The Untouchables

The death of a movie star, or anybody working in cinema, always makes me want to revisit their work. In 2020 we lost Sean Connery and composer Ennio Morricone, they both worked on The Untouchables, so it was high time to scratch that itch.

Incidentally, two of the stand-out parts of the film come from Connery and Morricone. The soundtrack almost stands at odds with the film, like Morricone saw the campiness in the material and went with it. Big music for big characters. The scene on horseback might as well be lifted from a western and it’s in large part thanks to the music. It’s completely unexpected but brilliantly executed.

Connery is a reluctant scene stealer, again showing that in the right role he’s the only man for the job.

This feels a little like De Palma on autopilot. Not everything between the set pieces is all that compelling, and he seems happy to sit back. However, who cares when the set pieces are this good? He’s the master of style and orchestration and we still get to see him at the height of his powers even if overall The Untouchables isn’t his best film.