The Latest from Cactus Tactical: Good Guys and Bad Guys Edition

Gunfights and Films

Good Guys and Bad Guys Edition

We've spoken of mobster movies before but today we're taking a look at a films which focus on things from the perspective of the side of the law as well as some of the corruption in it. The Untouchable captures an era where America was able to conquer a small part of organized crime and The Departed takes us to modern times and the challenges of fighting crime in these times. Two stories with some things in common but with a different take on the mafias of different neighborhoods and working with law enforcement to maintain the balance of good guy vs. bad guy.

The Untouchables is the 1987 feature film adaptation of the popular 1959 television series of the same name that starred Robert Stack. As in the series, the film follows the exploits of Eliot Ness, a US Treasury Agent who during the time of Prohibition was determined to take down Chicago mobster Al Capone. While the film was based on the true story, several liberties were taken in regards to the actual events. The film was directed by Brian De Palma from a screenplay by David Mamet and the cast included Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith and Sean Connery, who received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jimmy Malone. The film would also produce a brief television revival that premiered on the UPN Network in 1993.

Prohibition in the United States had led to an organized crime wave in the 1920s and early 1930s. Various gangs would bootleg vast amounts of alcohol and control their businesses with violence and extortion. The problem was the most prevalent in Chicago, where gang leader Al Capone has almost the whole city under his control, and supplies poor-quality liquor at high prices. While being interviewed by a reporter, Capone insists that he is a legitimate businessman who is responding to the will of the people. This is intercut with a Capone associate shaking down a restaurant owner who has chosen to buy from one of Capone's competitors. The owner refuses to be intimidated, and the hired thug appears to back off. Some time later, Capone's white-suited enforcer, Frank Nitti, enters the restaurant, drops a briefcase next to a chair, and casually walks away. The briefcase contains a bomb, which destroys the restaurant, killing most of its patrons.

Treasury Department agent Eliot Ness is put in charge of leading the crusade against Capone and his empire. Ness' initial strategy is to conduct raids using a large squad of uniformed officers, but his first attempt fails when he breaks into a warehouse storing umbrellas. Ness had been correct but Capone's men had gotten the tip that they were to be raided. The bootleg liquor was taken to safer quarters.

Embarrassed over the fiasco and seeking ideas for a change of tactics, Ness has a chance encounter with Jimmy Malone, an incorruptible Irish beat cop who understands the way Capone does business, and decides to ask for his help. Reluctant at first, Malone urges Ness to become as ruthless as the gangsters he wants to take down: "He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way, and that's how you get Capone." With corruption running rampant throughout the Chicago police force, Malone suggests that Ness recruit directly from the police academy in order to find team members who have not yet had a chance to come under Capone's influence. They start with the academy's best shooter, George Stone. When he reveals his real name is Giuseppe Petri, Malone is leery about having an Italian-American on the team, but Stone quickly wins him over with his coolness under pressure. With their fourth addition, the bookish Treasury accountant Oscar Wallace, detailed to Chicago from Washington, Ness has built an incorruptible team, capable of combating Capone.

Their first raid takes place in a local post office whose storeroom is used to house Capone's prohibition boze. Malone and most of the police know where the alcohol is, but they leave it alone because no one wants to start a war. The raid succeeds without incident. As the four pick up steam and become noted by the press, Wallace begins to probe the finances of the Capone organization. He believes that a feasible method of prosecution is through a tax evasion charge, if nothing else. At one point, Ness is visited by a Chicago alderman who is also under Capone's control. The alderman tries to bribe Ness into dropping the investigation, but Ness angrily rejects the offer and throws him out in full view of the team. As he leaves, he mockingly refers to them as "untouchable" and says that Capone, who is known as a cop-killer, can get to anyone he chooses, one way or another.

The alderman's words prove to be true when Nitti makes veiled threats toward Ness and his family outside his house, and drives off before Ness can capture him. Realizing that Capone has targeted him, Ness orders his wife and daughter moved to a safer place; Malone and Stone then bring word of a large whiskey shipment coming in from Canada, and the team flies north to setup a raid at the border.

During the raid, Ness's team and a squad of Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers intercept the shipment, arresting or killing everyone involved. Malone captures one of Capone's bookkeepers, George, and the team tries to persuade him to provide evidence against Capone. George initially refuses to cooperate, however, he changes his mind once Malone shoots a thug in the mouth to frighten him. Enraged even further, Capone orders his men to hunt down and kill Ness and his family, knowing that with Ness dead, the Untouchables will be finished. Ness's wife, meanwhile, has just given birth to their second child.

