History Buffs: The Untouchables

[@Phranque]

Little known fact: Al Capone's 21st Birthday was January 17th, 1920. Prohibition officially started January 17th, 1920 - Al Capone's 21st birthday was the day prohibition went into effect.. So, Capone was 21-34 years old during prohibition era. He looks like an old guy in all the photos and when portrayed in movies, but he was younger than most people think he was. Also, just imagine losing the right to drink on your 21st birthday - that just had to suck.

[@jackbootshamangaming4541]

You could drink back then before 21. It wasn't until 88 that all states raised the drinking age to 21. In Illinois it was only raised to 21 in 1980.

[@Phranque]

You couldn't drink back then at any age, because, you know "Prohibition".

[@curranfrank2854]

@@jackbootshamangaming4541 Wisconsin only raised it to 21 in 1986.

[@samuelbarber6177]

They were just bating him.

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@Phranque That’s what the guy was seeing. Beer is given an age minimum of 21 and it was banned on Al Capone’s 21st… That’s the joke.

[@jeffmcarthur5617]

You might be interested to know that Al Capone's long-lost brother Vincenzo was a Prohibition agent in Nebraska. I wrote a book about him called Two Gun Hart. (I'm working on getting it made into a movie, so hopefully you'll review it one day.)

[@christiandauz3742]

An episode of Timeline is about Al and his brother

[@ivanstanojevic964]

Holy crap I'd love to see that

[@Unwise-]

I'd like to see it as cable show. It sounds like an interesting story.

[@84blizzle]

Yes, that's true and what makes it more crazy is most his brothers were criminals with him. I think the one that became an agent changed his last name as well to avoid the connection, but I could be wrong...

[@youdoitillwatch]

$25.89 in hardcover, $12.99 in paperback....$2.99 on Kindle. That's got to be a real kick in the balls.

[@mariovision705]

RIP Maestro Ennio Morricone for such a beautiful score in this movie

[@bobwallace9814]

Capone is always thought of as some older guy when in reality he was only in his 20's while running the mob.

[@picklerix6162]

Capone died quite young.

[@samuelbarber6177]

He was 31 when this movie takes place (1930). He died at age 48 in 1947.

[@carlrood4457]

Hollywood does this because we have a natural tendency to associate age with authority. For example, in the case of Billy the Kid, John Tunstall was 28 when he was killed, not the much older man that Hollywood portrays in Chisum and Young Guns. They do the same thing with height, which is why kids in their late teens are portrayed by actors shorter than the ones playing their parents when in reality they'd normally be about the same height.

[@heikkijhautanen4576]

@@picklerix6162 criminals and gangsters tend not to live to old age.

[@lauriemarie6902]

Honey they don't make them like that anymore. Philadelphia USA

[@markbunn4376]

"You want to know how to beat Capone? He pulls a knife you pull a gun, he puts one of yours in hospital, you put one of his in the morgue"

[@shawnthompson2303]

That's the Chicago Way.

[@jordanowens6253]

My dad showed me this movie when I was 11 and that phrase has always felt special even to this day

[@largedaddybennett9167]

@@shawnthompson2303 honestly, thats the Philadelphia way

[@doctordoggo8604]

@@largedaddybennett9167 you pull a rifle

[@juliusraben3526]

Thats not how you beat Capone. Taxes is how you get Capone

[@TheMightyPika]

The entire Prohibition era, from conception to end, is one of the most fascinating and transparent examples of people being misdirected and happily swallowing it in history. It deserves far more attention an analysis than it's gotten.

[@tylerkeane4537]

Check out the ken burns documentary you dolt

[@Kruppt808]

Boardwalk empire for a couple seasons was one of the lone shows but man did we go down on that ugly bitch.......

[@videogamebomer]

Worst of all we didn't learn from it just look at our drug war

[@WadeWilsonDP]

And giving in to nagging shrews. I don't understand people like the women in the temperance movement, they just don't enjoy life. Now we call them SJWs.

