The Scarface Mob (1959) (TV)

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

Paul Monash (written by)
Eliot Ness (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 April 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Plot:

Story of how a group of incorruptible federal lawmen helped put 1920s' Chicago gangster Al Capone in prison.

Plot Keywords:

U.S. Treasury Agent | Detective | Sequel | Mafia | Federal Agent

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Stack	...	Eliot Ness
Keenan Wynn	...	Joe Fuselli
Barbara Nichols	...	Brandy LaFrance
Pat Crowley	...	Betty Anderson
Bill Williams	...	Martin Flaherty
Joe Mantell	...	George Ritchie
Bruce Gordon	...	Frank Nitti
Neville Brand	...	Al Capone
Peter Leeds	...	LaMarr Kane
Eddie Firestone	...	Eric Hansen
Robert Osterloh	...	Tom Kopka
Paul Dubov	...	Jack Rossman
Abel Fernandez	...	William Youngfellow
Paul Picerni	...	Tony Liguri
John Beradino	...	Johnny Giannini
Wolfe Barzell	...	Picco
Frank Wilcox	...	U.S. District Attorney Beecher Asbury
Peter Mamakos	...	Bomber Belcastro (archive footage)
Wally Cassell	...	Phil D'Andrea
Herman Rudin	...	Mops Volpe
Richard Benedict	...	'Fur' Sammons
Bern Hoffman	...	Greasy Thumb Guzik
Frank DeKova	...	Jimmy Napoli (archive footage) (as Frank de Kova)
James Westerfield	...	Ed Marriatt
Walter Winchell	...	Narration (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Tornek	...	Waiter at Tap Dancing Show (archive footage)
Robert Anderson	...	Detective at Raid (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Reporter (uncredited) (archive footage)
Francis De Sales	...	Deputy District Attorney (uncredited) (archive footage)
Bess Flowers	...	Nightclub Table Extra (uncredited)
Ben Frommer	...	Man at Theatre (uncredited)
Nicholas Georgiade	...	Hood Punched by Ness (uncredited) (archive footage)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Man on Sidewalk at Capone Incarceration (uncredited) (archive footage)
John Hoyt	...	Capone Lawyer (uncredited) (archive footage)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Capone Hood (uncredited) (archive footage)
Lou Krugman	...	Hood (uncredited) (archive footage)
George J. Lewis	...	Bartender (uncredited) (archive footage)
James Nolan	...	Chick, Cop on the Take (uncredited) (archive footage)
William H. O'Brien	...	Waiter (uncredited) (archive footage)
Bartlett Robinson	...	Federal Judge James H. Wilkerson (uncredited) (archive footage)
Ric Roman	...	Al Kenner, Capone machine-gunner at Brewery (uncredited) (archive footage)
Sig Ruman	...	Beer Brewer (uncredited) (archive footage)
Brick Sullivan	...	Federal Agent in Beer Truck (uncredited) (archive footage)
Harry Wilson	...	Hood Being Arrested (uncredited) (archive footage)

Directed by
Phil Karlson

Writing credits
Paul Monash		(written by)
Eliot Ness		(book "The Untouchables") and
Oscar Fraley		(book "The Untouchables")

Produced by
Jack Aldworth	....	associate producer
Bert Granet	....	executive producer
Quinn Martin	....	producer

Original Music by
Wilbur Hatch

Cinematography by
Charles Straumer		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert L. Swanson

Casting by
Kerwin Coughlin

Art Direction by
Ralph Berger
Frank T. Smith

Set Decoration by
Sandy Grace

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist
Lorraine Roberson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Desi Arnaz	....	executive in charge of production
Argyle Nelson	....	production supervisor (as W. Argyle Nelson)
James Paisley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dann Cahn	....	second unit director
Vincent McEveety	....	assistant director

Art Department
Charles West	....	property master

Sound Department
Jack A. Finlay	....	sound editor
Cam McCulloch	....	sound mixer
Keith Stafford	....	sound editor (as Keith W. Safford)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jerry Bos	....	wardrober
Maria P. Donovan	....	wardrobe (as Maria Donovan)

Editorial Department
Bill Heath	....	editorial supervisor

Music Department
E.C. Norton	....	music supervisor
Robert H. Raff	....	music editor (as Robert Raff)

Other crew
Jack Baker	....	choreographer
Dorothy Hechtlinger	....	story editor

Production Companies

• Desilu Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS) (Order Details)
• Meteor Film Productions (1960) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (as Meteor Film)
• Desilu Studios

Special Effects

• Howard Anderson Company, The

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Sweden:15 | Finland:K-16 (1961) (cut) | Finland:(Banned) (1960) (uncut) | Norway:16 | Netherlands:14 (original rating) (1960)

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

Quotes:

Betty Anderson:[Eliot Ness arrives after two Capone men pay his Fiance a visit] Eliot what kind men are they?
Eliot Ness:They are warped, sadistic, rotten little cowards!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mafioso (1962)

Soundtrack:

Ain't Misbehavin

A movie of ideas pitting honest men against crooks--all-time great!

"The Scarface Mob" is not a gangster film; that's what I claim puts it head and shoulders above all other anti-crime films. It's really about what motivates an Eliot Ness and what makes his sort of man different from the Al Capone's of this world. I have studied the era extensively; and those who called this "authentic-looking" Depression Era dramatized fiction have the case right; the direction by Phil Karlsen, as good as any director is at putting physical action on the screen, is very authentic. Nelson Riddle's jarring score and the great sets add much to the movie. Most of the acting, by stalwart Robert Stack, Keenan Wynn, Bruce Gordon and others is very good indeed. This is a story of the hardest sort to make-- a tale of an ethical man trying to bring down an evil one; it's the sort of story that many TV series have failed to carry off. In this feature-length film, scenes such as the harrowing setting of a wiretap in an alleyway by night, truckborne raids on breweries, a knife attack on Ness, nightclub scenes, Capone's return from serving a jail sentence to reestablish his rule over his cowed mobsters and many others are exceedingly memorable. The violence in the film is mostly honest, the camera-work and lighting amazing for a made-for-TV 1950's production. But the key to the film's extraordinary power is the keeping of context by Ness and his men--truly untouchable in a time when bribery was all-too-effective at corrupting many who had sworn to protect citizens from the Capones. It's hard to say enough nice things about such a memorable film experience.