Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables is more than just a gangster film — it’s a stylish, operatic retelling of the battle between lawman Eliot Ness and infamous mob boss Al Capone during the Prohibition era. Released in 1987, the film combined sharp direction, a powerhouse cast, and a rousing Ennio Morricone score to create one of the definitive crime dramas of the 1980s.
The story follows Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner), a young, idealistic federal agent determined to bring down Capone (Robert De Niro), who rules Chicago with ruthless violence and corruption. Ness quickly realizes that legal channels alone won’t be enough to topple Capone’s empire. He recruits an elite team — the “Untouchables” — men immune to bribes and intimidation. Among them are veteran Irish cop Jim Malone (Sean Connery), sharpshooter George Stone (Andy García), and accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith). Together, they wage war against Capone’s syndicate in a bloody fight for justice.
At its heart, The Untouchables is both a morality play and a piece of pure entertainment. Costner embodies Ness as the clean-cut, determined crusader whose sense of justice drives the narrative. But it is Sean Connery who steals the film — his portrayal of Malone, a world-weary beat cop with unshakable courage, earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His famous line, “They pull a knife, you pull a gun,” remains one of cinema’s most quoted.
Robert De Niro, though on screen for less time than his co-stars, brings menace and charisma to Capone. His infamous “baseball bat” scene, where he delivers brutal justice to a disloyal lieutenant during a banquet, demonstrates De Niro’s ability to blend charm and savagery in one unforgettable performance.
The film is also remembered for its breathtaking set pieces. De Palma’s meticulous style is on full display in the Union Station shootout, an extended homage to Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin and its Odessa Steps sequence. Slow-motion, suspense, and balletic violence transform the moment into pure cinematic artistry. Another standout is the Canadian border raid, a sweeping action sequence that underscores the stakes of Ness’s crusade.
Ennio Morricone’s score elevates the film to operatic heights. From the brooding, tension-filled opening theme to the triumphant crescendos during moments of victory, the music underscores the battle of good versus evil. It earned Morricone an Academy Award nomination, one of the many honors the film received.
Commercially and critically successful, The Untouchables cemented Kevin Costner as a leading man and remains one of Brian De Palma’s most accessible works. It won Connery his Oscar and became a cornerstone of the gangster genre, standing alongside classics like The Godfather and Goodfellas while offering a more heroic, mythic tone.
Decades later, the film endures not just for its star power or style, but for its timeless tale: in a city drowning in corruption, a small band of men stood firm, refusing to be bought, refusing to be broken. The Untouchables captures the cost of integrity, the violence of power, and the enduring appeal of heroes who dare to stand against the tide.