[@Skippy19812]

​@@WadeWilsonDP Puritanical busybodies have been around since the dawn of mankind. People tend to blame these things on political alignments, but truth is stupidity has no alignment. It doesn't matter what side of the aisle you're on, there is always some big societal ill that needs to be rectified for great justice, and always one big bad to blame for it. In the 80's it was horror movies and dungeons & dragons. In the 90's it was rap music. Post 00's it's video games. Human society will always have problems and consequently there will always be idiotic, self righteous types looking for a bogyman to lynch.

[@Unwise-]

One more minor historic inaccuracy... Near the end is a scene where Ness holds up his badge flanked by crates of bootleg whiskey featuring a bright red 10-point maple leaf, the symbol of Canada. Unfortunately that symbol was designed in the 60s. That red maple leaf design didn't exist until 1965 when Canada adopted the new flag. You're welcome.

[@Jeabus]

Nerd

[@Jeabus]

I mean that as a compliment

[@hoozat007]

Yes, I was going to point that out too. I scrolled down the comments first to see if anyone had beaten me to it. Good job. :-)

[@mossyourlocalbleachbottle2098]

magnetothewhite I miss the ensign

[@MrGeorgeFlorcus]

@magnetothewhite It's... unique, at the very least. It's distinct, but it does have a very "We just made this up because we couldn't think of anything else" feel to it.

[@samspade3227]

My aunt was married to an enforcer. A Jewish gang under Capone’s control. She was an accountant for a Chicago hospital, also did the gang’s books. She met Capone many times, said he was a very nice man. Usually liked to act as a host in his clubs. Her husband Isidore Goldberg was killed cause he switched to another gangland accountant. She gave up her books to law enforcement. A contract was put out on her life to. They hid her for 2 weeks then got her out of town. Even in the late 60’s she was still scared about the gang.

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

My Grandpa was a Sicilian immigrant that married a 2nd generation Calabrese Italian American in Chicago. In the early 60s, Outfit madeguys shook his little convenient + hardware store down for protectionmoney. He paid, one morning CPD found a body in the trunk of a Buick outside his shop. He packed up, went outside Louisville KY in the rural area, Chicago Outfit and St Louis Giordano Family had operations in Louisville with KY Derby, Horses, Gambling, Labor Unions and boosting Bourbon Truck and gun trucks of S&W .22 LR, .32 S&W, .38 Special, Colt M1911 .45 ACP, and Browning A5 and Ithaca 12 Gauge Shotguns in transit to police stations and gun shops, Sears. They still have some stuff here but it's Chicago Outfit, Zerilli Detroit Family, and NYC Genovese Family people during Derby and they still love that Bourbon trucks.

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

@boshboon9673 nobody has to read it.

[@valentinarmenta4982]

Cool story bro

[@ninjaked1265]

Your aunt? HOW OLD ARE YOU?

[@789456456123]

@@ninjaked1265 You know that people are capable of having elderly or since passed family members that could easily have been alive during those times.

[@ellingsindre2485]

The fact that you can recommend the movie, even tho it is so historically inaccurate is fantastic.

[@rubix4195]

My history teacher actually had this in his "education" video library!

[@KarthikLikeAThickCar]

have you ever head of inglorious bastards

[@Utonian21]

After watching this, I've decided that I'm not going to watch it. Looks like they threw historical accuracy out the window to make another generic action movie

[@Utonian21]

@@AkeoT9 I'm good

[@souldry]

It’s a great movie. One of my favorites out of all films that have to do with the mob. As far as historical accuracy? I go to Hollywood for good stories, not history lessons and certainly not for education purposes.

[@OntologicalQuandry]

During my citizenship ceremony to add Canadian to English, we had a talk from a Canadian veteran. He mentioned that Southern Ontario (closest bordering Chicago) was dry during prohibition. He said how one could go into the local Chinese restaurant in his hometown and ask for tea in a specific way and get a beer. The story surprised me.

[@donnasmith8139]

I have fond memories of seeing this film at the Esquire Theater in Chicago with my then-fiancé, a judge. At the suspenseful moment when the juries are switched, as the audience held its breath, he blurted out, “You can’t do that!” I tried to hide under my seat! Great memory.

