The Untouchables • The Next Reel

“He pulls 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!” Brian De Palma was coming off a couple of box office disappointments when he signed on to bring David Mamet’s script “The Untouchables” to life. The studio was hoping for something akin to a movie version of their old TV show but this team opted to tell a more focused story, and that is both the success and failure of this movie. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue our ‘Mamet as screenwriter’ series with 1987’s “The Untouchables.” We talk about what works in Mamet’s script and what doesn’t, and why elements aren’t working the way they should. We chat about De Palma and all of the De Palma-isms that he delivers here, never one to disappoint. We look at the key actors in the film – Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith – and what they each bring to the table, particularly Connery in his Oscar-winning performance. And we touch on the technical with Ennio Morricone’s score, the fantastic production design and the noirish title design. It’s a film that unfortunately didn’t hold up for us this go-around, despite still being able to get enjoyment from it. It’s worth the watch, particularly if you haven’t seen it before, so check it out then tune in! Film Sundries Watch this film: iTunes • AmazonScreenplayOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkArt of the TitleThe Untouchables by Eliot Ness and Oscar FraleyFlickchart Trailers of the WeekAndy’s Trailer: The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist — “I had a blast watching the first in this series. Wan has a great handle on horror and doesn’t seem to mess up sequels when he takes them on, as Insidious: Chapter 2 and Furious 7 showed us. He’s also found his muse in Patrick Wilson who makes a great team with Vera Farmiga. Plus, it’s downright creepy and daddy like.”Pete’s Trailer: Colonia — “I don’t think I have this movie figured out. Emma Watson joins a cult to find her political rabble rowser of a boyfriend. That’s all I’ve got. But by the end of the trailer, it’s looking like a genuine thriller, so I’m willing to give it a shot. It should be said, however, that I also predicted good things about Child 44.”Support The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible