Review of The Untouchables (1987) by Paul C — 10 May 2010

For this review I choose to revisit one of my favourite films and a true classic in every sense of the word.

1930's Chicago, Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is a treasury agent intent on bringing down one of the most powerful criminals in the prohibition era, Al Capone (Robert De Niro), by forming his own group of incorruptible, untouchable agents.

Every job on this film is undertaken, in my opinion, with near perfection, from the acting to directing to the music, they are all executed with such brilliance it makes me realise why I love movies so much.

All the stars do a superb job especially Sean Connery, who won an Oscar for his part and is in the best role of his career. Even Kevin Costner, who I am not the biggest fan of does a fine job going from an inexperienced agent to one of the most well known lawmen in American History. David Mamet's script is is excellent with some lines that are unforgettable, one of which, my favourite when Robert De Niro loses his cool and says about Ness "I want him Dead, I want his family dead, I want his house burnt to the ground and I want to go in there in the middle of the night and piss on his ashes".

True master composer Ennio Morricone fame for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is on board for scoring duties and it enhances it even further. The different types of camera shots make it a visual treat with a crane shot early on which depicts a street filled with Ford Model T's which transports you straight to the 1930's to a handheld single cut as a killer stalks Connery's Malone through his apartment.

I really have no bad words to say about The Untouchables, this to me is essential viewing.