Welcome to the first of 4 specialty posts. We decided that every 20 films we were going to do a review on a film chosen by one us that we think should be on the list of 100 greatest movies. The only stipulations are that the film has to have not been seen by more then two of us, and that this movie will appear on the chooser's final list of 100 greatest movies when we are done (meaning it should be fairly high so it won't get knocked off later).
Brief Synopsis (from Neflix)
G-man Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) will stop at nothing to take down legendary gangster Al Capone (Robert De Niro) -- even if it means bending some rules and breaking some bones! Sean Connery steals the show with his Oscar-winning performance of a tough-as-nails Chicago street cop who shows Ness the ropes. Director Brian De Palma based the climactic shootout on a classic scene from the silent film Battleship Potemkin.
Bryan
I obviously am a fan of this movie, as I nominated it as my guest choice. I was surprised that I was the only one of us four to have seen the movie. Not only is it a very well executed film, but it is so often quoted, referenced, and spoofed that it seems like one would miss quite a few punchlines by not knowing this classic.
I am not a fan of Kevin Costner in general, but he has a penchant for choosing fantastic roles. He doesn't grab attention every time he comes on screen, but he sure can pick the right scripts to agree to, and he doesn't ruin the films he participates in. Sean Connery, however, is a powerhouse. Every line he delivers in this film is saturated with attitude and charisma, and it plays wonderfully next to the straight man in Costner's Ness. I have to admit, any time I think of Sean Connery's later years, I think of this role. (I kind of put 007 as a whole different era in my mind, but in a lot of ways I prefer his later acting.)
DeNiro is great. He manages to show how Capone could manage to be simultaneously glamorous and ruthless. He can pizazz reporters with his talk, while ordering bombs to be left in populated ares to terrorize his enemies, and ordering a man's entire family killed out of spite. I particularly enjoyed the scene when he was listening to Pagliacci in his private balcony. He was moved to tears by the opera, but upon learning of his successful execution of a cop and witness, he subtly morphed from sobs to chuckles. Without saying a single word, DeNiro outlined the essential dissonance that makes characters like Capone so captivating, and terrifying.
I enjoyed how the set design showed the palatial homes Capone resided in, and the opulent treatment he enjoyed. It was starkly contrasted by Elliot Ness's domestic scenes. He was average for the time, and I can't imagine Capone's children staying up late to finish their ironing the way Ness's daughter did.
The costume design throughout was great- every suit was overseen by Georgio Armani himself. Very spiffy- along with the authentic automobiles used, it really helped set the film in the prohibition era. I want some of those suits.
I also like that it was inspired by the actual events. Surely it shouldn't be approached as a documentary, but it can draw interest in a crucial period in American history, and illuminate parallels to today. When contemplating stories about prohibition like this one, I can't help but think about the modern war on drugs, and all the violence associated with it.
Jay made a very good point about comparing this film to others in it's genre. I have done the same thing throughout this list. I would have to strongly disagree with his ranking, however. In my opinion, The Untouchables solidly beats Casino with plenty of room to spare, and easily stands toe to toe with Goodfellas. The Godfather outshines them all.
Final Thought - It'll certainly be on my list. Because it is so testosterone-ridden, it has a more limited audience than some films, so I'll place it when where in the last fifth.
Jason
You just fulfilled the first rule of law enforcement: make sure when your shift is over you go home alive. Here endeth the lesson.
The best and worst part of the movie industry is that when you watch a movie it's not done in a bubble. Every time you watch a movie you can't help but compare it to every other movie you have ever seen. I think that this fact is what caused me to have a lot of trouble enjoying this movie. I consider this to be a gangster movie, and while I know its not the same as say Godfather, Goodfellas or Casino where the plot follows the "bad guys", but I could not help but compare it to them. When you compare it to those three the movie it just doesn't hold up.
A lot of people praise the acting in this movie, and I will not tell you it was bad, but it was far from the best. I would say for me each actor was very hit or miss. I have never really been a fan of Kevin Costner, but I think he did a pretty good job. However, a pretty good job isn't good enough for the lead role if the movie is to be considered great. I love Robert DeNiro, though I didn't think this was his best role. I think this leads back to my original point. I've seen him play the greatest mob boss in film history, Vito Corleone. So I constantly felt myself looking for him to convey that same amount of power and be the guy that everyone feared and respected, and while the fear was definitely there I felt like the respect was not. I think the best actor in the film was Sean Connery, but I don't think I've ever actually seen him be bad in anything.
Final Thoughts- This movie is not bad, but it definitely does not go on my list. I actually don't think its even one of those movies that everyone has to see. This movie has a lot of hype behind and for me it didn't really live up to it.
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