At the police station, where the Untouchables are being congratulated, Wallace prepares to escort George into protective custody. However, they are both shot and killed by Nitti, disguised as the policeman operating the elevator; when the bodies are found, the word "TOUCHABLE" has been written on the wall in their blood. Ness is left with insufficient evidence to press charges, and the frustration drives him into challenging Capone in public to a physical fight in front of his son and several armed henchmen. Malone intervenes and forces Ness to back down, defusing the confrontation.

Malone tells Ness to stall the district attorney from dropping the case while he searches for information regarding Walter Payne, another of Capone's bookkeepers. A subpoena is issued for Payne, prompting Capone's men to make plans to get him out of town. Malone angrily confronts Dorsett, knowing that he sold out Wallace, demanding information on where Capone plans to move Payne. After a brutal fistfight, Dorsett shares what he knows, but warns Malone that Capone's assassins will retaliate. Malone calls Ness and instructs him to meet him at his apartment. As he does this, the Bowtie Man sneaks in through a window, armed with a knife. A shotgun-wielding Malone berates him for "bringing a knife to a gunfight," and throws him out. This proves to be a trap, however, as Nitti, perched on a nearby fire escape, repeatedly shoots Malone with a tommy gun. He is barely alive when Ness and Stone find him, and he shows Ness which train Payne will be taking before dying in his arms.

Ness and Stone arrive at Union Station and find Payne guarded by several gangsters. One of the bodyguards recognizes Ness from the earlier altercation with Capone and quickly alerts his comrades. After a fierce shootout, the Bowtie Man decides to cut his losses and uses Payne a human shield, threatening to kill him unless Ness and Stone back down. Stone shows his marksmanship skills by shooting the Bowtie Man in the head. Out of gratitude, Payne offers his full cooperation with the investigation.

Payne testifies in court against Capone, admitting his role in channeling money to Capone over the last three years. Ness, however, notices Capone relaxed and even smiling, despite the probability of serving a long prison sentence, and also sees Nitti carrying a gun in court. He takes Nitti out of the courtroom with the bailiff and discovers that Nitti has permission from the corrupt mayor of Chicago to carry the weapon. Ness then identifies Nitti as Malone's murderer after finding Malone's address on a matchbook in Nitti's pocket.

Panicking, Nitti shoots the bailiff and runs up to the roof, exchanging gunfire with Ness all the way. Eventually, Ness gets Nitti in his sights, but cannot bring himself to shoot the man in cold blood. Nitti gives himself up to Ness, Ness telling him that he'll see him burn because he murdered Malone. Stating that Malone died honorably and that Ness should think about that when he, Nitti, is tried and convicted for the murder but set free anyway. Enraged at the thought that Nitti will escape punishment for his crimes, and provoked to revenge, Ness pushes Nitti off the roof. He shouts to the screaming thug before Nitti dies on impact with a parked car.

Back inside the courthouse, Stone shows Ness a document from Nitti's jacket that shows bribes paid to the jurors, explaining Capone's relaxed mood. The judge has no intention of using it as evidence and is fully prepared to let Capone go free, inadvertently revealing his own corruption or fear of the crime boss. In a last ditch effort, Ness talks the judge into doing the right thing, bluffing him into believing that the judge's name is among those in the bookkeeper's ledger of payoffs. As a result, the judge decides to switch this jury with the one in another courtroom. Before the trial can continue, Capone's lawyer changes the plea of "not guilty" to one of "guilty" without Capone's consent. Capone is sentenced to 11 years in prison. Ness taunts Capone, who pretends not to hear as he is taken into custody.

As he packs up his office, Ness contemplates the Saint Jude medallion that Malone had carried with him for many years (linked to his call box key), and which Malone had given to him before dying. Ness gives the medallion to Stone, reasoning that since Jude is the patron saint of police officers, Malone would have wanted him to have it. Out on the street, a reporter wishes to have a word from Ness, but Ness modestly downplays his role in the showdown. When the reporter mentions that Prohibition is due to be repealed and asks what Ness might do then, Ness responds, "I think I'll have a drink."

This movie is iconic in cinema. The stroller scene is epic cinematography. The dialogue is well written and it's packed with action. Let's take a look at the weapons used in this prohibition era crime drama.

Treasury Agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) carries a Star Model B as his sidearm in the film (the pistol was used due to its resemblance to the M1911A1) in scenes in which he fires it. Bowtie Driver (Vito D'Ambrosio), a gangster who holds the bookkeeper Walter Payne (Jack Kehoe) from Ness and Stone in the train station holds a Star Model B to Payne's head.

