"The Untouchables" (1987) - Director Brian De Palma's Highly Fictionalized Version of Eliot Ness and Al Capone

[DonRocks]

*** SPOILER ALERT *** --- Do not read past this point if you haven't seen the movie.

In the scene which takes place in Jimmy Malone's (Sean Connery's) house (there's only one in the entire film), shortly before he winds up his Victrola, and the knife-man sneaks in, Amazon X-Ray says "References: 'A Clockwork Orange' (1971)," but it doesn't say how.

Furthermore, a ten-minute internet search revealed absolutely no details of any reference to "A Clockwork Orange" during this scene, and I've seen A Clockwork Orange at least five times. Does anyone know what the reference is?

Incidentally, this scene contains one of my all-time favorite movie lines - when Jimmy Malone looks up at Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner), and with his final bit of energy, choking on his own blood, does his best to scream out (and it's the third time in the movie he says this), "What are you prepared to do?!" I believe it was this single line that might have put Sean Connery over-the-top for winning the Best Supporting Actor Award.

Shortly afterwards, at the train station, the "other" scene that everyone remembers from this film is the baby carriage rolling down the stairs backwards. This is a direct homage to the legendary "Odessa Steps" scene from "The Battleship Potemkin" (I've started the video just before it occurs - feel free to rewind and watch the entire scene).

Incidentally, even though nobody has picked up on this in twelve years, this post, too, was an homage to the same scene (if you watch to the end, you'll understand why).

It was also an homage to bacon; just not that kind of bacon. It was also one of the best posts I've ever written, and can be found in "DonRocks' Greatest Hits."

[DanielK]

41 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Incidentally, this scene contains one of my all-time favorite movie lines - when Jimmy Malone looks up at Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner), and with his final bit of energy, choking on his own blood, does his best to scream out (and it's the third time in the movie he says this), "What are you prepared to do?!" I believe it was this single line that might have put Sean Connery over-the-top for winning the Best Supporting Actor Award.

Nah, that was an Academy-sponsored Lifetime Achievement award. He played himself in that movie. I can name a dozen roles he was better in than that.

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, DanielK said:

Nah, that was an Academy-sponsored Lifetime Achievement award. He played himself in that movie. I can name a dozen roles he was better in than that.

If he didn't win Best Supporting Actor, then who did? (Or do you mean "Lifetime Achievement" metaphorically?) I don't see any nominees that outperformed him that year, but I don't remember Denzel Washington's performance.

I don't think it was one of his very best roles; just a great line. Hell, all his early Bond roles were better than this, although I think it was a fine performance.

More importantly, can you name a dozen #1 hits worse than "The Night Chicago Died?"

[DanielK]

2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

If he didn't win Best Supporting Actor, then who did? (Or do you mean "Lifetime Achievement" metaphorically?) 

Oh, he was handed the trophy for that role, but everyone knew it was for a body of work, not really for that part.

[DonRocks]

11 hours ago, DanielK said:

Oh, he was handed the trophy for that role, but everyone knew it was for a body of work, not really for that part.

You're right, if you definitely remember; I don't remember that specifically, but I do remember it happening in the past (e.g. Paul Newman in "The Color of Money," who was nominated for Best Actor seven previous times, and lost all seven - he was awful in that role, and Martin Scorsese has truly put out some clunkers in his day).

Or maybe Henry Fonda for "On Golden Pond earlier in the decade? Bear in mind that both of these were for *Best Actor*, which makes them even more egregious.

Question: Who do you think should have won that year? I can't think of *any* good Supporting Actor performances, but like I said, I don't remember Denzel Washington's role. I thought Connery put out a perfectly fine performance (and I just saw the film last night and today, so my memory is pretty keen) - the role wasn't legendary or anything, but the competition that year was *really* weak.

[DanielK]

11 hours ago, DonRocks said:

You're right, if you definitely remember; I don't remember that specifically, but I do remember it happening in the past (e.g. Paul Newman in "The Color of Money," who was nominated for Best Actor seven previous times, and lost all seven - he was awful in that role, and Martin Scorsese has truly put out some clunkers in his day).

Or maybe Henry Fonda for "On Golden Pond earlier in the decade? Bear in mind that both of these were for *Best Actor*, which makes them even more egregious.

Question: Who do you think should have won that year? I can't think of *any* good Supporting Actor performances, but like I said, I don't remember Denzel Washington's role. I thought Connery put out a perfectly fine performance (and I just saw the film last night and today, so my memory is pretty keen) - the role wasn't legendary or anything, but the competition that year was *really* weak.

It's true, the competition was weak. FYI, the Paul Newman award was just the previous year, which probably added to the media attention for giving lifetime achievement awards.