This is the exception to the rule that films made from baby-boomer television shows don't translate from small to big screen. Director Brian DePalma took a break from making grim, cheerless and remarkably misogynistic horror movies and made a film that brings some genuine heart and robust spirit to the cop/gangster melodrama
The place is prohibition-era Chicago and its a simple story of a young and naive Federal Agent, Elliott Ness (Kevin Costner) who tries to bring down the biggest mobster in the city, Al Capone (Robert DeNiro). With corrupt authorities and cynics all around him, he handpicks a group of three other men (Sean Connery, Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith) who cannot be compromised or bought off. And though it plays very fast and loose with the facts of Ness' real attempts to tame Chicago, its probably the best old-fashioned gangster film since the days of Cagney, Robinson and Bogart.
This is great moviemaking, with a top-notch score by Ennio Morricone and a early screenplay by noted playwright David Mamet. This is DePalma's finest movie. And, in a rare supporting role, stands Connery as a tough Irish-American cop who serves as a no-nonsense paternal figure to Costner. Its the older man's most engaging role since he played opposite Michael Caine in John Huston's "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975).
Oh Yeah! this was one of the realy great TV
ReplyDeleteYes I agree this is one film that does translate from TV to Film. I loved it as it was very entertaining and there was not one bad perfomance in the film. I especially enjoyed Connery's part he was very convincing. Thanks for sharing this review with us...Cheers Rod
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Rod. The scenes with Connery and Costner by themselves are especially good, and you are right, no bad performances here. Excellent casting prevails.
ReplyDeleteI do not think he tried to make the tv show into a movie. They did everything they could to keep the two separate. I loved this movie and though it had been cast very well. I may have to watch it again this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. I think it was a lot of the audience--myself included--who brought that expectation when seeing the movie for the first time. I have a hankering to see it again now too.
ReplyDeleteWhere is Elliott Ness now? It's a pity that the mob won in the end. I remember the TV programme but I haven't seen the film so my contribution to this discussion is limited I'm afraid Doug.
ReplyDeleteWell, back a while ago I might have said that the new Elliott Ness for our time was Elliott Spitzer, the guy who busted mobster and Wall Street crooks while Federal DA for the southern New York District . Alas, power went to his head after he was elected Governor of that state and his "steamroller" style with the legislature alienated many older pols, even from his own party. He was brought down by a scandal involving a call girl service he used, the sort of thing he would have prosecuted others for mercilessly.
ReplyDeleteYes, "the mob" always regenerates and wears many guises.
I think as long as there are people who want something they cannot have there will be some form of organized crime.
ReplyDeleteElliot Ness has to be undercover and cannot be so out in the open.