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The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen

Original title: The Untouchables
  • 1987
  • 16
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
330K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,540
12
Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, and Charles Martin Smith in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:50
2 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDramaThriller

During Prohibition, Treasury agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop ruthless Chicago gangster Al Capone, and assembles a small, incorruptible team to help him.During Prohibition, Treasury agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop ruthless Chicago gangster Al Capone, and assembles a small, incorruptible team to help him.During Prohibition, Treasury agent Eliot Ness sets out to stop ruthless Chicago gangster Al Capone, and assembles a small, incorruptible team to help him.

  • Director
    • Brian De Palma
  • Writers
    • David Mamet
    • Oscar Fraley
    • Eliot Ness
  • Stars
    • Kevin Costner
    • Sean Connery
    • Robert De Niro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    330K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,540
    12
    • Director
      • Brian De Palma
    • Writers
      • David Mamet
      • Oscar Fraley
      • Eliot Ness
    • Stars
      • Kevin Costner
      • Sean Connery
      • Robert De Niro
    • 627User reviews
    • 159Critic reviews
    • 79Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 11 wins & 18 nominations total

    Videos2

    The Untouchables
    Trailer 2:50
    Watch The Untouchables
    Patricia Clarkson's Peasant Dress Memories
    Video 1:15
    Watch Patricia Clarkson's Peasant Dress Memories

    Photos196

    Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, and Charles Martin Smith in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Sean Connery in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, and Charles Martin Smith in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Robert De Niro in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, and Brad Sullivan in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Kevin Costner in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Sean Connery in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Andy Garcia in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Sean Connery at an event for The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, and Charles Martin Smith in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Kevin Costner in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)
    Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia, and Charles Martin Smith in The Untouchables: Die Unbestechlichen (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kevin Costner
    Kevin Costner
    • Eliot Ness
    Sean Connery
    Sean Connery
    • Jim Malone
    Robert De Niro
    Robert De Niro
    • Al Capone
    Charles Martin Smith
    Charles Martin Smith
    • Oscar Wallace
    Andy Garcia
    Andy Garcia
    • George Stone
    Richard Bradford
    Richard Bradford
    • Mike
    Jack Kehoe
    Jack Kehoe
    • Payne
    Brad Sullivan
    Brad Sullivan
    • George
    Billy Drago
    Billy Drago
    • Nitti
    Patricia Clarkson
    Patricia Clarkson
    • Ness' Wife
    Vito D'Ambrosio
    Vito D'Ambrosio
    • Bowtie Driver
    Steven Goldstein
    Steven Goldstein
    • Scoop
    Peter Aylward
    • Lt. Anderson
    Don Harvey
    Don Harvey
    • Preseuski
    Robert Swan
    Robert Swan
    • Mountie Captain
    John J. Walsh
    • Bartender
    Del Close
    Del Close
    • Alderman
    Colleen Bade
    • Mrs. Blackmer
    • Director
      • Brian De Palma
    • Writers
      • David Mamet
      • Oscar Fraley
      • Eliot Ness
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      An envelope is dropped on the desk of Eliot Ness in one scene. It is assumed to be a bribe, but the amount inside is never revealed. In real life, Al Capone promised Eliot Ness that two $1,000 bills would be on his desk every Monday morning if he turned a blind eye to his bootlegging activities (an enormous amount of money then; more than $30,000 today). Ness refused the bribe, and in later years struggled with money. He died almost broke at the age of fifty-four.
    • Goofs
      The prosecutor is called a "district attorney." District attorneys are state prosecutors, but federal crimes, such as income tax evasion, are prosecuted by federal prosecutors, not state prosecutors. Furthermore, Illinois has state's attorneys, not district attorneys.
    • Quotes

      Malone: [talking privately in a church] You said you wanted to get Capone. Do you really wanna get him? You see what I'm saying is, what are you prepared to do?

      Ness: Anything within the law.

      Malone: And *then* what are you prepared to do? If you open the can on these worms you must be prepared to go all the way. Because they're not gonna give up the fight, until one of you is dead.

      Ness: I want to get Capone! I don't know how to do it.

      Malone: You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way! And that's how you get Capone. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I'm offering you a deal. Do you want this deal?

      Ness: I have sworn to capture this man with all legal powers at my disposal and I will do so.

      Malone: Well, the Lord hates a coward.

      [jabs Ness with his hand, and Ness shakes it]

      Malone: Do you know what a blood oath is, Mr. Ness?

      Ness: Yes.

      Malone: Good, 'cause you just took one.

    • Alternate versions
      In Belgium the first release in the theaters omitted the scene where Al Capone hits one of his henchmen with a base-ball bat. Two weeks after its release the scene was restored. Cinemas announced this to be the 'uncensored version'.
    • Connections
      Edited into Public Enemy (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      MOOD INDIGO
      Written by Duke Ellington, Irving Mills and Barney Bigard

      Arranged by Bob Wilber

      Courtesy of Wilkes College Jazz Archives

    User reviews627

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Few Films Can Touch Its Excellence.
    Outstanding production that was the best film of 1987 with the exception of the very dominant "The Last Emperor". "The Untouchables" is the story of Elliot Ness (perfectly played by Kevin Costner) who tries to bring down Chicago Mob boss Al Capone (Robert DeNiro in one of his most under-rated roles) during the early-1930s. Illegal liquor smuggling and other much more serious crimes are running amok and corruption is all over. Costner realizes very fast that he must hand-pick his own men to bring DeNiro down for good. Thus he enlists the help of a young cop from the academy (Andy Garcia), a wimpy book-keeper (Charles Martin Smith) and a hard-nosed Irish beat cop (Oscar-winner Sean Connery in the performance of a lifetime). Together they slowly start to peel through the multiple layers of protection to get DeNiro for good. It seems that the fact that DeNiro has been lax in paying his income taxes could be his ultimate downfall. Beautifully directed by Brian De Palma, "The Untouchables" stands very tall with the other great productions of the 1980s. Ennio Morricone's Oscar-nominated score is one of the finest the cinema has ever experienced. Really excellent. I have no negative comments on this production. 5 stars out of 5.
    helpful•145
    88
    • tfrizzell
    • Jul 31, 2002

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    FAQ8

    • Malone carries around a St Jude's medal attached to his "call box key". What's the key for?
    • The story takes place during "Prohibition" -- what was Prohibition?
    • What did the one gangster say in Italian to Ness, just before Ness shot him (after the grenade exploded)?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 15, 1987 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Unbestechlichen
    • Filming locations
      • Roosevelt University - 430 S. Michigan Avenue, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA(front entrance and main lobby used as Lexington Hotel, where Al Capone lives)
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $76,270,454
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $10,023,094
      • Jun 7, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $76,272,360
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 59 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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