Blued Star Model B - 9mm pistol from the movie The Untouchables (1987). This one is a screen-used and fired handgun from the movie and was used by Kevin Costner on screen.

Treasury Agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) holds his Star Model B outside the Capone warehouse.

The Bowtie Driver fires his Star Model B during the final shootout.

One of Capone's gangsters (left) pull a Star Model B on Ness and Malone. The external extractor is faintly visible

A Smith & Wesson Model 10 is carried by Stone (Andy Garcia). He uses it to kill the Bowtie Driver who is holding Payne hostage at the end of the shootout in the train depot. Malone (Sean Connery) also carries one, which he infamously uses to shoot an already dead gangster. Many other Chicago policemen carry Model 10s.

Smith & Wesson Model 10 Revolver - .38 Special

Malone and Stone pull out their Model 10s when the reporter interrupts their meal.

"What's the matter? Can't you talk with a gun in your mouth?" Malone put the barrel of the S&W Model 10 into the mobster's mouth

To see the full scene with Malone you can watch here:

Stone aims his Model 10 at the Bowtie Driver.

To watch the infamous stroller scene you can see it here:

Many gangsters as well as Malone and Stone use the Thompson M1928 during the film. Stone and Malone use them to great effect during the Canadian shootout. Frank Nitti notably uses one in a confrontation with Malone outside his apartment. Several Chicago Police Department officers carry these during the first raid in the film. According to the Ellis Props & Graphics NFA weapons list available on Long Mountain Outfitters' web site, there were a mix of M1921s and M1928 Thompsons used in the film.

M1928 Thompson "Tommy Gun" .45 ACP

Stone on horseback with a Thompson.

While in the station, a gangster (Joe Greco) opens fire with the Thompson.

Nitti aims his Thompson at Malone

Malone lays near a shot-up car belonging to the gangsters with his Thompson

To see the crew get extracted you can watch here:

The Untouchables use Winchester Model 1897 shotguns on several occasions, such as the post office raid. Several Chicago Police Department officers carry these during the first raid in the film.

Winchester Model 1897 - 12 gauge. This is an imported copy of the non-take down version of the Winchester 1897 Shotgun (a Norinco 97W shotgun, imported by IAC).

An iconic photo of The Untouchables armed with their shotguns.

The Untouchables prepare to raid the alcohol center inside the post office.

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I have always liked this film. The film noir flare and it really captures the feeing of crime in that era. Action packed and emotional this movie is very well rounded and great to watch. Order some pizza and some antipasta salad and settle in for some danger and delight next time you watch this flick.

To see a full list of the weapons used in this film you can go here: http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Untouchables,_The_(1987)

The Departed

is a 2006 crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, and Jack Nicholson. The film is a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong crime film Infernal Affairs and went on to win Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director.

In a voice over, Irish-American mobster Frank Costello explains that he doesn't want to be the product of his environment, he wants his environment to be a product of him. Grainy historical film depicts violent riots in Boston during earlier generations. Costello, proudly Irish, an unapologetic racist, explains that what annoys him about African Americans is their refusal to realize that they won't be given anything. Costello's philosophy is you have to do whatever possible to take what you want.

Costello is in a small convenience store and collects protection money from the shop owner, who is visibly unnerved by Costello. Costello warns him to have more money next time. Costello asks the shop owner's young teenage daughter behind the counter if she's got her period yet. His attitude is nonchalant and all the more threatening for it. The daughter is both affronted and compelled by the powerful Costello and answers his rhetorical question. The shop owner doesn't shows no emotion. A small boy, a young Colin Sullivan, is at the counter and witnesses Costello's interaction with the shop owner. Costello notices him and asks him if he's the son of a man Costello knows. He tells the store owner to give the boy two full bags of groceries and then presses some coins into the boy's hand. He tells the boy to remember he can get more money from Costello when he gets older.

As Sullivan grows, Costello grooms him and steers him into a job as a police officer, where he can keep Costello informed. Sullivan completes the Police Academy and is immediately transferred to the State Police force. He is accepted into the Special Investigations Unit led by Ellerby which focuses on organized crime. The primary target of the unit is Costello. Sullivan is warmly welcomed onto the State Police force by Captain Queenan and Staff Sergeant Dignam.

