THE REVENGE OF AL CAPONE

US, 1989, 96 minutes, Colour.
Keith Carradine, Ray Sharkey, Deborah Farentino.
Directed by Michael Pressman.

The Revenge of Al Capone is yet another film about that most celebrated of American gangsters. This is a telemovie concentrating on the character of Al Capone as well as of a G-man, Michael, responsible for his arrest but not getting the credit for it, the credit going to Eliot Ness. In fact, the screenplay by Tracey Keenan Wynn,is very critical of Ness and his grandstanding, his acceptance by Hoover, and his receiving the public credit for work done by other G-men.

Ray Sharkey joins a long list of actors in portraying Capone: Paul Muni in Scarface (and AI Pacino in the updated remake), Rod Steiger in Al Capone, Ben Gazzara in Capone, Robert de Niro in The Untouchables - the glorification of Eliot Ness, portrayed by Kevin Costner. Keith Carradine portrays the G-man, obsessed with arresting and destroying Capone, who had ordered the murder of his parents.

The film re-creates the atmosphere of the '30s and focuses on Capone and his imprisonment, his controlling of his gangs from prison, his ultimate burial in Alcatraz and then his release a dying man. Direction is by Michael Pressman, director of several telemovies.

1. Audience interest in Al Capone, in Eliot Ness, the FBI and the G-men? Conflict between gangsters and G-men? The '80s perspective?

2, An effective telemovie, focus on the period, on Chicago and Florida, re-creating the decor and costumes of the time? Authentic atmosphere? Score?

3. The title and AI Capone, yet the focus on Michael and the work of the FBI?

4. The structure of the film: the 1947 framework, Capone and his release and his dying, in Florida? Memories of his career; Michael's visit, the recurring 1947 sequences, the climax with the questions about Jenny and the ending?

5. Capone and his history, legacy, methods? In Florida with his family and entourage? The Chicago zones, his ruthlessness and killing, his henchmen? Arrested for tax non-payment? His playing to the press gallery, with the police, with the prison . wardens? His exercising his control and malice? His meetings, the elimination of Dutth? His jail in Atlanta, his burial in Alcatraz and his desperate cry? The husk of a man in 1947 as he was dying?

6. The focus on prisons, Chicago, Atlanta, Capone's relative freedom and luxury? The establishment of Alcatraz?

7. Keith Carradine as Mike: the visit in 1947, motivation and the death of his parents, arresting Capone and his achievement? Eliott Ness and the credit? His return to his wife, the Christmas sequence, the gifts, the organising of the murders by Capone, the attack on the family? His family going into hiding, his not being able to give up his obsession, the estrangement from his wife? Dedication to his work, with the other G-men, collaboration with Alex and his friends? The deaths in Chicago, his advice to Ness and to Hoover? The raids, helping Jenny escape? Meeting her again, the affair, his commitment to her, the shock of her betrayal and the publicity of the press? His going to Miami and the possible assassination of the mayor? The killing, his chase, the assassin of his parents? The burying of Capone in Alcatraz? Hoover's speech and giving the credit to Ness? His presence at the end, the human story, his professional integrity? The questions about Jenny and his declaring that he did not love her?

8. The importance of the family sequences, Michael and his love for his wife, his infidelity?

9. Jenny, as a singer, pleasant, the favour that Michael did her, meeting him again, commitment, the affair; her tenderness, the press rushing in, the betrayal for business? Listening at the end and watching him go away?

10. The film's perspective on Eliot Ness, his work, publicity? On Hoover and his attitudes? The standards for the G-men?

11. The gangs, their contacts, informants, murders? Dutch and his massacre? The final chase?

12. The agents and their style, the publicity, their reputation?

13. The Mayor of Chicago, the interviews, cleaning up Chicago, on the take, moneymaking, the assassination attempt on Frank Nitti, his survival? The assassination in Miami and his resentment?

14. The sketch of Roosevelt - and the irony of his comment about the mayor's last words?

15. Americans and gangsters, the law? A piece of Americana?