[@betoen]

Nice story.

[@ebriggs3498]

I’ve always know The Untouchables wasn’t an accurate movie, but Kevin Costner, Sean Connery and a KILLER soundtrack make it a must have disc! ❤

[@robertparker6280]

Agreed! That scene in on the steps to the train, is intense as shit.

[@sabir1208]

​@@robertparker6280absolute classic

[@robertparker6280]

@@sabir1208 Oh yeah

[@sabir1208]

@@robertparker6280 me and my family members will say, "I'll tell ya what ya wanna know!" when we ask each other questions lol

[@robertparker6280]

@@sabir1208 Nice! Whenever I play a FPS game or Airsoft, and each round if you get hit you are out until the next round. If my friend and I are alive, and we both see a guy; I always let my friend get the shot. I always say "You got him?" and he says "Yeah I got him."

[@KilianExperience]

I've always assumed that Boardwalk empire even though it has fictional characters is more historically accurate

[@Luke-cg8kz]

give me more videos please i need more from you.

[@MoeAji]

I have no witty comment, or funny joke. I just want to say your videos are terrific!

[@TribuneAquila]

I’ve always assumed the Killian experience was mare accurate than me playing any game.

[@84blizzle]

If you look up the history you'll find a good deal of it is, but there's a lot of liberties as well. Like, the series finale for Nucky was nothing like what happened to him in real life, but it was still perfect for the shows end imo. And characters like Jimmy and Gyp Rosetti were entirely fictional, though they were some of the best characters on the show. I personally love Boardwalk Empire and just like The Untouchables I'd say the liberties they took in the history was worth it for the story.

[@BigBazz-Clips]

holy shit, what's kilian doing here? xD

[@jamesa9362]

5:29 Man: "Prohibition!" Woman in Crowd: *Pops bottle of champagne*

[@TSNAnnotator]

@@StephNuggs It's the pilot episode of Boardwalk Empire friend

[@dkupke]

A quote attributed to Al Capone’s mentor, John Torrio, on the eve of Prohibition: “I’ve always wanted to make time into a business. Now these fools have gone and made a business into crime!”

[@Le_o1]

James A vaktovian

[@doublep1980]

A already mentioned this is from HBO's Boardwalk Empire,which is an amazing show produced by Marty Scorcese. They actually celebrate prohibition,because Atlantic City didn't enforced it in their casinos and they literally advertised their city to people,to come visit in order to drink and gamble.(officially drinking was not outlawed,only selling alcohol.) Similar thing with Las Vegas and prostitution/gambling. The big ''players'' in AC,lead by ''Nucky'' Thomson (played by Steve Buscemi) were ecstatic,because they could now make a fortune with alcohol. ''Nucky'' says in that scene: ''We can ask any price for a bottle of whiskey from the poor shmocks who want a drink and will become stinking rich.'' and they did. Not only did Prohibition increased the consumption of alcohol,but also it was responsible for the rise of organised crime in the USA.

[@jamesa9362]

solarbngt Glory to Vaktus

[@salokin3087]

It's insane to see the similarities of prohibition to the drug war, both failed, both rapidly increased crime

[@bingethinner7045]

Weed and heroin have never been (legally) sold at gas stations, where as alcohol was an established income model and product. If anything the rise of piracy from navy layoffs in England is comparable.

[@m0314700308891515]

And the proposed gun bans and assault weapons prohibitions.

[@farmerboy916]

Not at gas stations, but in the late 1800's/ early 1900's cocaine/ heroin were freely and cheaply sold in pharmacies and the like.

