Directed by Richard Wilson. Starring Rod Steiger, Martin Balsam, Fay Spain, Nehemiah Persoff, James Gregory, Joe De Santis, Murvyn Vye, Robert Gist, Sandy Kenyon.
The criminal life of famed gangster Alphonse Capone; plays fast and loose with the truth, but creates a memorable central figure shown in appropriately despicable light no matter the glamorous trappings. Highly reminiscent of the classic gangster pictures of the early '30s, hitting most of the familiar rise-and-fall story beats one would expect, but only the speedy wrap-up truly disappoints. Steiger's showy performance isn't necessarily good, per se, but it's nevertheless fun to watch. James Gregory plays the police sergeant determined to bring down Capone, and also provides the spiritless and obtrusive narration. The scene where Capone devises the St. Valentine's Day Massacre proves that musician biopics don't have a monopoly on presentations of embarrassingly contrived "origin stories." As for the sub-plot about Capone pursuing the widow of a hood he bumped off, it's both unconvincing and unnecessary (and entirely invented). Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours, but only if you've already watched the classics to death.
58/100
The criminal life of famed gangster Alphonse Capone; plays fast and loose with the truth, but creates a memorable central figure shown in appropriately despicable light no matter the glamorous trappings. Highly reminiscent of the classic gangster pictures of the early '30s, hitting most of the familiar rise-and-fall story beats one would expect, but only the speedy wrap-up truly disappoints. Steiger's showy performance isn't necessarily good, per se, but it's nevertheless fun to watch. James Gregory plays the police sergeant determined to bring down Capone, and also provides the spiritless and obtrusive narration. The scene where Capone devises the St. Valentine's Day Massacre proves that musician biopics don't have a monopoly on presentations of embarrassingly contrived "origin stories." As for the sub-plot about Capone pursuing the widow of a hood he bumped off, it's both unconvincing and unnecessary (and entirely invented). Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours, but only if you've already watched the classics to death.
58/100