Patricia Clarkson Movie:

				Salesrank: 289049
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
As noted critic Pauline Kael wrote, the 1987 box-office hit The Untouchables is "like an attempt to visualize the public's collective dream of Chicago gangsters." In other words, this lavish reworking of the vintage TV series is a rousing potboiler from a bygone era, so beautifully designed and photographed--and so craftily directed by Brian De Palma--that the historical reality of Prohibition-era Chicago could only pale in comparison. From a script by David Mamet, the movie pits four underdog heroes (the maverick lawmen known as the Untouchables) against a singular villain in Al Capone, played by Robert De Niro as a dapper caesar holding court (and a baseball bat) against any and all challengers. Kevin Costner is the naive federal agent Eliot Ness, whose lack of experience is tempered by the streetwise alliance of a seasoned Chicago cop (Sean Connery, in an Oscar-winning performance), a rookie marksman (Andy Garcia), and an accountant (Charles Martin Smith) who holds the key to Capone's potential downfall. The movie approaches greatness on the strength of its set pieces, such as the siege near the Canadian border, the venal ambush at Connery's apartment, and the train-station shootout partially modeled after the "Odessa steps" sequences of the Russian classic Battleship Potemkin. It's thrilling stuff, fueled by Ennio Morricone's dynamic score, but it's also manipulative and obvious. If you're inclined to be critical, the movie gives you reason to complain. If you'd rather sit back and enjoy a first-rate production with an all-star cast, The Untouchables may very well strike you as a classic. --Jeff Shannon

Description of The Untouchables [Region 2]:
As noted critic Pauline Kael wrote, the 1987 box-office hit The Untouchables is "like an attempt to visualize the public's collective dream of Chicago gangsters." In other words, this lavish reworking of the vintage TV series is a rousing potboiler from a bygone era, so beautifully designed and photographed--and so craftily directed by Brian De Palma--that the historical reality of Prohibition-era Chicago could only pale in comparison. From a script by David Mamet, the movie pits four underdog heroes (the maverick lawmen known as the Untouchables) against a singular villain in Al Capone, played by Robert De Niro as a dapper caesar holding court (and a baseball bat) against any and all challengers. Kevin Costner is the naive federal agent Eliot Ness, whose lack of experience is tempered by the streetwise alliance of a seasoned Chicago cop (Sean Connery, in an Oscar-winning performance), a rookie marksman (Andy Garcia), and an accountant (Charles Martin Smith) who holds the key to Capone's potential downfall. The movie approaches greatness on the strength of its set pieces, such as the siege near the Canadian border, the venal ambush at Connery's apartment, and the train-station shootout partially modeled after the "Odessa steps" sequences of the Russian classic Battleship Potemkin. It's thrilling stuff, fueled by Ennio Morricone's dynamic score, but it's also manipulative and obvious. If you're inclined to be critical, the movie gives you reason to complain. If you'd rather sit back and enjoy a first-rate production with an all-star cast, The Untouchables may very well strike you as a classic. --Jeff Shannon

The Untouchables [Region 2] Reviews:
the war on drugs of another time
2009-12-14 - Organized crime has Chicago bought and paid for under Al Capone.
Police officers and judges dance to the tune of bootleg booze.
This was real life in the prohibition era where the federal law
against alcohol made the Mafia smugglers and brewers kings.
A federal task force was set up under Eliot Ness
and he was a tough as the criminals he fought.
This movie is actually a remake of a TV series from the late 50's early 60's with Robert Stack:
The Untouchables - Season 1, Vol. 1.
Like the westerns about OK Corral, what was historical fact
has tended to run into Hollywwod's glorifications.
The acting here is pretty good and all the period cars are very fine,
but one finds himself doubting the scenes and costumes after seeing a number
of films actually done at that time in black and white.
The baby buggy scene is really fantastic, in which two
treasury agents take on a whole gang of thugs and win.


A timeless film!
2009-11-27 - This film will never go out of style. It is set in such an interesting time in our history. We had just come home from Chicago where we took an "Untouchables Tour" of the City. Couldn't resist purchasing this film to put a finishing touch to our tour. It was as great as I remember when I first saw it in the theatre.

Better than the TV series
2009-11-15 - Expecting the The Untouchables to be a bad remake of the TV series, I was reluctant to view it. In my opinion, the movie version outshines its predecessor. Connery brings out the best in Costner, Smith, and Garcia. With Connery and De Niro's characterizations, the movie transcends the black-and-white series (on my childhood set)that deals with black-and-white issues.

A fun gangster movie
2009-09-02 - Sean Connery? A career performance.

Andy Garcia? A glimpse of a great young actor.

Robert De Niro? A huge impact in just a few scenes.

Kevin Costner? Actually, not bad.



GRAND "HOLLYWOOD" ENTERTAINMENT!
2009-08-10 - I just had to blow the dust off of this one as it had been many years since my last viewing. I have always been a sucker for good mob movies and, The Untouchable, is no exception, but this is a film that runs hot and cold for me. For the most part it is very entertaining, but it sometimes feels like a cartoon. After watching the extras on this special edition, I did get some insight to why this probably happened as De Palma had a few flops and was looking for a box office winner! The film's tone is uneven as one minute we view someone getting their head bashed in with a baseball bat and then some of the gun battles seem to have our heroes and bad guys using rubber bullets.

I may be nitpicking here as it is a very entertaining film that is successful more often than not. The cast is very good and the direction is tight, so if you're in the mood for good old fashioned cops and robbers fair 'The Untouchables' is hard to beat. The DVD special edition holds up well with a very good transfer and plenty of extras.