Year:  1959
Rating: 7.0

---

My True Crime wave continues with this good hard hitting film about Al Capone that generally stays close to the facts. The film begins with Capone leaving Brooklyn where he was already involved in criminal escapades to work for a relative, Johnny Torrio, in Chigago who had a bootlegging business on the North Side. Capone rose from bouncer bodyguard to become Torrio's right hand man and eventually to running the gang after Torrio retired. After a few more killings of rivals he was the top dog until the Feds got him in 1932 for tax evasion which he served till 1939 when he was paroled. By then though syphilis had coursed through his body destroying his mental abilities. He died in 1947. And is still a legend today with a few films being made about him.


Rod Steiger is great as Capone giving him a real ferocity but not so over the top that it is unbelievable. There are moments of tenderness and loyalty which gives him a few layers. We get no baseball bat or Elliot Ness in this version of Capone. Also doing a terrific job is Martin Balsam as a sleazy on the take journalist who works for Capone. His total calm indifference to his own morality is quite powerful.