[@BoringDad88]

I was thinking the exact same thing. 80% of shootings are gang related. I also heard (but not verified) that drugs make up about 80% of average gang's income. Think of how much crime organizations would lose? Not to mention, you are punishing someone for an illness. Basically, throwing the poor, depressed or mentally ill in jail so they can't get jobs in the future, even if they get sober. We spend about $100 a day every one of them is in jail. Alcohol made it, because it is the most abused drug with the highest addiction rate. Plus, outlawing drugs came because they wanted to stop black men from having sex with white women. Please look it up, it's crazy. They just did this with pain medication and made it so difficult to get in Washington. Guess what happened...fail. heroin overdoses are 5x what they were in 2012 (when they instituted the restrictions) in Seattle. Oh, people with chronic pain are unable to do the things they used to do and are worse off than ever. Where is a social justice group on that? Where are the liberals trying to save the handicap or saying "hands off my body, it's my choice"? Where are the libertarians telling government to not control personal lives? I'm sure I sound like like ramblings of an addict or something, but I am sober as a monk. I don't drink, smoke weed, nothing.

[@farmerboy916]

Yeah but that makes sense, so it'll never happen :P

[@SMbigpapi]

R.I.P. Sean Connery

[@conor9345]

Legends are never truly gine

[@conor9345]

Gone

[@apenneukende]

Probably my favorite wife beater

[@georgewilliamsiii3445]

He never learned how to make a Irish accent

[@filipjezercic9735]

It still hurts.

[@carterlegrand6698]

Minor correction: targeting German beers: Unlike Blatz, Miller and Schlitz, Busch beer was not produced 'till the early 60's. Gussie Busch bought the St. Louis Cardinals and tried to rename Sportsmans Park, Budweiser Park. The commish' said NO PARKS NAMED AFTER BEER, so he gave his name, Busch, to the park. Then slyly he ordered the Busch Bavarian beer to be produced. (so it was a beer named after a park) You get a pass on that one, being a Brit. BTW, keep up the good work...your doc's are pure exellence.

[@slytlygufy]

Two corrections: Busch beer was introduced in 1955 and the Busch family bought the Cards in 1953

[@dmac2899]

Actually should he get a pass? Since this is the job he’s supposed to be doing

[@datfisheboi6519]

@@dmac2899 If it were an episode about the history of German beer in general, I'd agree, but this is essentially 1/4th of a throwaway line of the background of what he's actually talking about. Not exactly a big deal, and doesn't really ofuscate the point he's trying to make.

[@77mpickett]

The background music just reminded me how great of a score the untouchables had. No wonder those deaths were so sad.

[@HisVirusness]

As someone who was raised on the Southside of Chicago: Great work. As always, you really did your research.

[@HisVirusness]

@@VideoHostSite It's not that bad. More accurately, it's not as bad as it used to be, or as bad as the media likes to portray it.

[@franknowakowski3103]

The Canadian border/Bridge shootout was filmed in Hardy Creek, MT. On an old steel bridge over the Missouri River. Filming took over a month. The stars stayed in Great Falls hotels but spent fairly long hours at the scene site. Connery was especially nice to folks who came by to watch the filming. He was a real Gentleman. Signed a lot of autographs and was in many photos.

[@IggyWon]

7 gangland murders in Chicago in 1929: Remembered forever. 7 gangland murders in Chicago in 2019: Slow weekend. 7 gangland murders in Chicago in 2020: Holy shit, only 7? It's basically utopia! 7 gangland murders in Chicago in 2021: but it's mostly peaceful!

[@IggyWon]

@Steve G.A. So have demographics, unfortunately.

[@gigicestone4902]

Meh...Chicago was always a shithole, anyhow.

[@verbatim3752]

@@IggyWon Nice casual racism brah.

[@IggyWon]

@@verbatim3752 Acknowledging trends is racism these days I guess.

[@MiguelJimenez-uc3yz]

@@IggyWon Acknowledge them then referring to them as "unfortunate". Yes that's passively racist

[@terrorcop101]

Fun fact: while I was looking for a place to stay in Madison, one of the houses I checked out used to be a speakeasy during the Prohibition era; and it was literally right down the hill from Capitol Square. The landlord and I couldn't help but share a laugh over the fact that the same guys who were supposed to be enforcing national law in the state of Wisconsin could get done with the day, hike down the hill, maybe two or three city blocks from the capitol building, and chill out with a drink of hard liquor.

[@terrorcop101]

@Roy G Biv You can joke about Prohibition, to a point; not about murder.

