The Untouchables (1987)

Overview

The Untouchables is a bold, stylized retelling of the legendary battle between federal agent Eliot Ness and the infamous mob boss Al Capone during Prohibition-era Chicago. Though loosely based on real events, the film is less a factual account and more an operatic myth of good versus evil, filtered through the lens of 1980s Hollywood glamour and violence.

Directed with visual bravura by Brian De Palma and written with clipped precision by David Mamet, it’s a film that thrives on its larger-than-life characters, sweeping score, and iconic set-pieces. While some critics have debated its historical liberties and dramatic flourishes, The Untouchables remains one of the most stylish and satisfying gangster epics of its time.

Plot Summary

Set in 1930s Chicago, the story follows Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner), an idealistic Treasury agent assigned to take down the untouchable crime lord Al Capone (Robert De Niro), who controls the city through violence, bribery, and bootlegging.

After an initial series of failures, Ness assembles a small, incorruptible team: the wise, street-smart beat cop Jim Malone (Sean Connery), the sharp-shooting rookie George Stone (Andy Garcia), and the bookish accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith). Together, this elite group—dubbed “The Untouchables”—goes after Capone’s criminal empire using a mix of force, strategy, and financial investigation.

The battle escalates into a bloody war of attrition, culminating in a legendary shootout and a courtroom showdown that tests the moral limits of justice.

Themes and Analysis

Justice vs. Corruption

The central theme pits law and order against systemic rot. Ness, the embodiment of idealism, quickly learns that playing by the rules won’t work in a world where everyone is on Capone’s payroll. The film presents justice not as pure but as something that must often be fought for in morally ambiguous ways.

Mythologizing the Hero

This isn’t a gritty, grounded biopic—The Untouchables intentionally paints its heroes and villains in bold, mythic strokes. Ness is portrayed as the white-hatted lawman; Capone, the snarling kingpin. De Palma crafts a cinematic fable of the American obsession with righteous crusaders, evoking classic Westerns more than true-crime realism.

Violence as Spectacle

True to De Palma’s style, the film doesn’t shy away from brutal violence—but it’s never mindless. Every act of violence is staged with operatic flair: slow-motion, sweeping music, choreographed shootouts. The most famous scene (the train station shootout) is a masterclass in suspense and homage, nodding to Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin with its baby carriage on the stairs.

Power and the System

Wallace, the accountant, proves crucial by suggesting they go after Capone for tax evasion. This twist underscores how institutions—when used cleverly—can bring down even the most powerful. It's not brute force that wins, but a mix of brains and integrity.

Direction and Style

Brian De Palma brings operatic grandeur and Hitchcockian flair to what could’ve been a straight-laced crime drama. The film’s aesthetic is heightened and elegant: sweeping crane shots, saturated lighting, and sharply composed frames. De Palma imbues each scene with tension and visual storytelling—especially during the shootout sequences.

Highlights include:

The Canadian border shootout – a moment of Western-style gunslinging, complete with horseback lawmen.

The train station sequence – a suspenseful, slow-motion ballet of violence and chaos, among the most iconic sequences of 80s cinema.

Capone’s baseball bat scene – chilling in its theatricality and sudden savagery.

Score by Ennio Morricone

One of the film’s most powerful elements is the score by the legendary Ennio Morricone. It seamlessly blends militaristic tension, emotional melancholy, and bombastic themes.

The main title theme is driven and ominous—perfectly capturing Capone’s looming presence. The sentimental pieces accompanying Malone’s death and Ness’s quieter moments add emotional weight and underscore the stakes of the mission.

Morricone’s music elevates the drama, giving the film the feeling of a modern-day opera.

Performances

Kevin Costner plays Ness with restrained earnestness. His performance grounds the film—he’s not flashy, but he’s believable as a man caught between ideals and necessity.

Sean Connery steals the show as Jim Malone, the tough Irish beat cop who becomes Ness’s mentor. Gruff, charismatic, and lethal when needed, Connery infuses Malone with warmth and wisdom. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and deservedly so.

Robert De Niro as Capone is a brooding, explosive presence. Though his screen time is limited, he looms over every scene. From indulgent meals to bloody baseball bats, De Niro turns Capone into a larger-than-life symbol of American excess and cruelty.

Andy Garcia is magnetic as Stone, providing youthful energy and precision. His calm under pressure and rapid-fire gunplay make him one of the most memorable team members.

Charles Martin Smith adds a layer of humanity and humour as the accountant Wallace. His fate becomes one of the film’s most emotional moments.

Awards and Legacy

Won: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Sean Connery)

Nominated: Best Original Score (Morricone), Best Production Design, Best Costume Design

The Untouchables was a box office success and revitalized the gangster genre for the late 80s. It inspired a wave of similarly stylized crime dramas and continues to be referenced in pop culture for its iconic scenes and quotable lines.

Lines like “They send one of yours to the hospital, you send one of theirs to the morgue” have become legendary, as has Connery’s entire performance.

Criticisms and Considerations

Historical Inaccuracies: The film takes major liberties with facts. The real Eliot Ness’s role in taking down Capone was less dramatic, and several characters are fictionalized or exaggerated for narrative effect.

Moral Simplification: Some critics argue the film overly simplifies the conflict into good vs. evil without exploring deeper societal or systemic causes.

Theatrical Tone: For viewers expecting gritty realism, the stylized, almost mythic tone of the film might feel jarring or too polished.

Still, these criticisms don’t diminish the film’s impact as a work of cinematic craft and storytelling.

Final Verdict

The Untouchables is a riveting, grandiose blend of gangster spectacle and righteous fable. De Palma’s stylish direction, Morricone’s unforgettable score, and a cast firing on all cylinders combine to make this a standout entry in the crime genre. Though it plays fast and loose with history, it more than makes up for it with passion, precision, and panache.

A muscular, mythic gangster tale packed with style, suspense, and unforgettable moments. As entertaining as it is cinematic.