Movie Cosmos - Al Capone

Description:

In this unusually accurate biography, small-time hood Al Capone comes to Chicago at the dawn of Prohibition to be the bodyguard of racketeer Johnny Torrio. Capone's rise in Chicago gangdom is followed through murder, extortion, and political fraud. He becomes head of Chicago's biggest "business," but moves inexorably toward his downfall and ignominious end.

Top Cast >

Rod Steiger

As Al Capone

Fay Spain

As Maureen Flannery

James Gregory

As Schaefler (narrator)

Martin Balsam

As Mac Keeley, reporter

Nehemiah Persoff

As Johnny Torrio

Murvyn Vye

As George 'Bugs' Moran

Robert Gist

As Dion O'Banion

Lewis Charles

As Earl Weiss

Joe De Santis

As Big Jim Colosimo

Sandy Kenyon

As Bones Corelli

Raymond Bailey

As Lawyer Brancato

Al Ruscio

As Tony Genaro

Louis Quinn

As Joe Lorenzo

Ron Soble

As John Scalisi

Steve Gravers

As Albert Anselmi

Raikin Ben-Ari

As Ben Hoffman

Fred Aldrich

As Funeral Spectator

Cindy Ames

As Nurse

James Bacon

As Reporter

Paul Bradley

As Benefit Guest

Ralph Brooks

As Convict in Yard at Alcatraz

Allen Jaffe

As Bodyguard

Clegg Hoyt

As Lefty

Paul Bryar

As Police Inspector (uncredited)

Larry Chance

As Vincent (uncredited)

Dick Cherney

As Moran Associate (uncredited)

Mason Curry

As Tailor (uncredited)

Russell Custer

As Funeral Spectator (uncredited)

Rudy Doucette

As Hood (uncredited)

Sol Gorss

As Capone Hood at Polling Place (uncredited)

Mauritz Hugo

As Hood (uncredited)

Forbes Murray

As Pallbearer at Colosimo's Funeral (uncredited)

Dan Riss

As Voice of Radio Announcer (uncredited)

Charles Sherlock

As Reporter (uncredited)

Fred Sherman

As Storekeeper (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Richard Wilson

Director

Walter Hannemann

Editor

Lucien Ballard

Director of Photography

Malvin Wald

Writer

Henry F. Greenberg

Writer

John H. Burrows

Producer

Leonard J. Ackerman

Producer

David Raksin

Original Music Composer

Lloyd Garnell

Gaffer

Reviews:

John Chard (7/10)

Nobody who's smart goes hungry in Chicago.

Al Capone is directed by Richard Wilson and written by Malvin Wald and Henry F. Greenberg. It stars Rod Steiger, Martin Balsam, Nehemiah Persoff, Fay Spain, Joe DeSantis and Murvyn Vye. Music is by David Raksin and cinematography by Lucien Ballard.

Alphonse Gabriel Capone, it's a name synonymous with gangsters of 1920s America, and of course of cinematic films. Richard Wilson's film is one of the better gangster biopics out there, filmed in semi-doc style, it unfolds with great human drama without glorifying the subject matter. If anything it's refreshingly unsentimental in its approach.

Steiger is Capone (never Caponee!) and he puts his method stomp all over the role, carrying the film squarely on his well cast shoulders. He has all the ticks and mannerisms of Capone to either chill the blood or charm the other characters in the play, it is very much a powerhouse performance.

As a history lesson it's not wholly accurate, but much of it is rigid in the life and times of the famous criminal. The period detail is splendid, with the backdrops boosted no end by the gorgeous monochrome photography served up by Ballard. Enthralling, sometimes violent and always intriguing, this is well worth a look. 7/10

2015-09-20