[@Humbilly]

I remember an interview with Dan Ackroyd about The Untouchables. He mentioned a relative of his, an uncle I believe, was a member of the RCMP and said, "The Untouchable was a great movie, but the idea that the RCMP would ever lead a cavalry charge across a bridge is ludicrous."

[@abchaplin]

The RNWMP did field two squadrons of mounted rifles in the Great War, one on the Western Front and one with the force sent to Siberia, hence the battle honours on their guidon, but the idea that there would enough RCMP constables in any one place outside of the depot to mount an operation like that depicted in the film is ludicrous. Nick Hodge's point about enforcing U.S. law on Canadian territory also has merit.

[@amilo0001]

I've only just discovered History Buffs, but I really really like it. It makes history accessible, engaging and fun by taking advantage of the fact that a good many people, myself included, have gained a large percentage of their historical knowledge through cinema stories rather than accurate reading. My own suggestion would be for 'Stan & Ollie' starring John C Reilly and Steve Coogan to get the H.B treatment.

[@vicenteortegarubilar9418]

He is in the car. DAAAAAAMN Ness, you smooth prohibition agent.

[@idunbeezasmart1]

My favorite line from "The Untouchables": There are 106 miles to Chicago, we have a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses.

[@connormensch7067]

They were on a mission from God.

[@NickC1966]

idunbeezasmart1 hit it.

[@peppermillers8361]

Nice.

[@sam21462]

idunbeezasmart1 - Congratulations, you win the internet for 15 minutes!

[@rif42]

Yes, we need an episode with the historical accuracy of Blues Brothers.

[@Personal_Chizo]

I'm not Spanish, I'm Egyptian!

[@iiiDartsiii]

that's racist.

[@weldonwin]

I always loved the casting in Highlander. You have a Scotsman, pretendinging to be an Egyptian, pretending to be a Spainard, there is a Frenchman, pretending to be a medieval Scotsman and a guy from Ohio, pretenting to be a Russian barbarian

[@eruditootidure2611]

*Shpanish

[@kyriss12]

still not as bad as the time he was cast to play a Russian submarine captain.

[@orsonwells656]

kyriss12 Lithuanian, actually. The crew were suppose to Russian, but their captain Ramius was Lithuanian.

[@geraldjohnson4013]

My uncle was a truck driver for Al Capone during the latter part of Prohibition. He did the gin runs from Chicago to Canada and back. Capone didn't like Black people but hired men like my uncle because he saw Black men as trustworthy. He also owned two Thompson. 45 submachine guns for protection against attacks on the road.

[@kennywilkinson913]

@@ytrewqfdsacxz3181 If prohibition started in 1921 and his uncle started work on the day of his birth he would be 101 yrs old mush.

[@arson1tez]

How could he not like blacks yet see them as trustworthy?

[@geemail1283]

I love 'Never Fuckin Happened' stories like this one....

[@Angel3243]

Wow!

[@thatguy22441]

Prior to 1934, anyone could walk into a store and buy Tommyguns, BARs and all manner of other full autos.

[@FutureLaugh]

it blows my mind how prohibition was a catastrophic failure, and then enter drug prohibition.

[@angelparrilla2068]

Well, big thing is. You could have drunk absinthe right infront of a cop and he couldnt do dick during prohibition and now a cop can detain if you sorta looked like a guy that they kinda know is maybe a dealer.

[@pennynorthcutt5833]

Now we've got the idiots trying to ban gun ownership. Guess they've forgotten what happened during Prohibition. Whenever something is banned that someone wants, they're gonna find a way to get it, whether it's a legal way or not.

[@Kruppt808]

we should ban women from running for president so they can eventually run the country and leave us alone while we play video games..........

[@WILFRED69X]

And the drug prohibition was longer since 1914. And still a failure,

[@kevinlitton1399]

FutureLaugh comparing alcohol prohibition to the US war on drugs is like comparing pink eye to the plague on the horror scale.

