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.
Rod Steiger
Al Capone
Fay Spain
Maureen Flannery
James Gregory
Schaefler (narrator)
Martin Balsam
Mac Keeley, reporter
Nehemiah Persoff
Johnny Torrio
Murvyn Vye
George 'Bugs' Moran
Robert Gist
Dion O'Banion
Lewis Charles
Earl Weiss
Joe De Santis
Big Jim Colosimo
Sandy Kenyon
Bones Corelli
Raymond Bailey
Lawyer Brancato
Al Ruscio
Tony Genaro
Louis Quinn
Joe Lorenzo
Ron Soble
John Scalisi
Steve Gravers
Albert Anselmi
Raikin Ben-Ari
Ben Hoffman
Fred Aldrich
Funeral Spectator
Cindy Ames
Nurse
James Bacon
Reporter
Paul Bradley
Benefit Guest
Ralph Brooks
Convict in Yard at Alcatraz
Allen Jaffe
Bodyguard
Clegg Hoyt
Lefty
Paul Bryar
Police Inspector (uncredited)
Larry Chance
Vincent (uncredited)
Dick Cherney
Moran Associate (uncredited)
Mason Curry
Tailor (uncredited)
Russell Custer
Funeral Spectator (uncredited)
Rudy Doucette
Hood (uncredited)
Sol Gorss
Capone Hood at Polling Place (uncredited)
Mauritz Hugo
Hood (uncredited)
Forbes Murray
Pallbearer at Colosimo's Funeral (uncredited)
Dan Riss
Voice of Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock
Reporter (uncredited)
Fred Sherman
Storekeeper (uncredited)
Director
Richard Wilson
Writer
Malvin Wald
Writer
Henry F. Greenberg
September 20, 2015
7
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
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$1,000,000.00
Revenue:
$2,500,000.00