movie too (Best Supporting Actor award). Out of 5☆, I would give it 3.5☆ P.S. Al Capone was eventually transferred to Alcatraz and became really sick. He eventually died of a heart attack or stroke in 1947. I believe he died in FL at his home.
Al Capone died at his mansion in Florida in 1947 due to complications from late-stage syphilis. In short, syphilis rotted his brain, he suffered a stroke, contracted pneumonia and died from a heart attack. If you wanna see a classic gangster movie based on Capone, check out the original Scarface from 1932, starring Paul Muni. That film will probably surprise you with its intensity. And for more great gangster films from the 1930's, check out Little Caesar (1931), The Public Enemy (1931), Taxi! (1932), The Petrified Forest (1936), Each Dawn I Die (1939), and The Roaring Twenties (1939) among others.
Capone died from an untreated syphilis infection - his mind gone to mush - he was released from Alcatraz to a mental hospital in 1939, near the outbreak of the Second World War. At his death, Capone had the mentality of a child.
The judge switched the juries because Ness told the judge that the judge's name was in the ledger. It was not. This was Ness learning from Sean Connery's character about how far to take things. Ness lied to the judge to get the judge to change the juries.
Capone didn't die in a gun fight. He died at home, after having served his prison time. He died of syphilis. Penicilus was available at that time, but the big bad Al Capone was afraid of needles, so was never vaccinated.
Capone didn’t die in a shootout but he probably wished he had…instead Capone suffered from syphilis while incarcerated in Alcatraz to the point he was certifiably insane eventually released from prison and lived like a feeble minded man in Florida where he died…and during Prohibition you were allowed to drink alcohol…in short Prohibition law was the legal prevention of the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in the United States from 1920 to 1933 under the terms of the Eighteenth Amendment.
Corruption was so rampant, especially in Chicago, that is why the old experienced Malone character is so unique. That is why they had to recruit a rookie cop. They were the "Untouchables".
@@Lakeshore14 Thanks, I've watched over 1k reactions to different movies in the last 3 or 4 years. The only movie reactions I haven't seen are movies I personally have not watched yet or have not seen in decades. One reaction I really want to see is John Wick (have not seen any of them yet, and it's not on any of the streaming platforms I subscribe to). I hear it gets a lot of great reviews. Also, haven't seen One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest in almost 40 years, so need to watch again before I watch any reactions. I need to watch Shawshank Redemption again too before any reactions. Haven't seen since it since it first came out. Anyways, of all the movies I have seen there are only a handful that I've never seen get any bad or negative reviews, even by the most harsh (and/or weird) reactors of any age or generation. They are Saving Private Ryan, The Sixth Sense, Silence of the Lambs, Rocky (most female reactors are very, very pleasantly surprised), Plains, Trains, and Automobiles, Star Wars episode IV, Se7en, and Back to the Future. I have seen one person give The Thing (1982) a weird/bad review. It was by "Just Trust Ash", who is the most vocal and animated reactor I have seen to date. Almost the entire reaction he was silent and completely engaged, which he has never been in any other reaction. However, he did not like how it ended, and is the only reason and reactor who gave a bad review because of it. I messaged him and he actually replied with his reasoning (which makes no sense to me). If you have seen the movie, check out his reaction. If you haven't, it is a must watch. Ironically, he loves almost every movie I do. P.S. There are movies like E.T., The Shining, The Godfather, and Goodfellas that I was certain would never get a bad review or reaction, but some people just don't connect for one reason or another. IMO, the best movies ever made were from 1972 to 1999 (28 years). If you checked a list of top 50 movies ever made, over 90% were made during those years.
The Chief of Police was so deep in the muck that he let Nitti kill a uniformed police officer to take his place in the elevator with Oscar and Capone's bookkeeper. It's not easy to spot, because they only show the dead cop's body for a moment.
This was filmed in Chicago. I happened to be heading to the main city library and came on the alley behind the building -- it was on Michigan Avenue, it's now The Cultural Center -- and the cars were set up for the scene where Ness pushes Nitti off the "court house" building. I didn't see that being shot but the street was filled with people in costumes and there was flurry of workers in the alley. Fun watching a movie being made.
if marion really wants to see classic tv about rome, watch "i, claudius", a 13-episode miniseries that's the 1976 version of "game of thrones". (in fact, there is at least one cast member that stars in both.)
Movies from Roman times...It's too long to watch and review here, but HBO's Rome: Season 1 is excellent. It's about the rise and fall of Julius Caesar, the end of the Republic phase and beginning of the Emperor phase, and gives an interesting view of different levels of Roman society too. Really, really well done. Season 2 was not nearly as good, but Season 1 was outstanding.
I laughed when you said "alcohol was considered a drug"...as if that is crazy. Most people today would agree it's crazy....yet, more people are addicted to alcohol than any drug...more road deaths are connected to drunk drivers than any drug. More violence is committed on alcohol than any drug. Just sayin'
@@etpelle72 That was with Hackman, right? I'd forgotten. With a good twist. I liked A PERFECT WORLD (1993) with Clint Eastwood and THE BODYGUARD (1992) with Whitney Houston. And, of course, DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990) which he directed. He's been good in a lot of good movies.
This movie is based on a TV show, that was based on a radio drama, that was based on a book, that was based on actual events. If you want to know the real story, you should check out Oversimplified's video on Prohibition.
For the record Al Capone wasn't Mafia. At that time in the early 1930s and before, not only you had to be 100% Italian you had to be Sicilian. Capone was of Neopolian decent. Lucky Luciano would later change that and open the American Mafia to all full blooded Italians. And in real life Al Capone was in his late 20s, no way as old as DeNiro is in this film. And Frank Nitti, the assassin in the white suit, actually took over Capone's Organization. Technically speaking Federal Agents aren't cops, police officers so St. Jude is from them. Capone did not die in a gunfight. He served time in prison and was let out because he was mentally debilitated due to syphilis, which he died of in 1948, in his mansion. The judge's name wasn't on the ledger but he was a corrupt judge who was in Capone's pocket so he could not say "What are you talking about?" He knew it was a strong possibility, so Ness's bluff worked.
The only way to beat these bastards is to fight dirty. Frank Nitti actually lived to succeed Capone only to commit suicide several years later while walking along some railroad tracks.
Prohibition. It is often said that it failed because the people of thte US didn't want it. Those who say such are unaware or unwilling to admit, how difficult it was to pass the Constitutional amendment. To pass an amendment takes approval by 2/3 of each house of Congress, and then approval by 3/4 of the state governments, within a prescribed period of time. No easy feat. So, it is clear that the people overwhelmingly wanted it. It was the criminal element and it's supporters who didn't want it. They made life as much of a hell as they could to finally get the politicians to repeal it, by the same process. That hell is what this film is about.
Any Brian DePalma movies are great! He learned direction from Alfred Hitchcock! Notice how many scenes in this movie are single shot one camera, weird camera angles and no dialogue!!
I hate movies that pretend to be historical, but are pure fiction, like this fantasy. The untouchables had absolutely nothing to do with Capone's arrest. The IRS did that without the untouchables' help. The untouchables never fired a shot. Ness did not kill anyone. Frank Nitti committed suicide.
![The Untouchables (1987) Movie Reaction [ First Time Watching ]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