Billy Costigan, whose extended family has considerable ties to organized crime, also attends the police academy. Before he graduates, he is summoned to a meeting with Queenan and Dignam who intimidate, bully, and verbally harass him. They pressure him to disqualify himself as an officer because he's too smart to be a cop and because of his family's ties to crime. When Costigan stands up to their hazing, they change tactics: they offer him a job as a police officer on one condition: that he quit the academy, serve serious time in jail on a trumped-up assault charge, and infiltrate Costello's organization. Only Queenan and Dignam will know that Costigan is working undercover. They promise him a bonus when he completes the assignment.

When Costigan gets out of prison, he contacts his cousin and tries to finance a drug deal. Costigan and his cousin meet Mr. French at a local bar, where Costigan orders a cranberry juice. The guy on the bar stool next to him asks Costigan if he is having his period. Costigan smashes a beer mug over the man's head and is halted in his assault by Mr. French. Mr. French warns Costigan that he is not allowed to beat up certain men, and he's lucky the guy at the bar is not one of them.

Eating at the counter of a store like that in which Sullivan originally met Costello, Costigan confronts two Italian mobsters from Providence extorting protection money from the store owner. He beats the two men up badly, breaking his hand when he hits one of them. Costello learns of Costigan's actions and summons him to a meeting. He offers to protect Costigan from the Mafia, who, he promises, will return with reinforcements to kill Costigan. He invites Costigan into a back room where he instructs Mr. French, a senior member of Costello's crew, to check Costigan for weapons or a wire. Mr. French breaks Costigan's cast open and Costello beats Costigan's broken hand with a shoe, trying to get him to confess being a cop. Costigan withstands their beating and is accepted as a legitimate crook by Costello.

Both Sullivan and Costigan gain credibility within their respective organizations. Sullivan visits a crime scene where the two Mafia men from Providence are found. Sullivan contacts Costello, who directs him to influence the investigators away from Costello.

Sullivan begins dating psychiatrist Madolyn Madden. Costigan also sees her but as a client, required under the terms of his probation. He also develops an attraction to her. During a deal to sell stolen missile guidance microchips to Chinese government agents, Sullivan warns Costello of the police operation and everyone avoids police detection by boarding boats waiting at the back of the warehouse.

It becomes evident to both Sullivan and Costigan that there is a mole in each other's organization, though not their identities. Costigan talks to Dignam and threatens to leave but Dignam tells him to come up with evidence so they can find the mole. Extremely agitated, Costigan relents. He has coffee with Madden who is moving in to live with Sullivan.

Costello tells Sullivan to find out who among his crew is leaking vital information. Sullivan asks for his crew members' social security numbers and other ID so he can track them down. Costigan searches for the informant and learns from a member of Costello's crew that Costello is an FBI informant, explaining why federal prosecutors repeatedly fail to indict and arrest Costello. Costigan visits Queenan at home late at night and tells him that Costello is an FBI informant.

Mr. French collects everyone's social security numbers and other ID. Costigan corrects Fitzgibbons's misspelling of 'citizens' on the envelope containing their information and then leaves. He visits Madden at her apartment, where she is finishing moving out. She tells him she is moving in with Sullivan. The meeting ends intimately.

Ellerby puts Sullivan in charge of the investigation to find the mole in the Special Investigations Unit. Costigan follows Costello to a porn theater, where he sees Costello meet with and give a dark figure--unknown to him, Sullivan--the envelope containing Costello's crew members' personal information. Costigan chases Sullivan out the emergency exit of the theater and through Chinatown but neither man learns the other's identity.

Sullivan tells Costello to trail Queenan to a meeting with Costigan. Costigan gets away before Costello's men throw Queenan off the roof, landing at Costigan's feet. As Costello's crew leaves, Costigan joins them, pretending he's just arrived to join them in the assassination. Delahunt is mortally wounded. Back at their bar, Delahunt fingers Costigan as the mole but dies before he can tell anyone else. A news report reveals that Delahunt, a crew member, was an undercover cop. Dignam is forced to step down from the police force as a result.

Using Queenan's phone, Sullivan reaches Costigan, and fails to persuade him to quit his work as a mole. Sullivan learns from Queenan's diary that Costello was an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He worries that his identity as a mole for Costello may be revealed. With Costigan's help, Costello is traced by the police to a cocaine pick-up, where a gunfight erupts between his crew and police, during which most of Costello's crew is killed. Sullivan confronts the wounded Costello, who admits he is an occasional FBI informant. Sullivan shoots him multiple times. Sullivan is applauded the next day for having killed Costello by everyone on the force.

