MovieChat Forums > Al Capone (1959) Discussion > I can't believe I'm the first one to pos...

I can't believe I'm the first one to post a message, here.

posted 19 years ago by blitzkrieg3828
9 replies | jump to latest

I thought this film was more popular than it is, evidently. Too bad.

Al Capone was a hoodlum
He was a gangster
He would shoot people gangland style
He is an *beep*
He is full of *beep*

Lyrics from one of Wesley Willis' classic songs

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mikeoak840 13 years ago

A hoodlum? True
A gangster? True
Would shoot people gangland style? Actually, no. He had his underlings do it. He did, reported, beat two of his underlings to death with a baseball bat at a dinner party (they were going to try to "rub him out" and take over his syndicate).
A *beep* and full of *beep* - depends what the *beeps* are. But no doubt true.

[–] TheChamp1919 9 years ago

Capone once invited Jack Dempsey to dinner thinking the champ would be flattered. The story goes that Dempsey sent some kid to say no thanks.

[–] mp01 12 years ago

well i'm watching it 7 years later since you wrote this. brilliant performance from Steiger as Capone. Easily better than De Niro's in the untouchables

[–] Paris55 11 years ago

I watched this movie this morning, on TCM during their annual August 31 days of stars. Today's featured star was Martin Balsam and all of his movies for 24 hours. I thought Steiger was great as Al Capone. Yet to compare him with DeNiro's performance in The Untouchables is not fare. Al Capone, the movie is about Capone and Steiger drives the movie. DeNiro's performance as Capone in the The Untouchables is a supporting characature and he plays the mean, street side of Capone, which is different. I admit that I am biased since DeNiro is my favorite actor. He probably, as he always does, researched Capone and the actors who played him. I am sure he watched Steiger's fantastic performance. I do see a couple of similarities btwn Steiger and DeNiro as they perform the street-wise and bullish Capone.

[–] hrhfish 10 years ago

I like DeNiro too but he screwed up his research into the role. Like where is the scar on the left side of his face in the movie? The Untouchables was a case of don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. For example in the film Ness throws Frank Nitti off the roof of the courthouse. Frank Nitti out lived Al Capone and shot himself in the head. Something else which surprised me Capone did have syphilis but it was not the cause of his death as biography's report. He died of a heart attack. This was brought on through the treatment he was getting for syphilis. He was being treated with mercury injections which sent him mad and caused a coronary.

[–] Paris55 10 years ago

Now looking at what I wrote, you are right - The Untouchables did take liberties with the roles of Elliot Ness, Al Capone and Frank Nitti. Sean Connery's role was not really part of the real Untouchables from what I read. Seeing Brian DePalma's work, he went for the violence as always and not all the facts. The Steiger movie started with Capone as a runner for the Mob. The DeNiro portrayal is when he was already established. Forgot about the scar....have to watch it again to see if I see one.....which I probably wont. I did like both movies though, one a bio-pic and the other about the way they took him down re federal taxes. Yet The Untouchables was made in 1987 and was one of the first movies taken from a TV show (Star Trek being another). Now they are overdoing the TV show to movie and the remakes of good films.

[–] hammer4 9 years ago

I found the film passable, but nothing special. It definitely is a star turn for Steiger and perhaps this is part of the problem.

To me, while it's almost always interesting to watch Steiger perform, most of his portrayals are over mannered and more than a little self-indulgent.