The Untouchables

Brian De Palma has one of the most singular visual eyes in cinema. Unfortunately, the scripts that he chooses to direct are seldom as inspired as his vision (Femme Fatale is a surprising exception). The Untouchables (1987) is one of those stories where one man stands up against the corrupt system, finds three individuals who are equally motivated, mourns as those individuals are slowly murdered, and then overthrows the corrupt system to much courtroom clapping.

If this sounds overly cynical, it’s simply because I have tired of these stories, when De Palma is clearly so much more talented. Anyway, Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is the one man, the corrupt system is Chicago and Al Capone (Robert De Niro, beautifully slumming), and those motivated individuals are Jim Malone (Sean Connery), George Stone (Andy Garcia), and Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith).

Those scenes which are most successful, despite an overly-exploitative soundtrack by the normally brilliant Ennio Morricone, are those between Ness and his wife (Patricia Clarkson), and these two actors elevate average material into something more meaningful through sheer acting pedigree. The couple’s understanding becomes transformed into a patient though inarticulate love. Also in the film, of course, is the wonderful homage to Eisenstein’s Potemkin in the train station, which De Palma directs with a master’s ease.

Despite these qualities, though, as well as Connery’s excellent performance, the film just never rises above its stagnant genre choices.

The Untouchables: 6/10