Al Capone
Al Capone

Movie spotlight

Al Capone

1959
Movie
104 min
English

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.

Insights

IMDb6.4/10
Director: Richard WilsonGenres: Crime, Drama, Biography, History

Plot Summary

This biographical crime drama chronicles the rise and fall of notorious gangster Al Capone. It details his violent ascent through the Chicago underworld, his ruthless methods of control through intimidation and murder, and his eventual downfall due to tax evasion. The film depicts Capone's transformation from a ambitious bootlegger into one of America's most feared public enemies.

Critical Reception

While Rod Steiger's performance was often praised for its intensity, the film itself received mixed reviews. Critics noted its attempts to portray the gritty reality of organized crime but found the narrative somewhat conventional and lacking in deeper psychological insight. Audiences at the time were often drawn to the sensational subject matter.

What Reviewers Say

  • Rod Steiger delivers a powerful and menacing performance as Al Capone.

  • The film effectively captures the brutal nature of 1920s organized crime.

  • Despite strong acting, the narrative structure is somewhat predictable.

Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews for this older film is not readily available.

Fun Fact

Rod Steiger's portrayal of Al Capone was so impactful that it is often cited as one of his most memorable roles, despite the film's modest critical success.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
John Chard

John Chard

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...