The Untouchables Analysis

The Untouchables directed by Brian De Palma was released in 1987. During prohibition Eliot Ness and his band of untouchable US Treasury Department agents were waging war on violators of prohibition law. President Herbert Hoover directed the Treasury Department to end the reign of Chicago crime boss Alphonse Capone. Ness, played by Kevin Costner and his agents were effectively given free access to Chicago in order the bring Al Capone (Robert De Niro) to justice.
Al Capone was the stereotypical mob boss we envision in the 1930s. Larger than life and giving the appearance of living above the law, Capone ruled the Chicago underworld. Engaging in unlawful activities as bootlegging, prostitution, gambling, and racketeering, Capone also was known
These failures convinced Ness to change his tactics. Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery) was an un-corruptible Chicago beat cop who joined Ness and his Treasury agents. The views of Malone had big impact on the Ness operations. Ness was convinced to be as ruthless as the gangsters were, when Malone says “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 will get Capone”. No longer utilizing the corrupt Chicago law enforcement, Ness began operating as a gang would but just within the law, many time bending it
Capone stood trial for income tax evasion thanks to the book keeper’s information. During the trial Ness presents the judge with a list of jurors who have been paid by Capone, but the evidence was refused by the judge. Ness convinces the judge to believe his name was in the book keeper ledger exposing his own corruption. The judge then orders the jury to be changed with the one in the next courtroom prompting Capone’s lawyer to change the plea from not guilty to guilty before the trial started. Capone was sentenced to 11 years in