In good faith, Costigan comes to see him, seeking to get his civilian identity restored and to collect his back pay. He tells Sullivan he intends to resume his civilian life. Sullivan leaves to look up Costigan's employee record when Costigan notices the envelope from Costello on Sullivan's desk. Costigan finally realizes Sullivan is Costello's mole. Returning to his desk, Sullivan realizes that Costigan has figured out his true identity, so he erases Costigan's employee records from the police computer system.

Madolyn tells Sullivan she's pregnant, but doesn't reveal who the father is. A few days later she receives a package in the mail from Costigan addressed to Sullivan. She opens it to find it contains a CD of Costello's recorded conversations with Sullivan. Sullivan walks in as she is listening and tries unsuccessfully to assuage her suspicions. He contacts Costigan, who reveals that Costello recorded every conversation he had with Sullivan. Costello left the recordings with his attorney, who has given them to Costigan. Costigan says he wants his civilian identity back or he will implicate Sullivan. They agree to meet on the roof of the building where Queenan died.

When they meet, Costigan catches Sullivan off-guard and handcuffs him. As Costigan had secretly arranged, Officer Brown appears on the roof as well. Shocked to see Sullivan in handcuffs and held at gunpoint by Costigan, Brown draws his gun on Costigan. Costigan explains his actions by revealing that Sullivan is the mole. Costigan asks Brown why Dignam did not accompany him, but Brown doesn't answer. Costigan leads Sullivan to the elevator and Brown takes the stairs to follow them.

When the elevator reaches the ground floor and the doors open, Officer Barrigan shoots Costigan in the head. When Brown arrives, Barrigan kills him too. Barrigan reveals to Sullivan that Costello had more than one mole in the police and that Costello was going to give both of them up to the FBI. When Barrigan momentarily turns, Sullivan shoots him in the head. At police headquarters, Sullivan concocts a story to protect himself, identifying Barrigan as the mole and recommends Costigan for the Medal of Merit.

At Costigan's funeral, Sullivan and Madolyn stand by the grave. Sullivan attempts to talk to her, but she ignores him. As Sullivan enters his apartment, he is met by Dignam, who shoots and kills him. As the scene closes we zoom in on a rat on his balcony.

This movie is just one plot twist after another. The way the characters connect and intertwine is artfully done. I've watched this film a ton of times and discover some new detail every time I watch it again. Let's take a look at the weapons they used.

The SIG-Sauer P226 is the weapon carried by all of the Massachusetts State Police officers in the movie, including Sergeant Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), Detective Brown (Anthony Anderson), MSP Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) and numerous other characters. In real life, the P226 has been standard-issue for the Massachusetts State Police since 1987. However, during the scene where Collin is sitting in a class on ballistics while at the academy, the instructor mentions that the department's service pistols are chambered for 9mm hollow-point rounds. This is a slight inaccuracy; the Staties have been using the .40 S&W version of the P226 since the mid-1990s (and more recently switched to the double-action-only DAK model, whereas the guns in the movie are SA/DA models).

SIG-Sauer P226 - 9x19mm

On the right, MSP Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) with a SIG holstered.

Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) with his SIG-Sauer P226 after the raid.

Detective Brown (Anthony Anderson) with his own SIG-Sauer.

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Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) carries as his pistol throughout the movie a flat nickel Walther PPK. This weapon is later used by trooper Barrigan (James Badge Dale) and then eventually by Colin.

Walther PPK - 9x17mm (.380 ACP)

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) confronts a junkie with his Walther PPK.

Billy loads a magazine into his Walther PPK. Note the magazine he loads contains the extended curve (meant to provide a more full grip on the pistol).

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) points his PPK.

To watch the scene on the roof and in the elevator you can watch here:

One of the Massachusetts State Police officers is seen firing an Ithaca 37 shotgun at Costello's men during the final gunfight. It is equipped with an extended magazine tube. Costello's thugs also point Ithaca 37s at the backs of the machine-gun armed Chinese thugs.

Ithaca 37 with extended magazine tube - 12 Gauge

An officer fires his Ithaca 37 in the foreground while another fires his P226 in the background.

A close-up of the same officer firing his Ithaca Model 37

To watch the scene with the warehouse shoot out you can do so here:

Heavy Boston accents, good guys disguised as bad guys and bad guys disguised as good guys. This movie is absolutely awesome. Grab some cranberry juice and a sandwich and treat yourself to a movie marathon this weekend.

To see the other weapons used in this film you can go to: http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/The_Departed

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Labels: action movies, cinema, cops, crime drama, elliot ness, gunfights, guns, leonardo dicaprio, mob, modern times, organized crime, prohibition era, robert de niro, the departed, the untouchables, weapons