[@Lado909]

Please review • Stalingrad • Schindler‘s list • downfall • narcos • glory • hotel Rwanda • 12 years a slave • hacksaw ridge • letters from Iwo Jima • flags of our fathers • the bounty

[@lawrencedockery9032]

+Luis Diaz Ortiz The best scene in Stalingrad is when the last plane out of the pocket is leaving and every single German soldiers i doing everything they can to get on it. Schindler's List is phenomenal as is Downfall. I don't find Glory to be all that special (to me the best Civil War movie out there is Gettysburg, which he just did). Hotel Rwanda is very good. Hacksaw Ridge was simply incredible (my dad's dad was a Navy Corpsman on Okinawa so he was doing the same basic thing in the same place at the same time as Desmond Doss). And Letters From Iwo Jima is very good but I would like to see a review of both Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers since they are companion pieces.

[@Lado909]

Lawrence Dockery your right I should’ve included flags of our fathers. Oh and thank your grandpa for his service

[@lawrencedockery9032]

+Luis Diaz Ortiz He actually passed away before I was born. Prostate cancer.

[@DragonheartD51]

@Luis Diaz Ortiz What about The Bounty (1984)?

[@Lado909]

Mr. Functional89 never heard of that but sounds interesting

[@honkeykong4049]

*That's the Chicago way.*

[@rhogardelmirev3530]

Lord Aurelius Out here it's, "You put two rounds in their legs, drag them to the nearest secluded woods, leave them there, and eventually a bear will eat them. That's the Montana way!

[@honkeykong4049]

Kevin Lee *Up here it's more "chain them to a tree, shotgun them in the gut and light them on fire. That's the British Columbia way."*

[@ianperry4768]

You take them into the corn field with no towns around for 50 miles and wait for the cattle to find them. That's the Nebraska way.

[@brendanmurphy4034]

You leave here and do something that’s interesting in New York, that’s the New Jersey way.

[@1IbramGaunt]

In Birmingham and London around the same time, if you're a Peaky Blinder you somehow make a flat-cap, grey suit and an old gun from WW1 into the most badass thing anyone's ever seen. That, apparently, is the British way

[@jamesvokral4934]

I am from Chicago and when I saw the Untouchables I knew the history was bogus but I still consider it a great movie. It had great performances, a great story and the fact they shot so much of it in Chicago gave it credibility. I think the movie captured the period well despite its historical inaccuracies.

[@Thespian821]

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! But I am amazed how you were able to decipher the real history behind the film. Being a native of the Chicago area, I congratulate you Nick, for knocking it out of the park once again.

[@TheMan-je5xq]

Gunslinger#1876 sometimes Costner gets a lot of shit but I usually like his movies and think he’s a good actor

[@Thespian821]

True, but then theres a performance by him (every now and then) which I don't particularly favor; but in the case of his performance as Elliot Ness, I can't ever imagine hating it.

[@JHohenhauser]

What prohibition was: "The first social and economical experiment" How I see the prohibition: *"The first prank gone wrong gone fatal gone sexual gone satanic"*

[@SiliconBong]

1:25 the Ribena is evil.

[@Mr.Majestic77]

Early prohibition in the United States should be based a TV series on HBO, similar to Boardwalk Empire.

[@weldonwin]

Calvin Coolidge: Its Just a Prank Bro! Its just a Prank!

[@Jemalacane0]

Gone Satanic? Christian sentiment was behind prohibition.

[@eval_is_evil]

And that was before 4Chan lulz

[@sailorgeer]

2:10 “Lips that touch liquor shall never touch ours”. Looking at the faces (and lips) in question, that might have actually spurred increased alcohol consumption.

[@devildevious2646]

Out of context sounds like a piece of shoit thing to say. But then you look at the photo and I just have to agree

[@Harrier_DuBois]

it's a fake picture

[@sharkinator7819]

Looking at the women in that photo makes me want to down two shots of vodka and look for the pretty ones

[@ChivRex]

I’ve seen that picture before and I thought the exact same thing.

[@vampman87]

I'm glad you mentioned the baseball bat scene. I always knew about what inspired that scene, but it took me years to figure out the context of it in the movie. The guy in the movie was the head of the brewery that Malone and Ness raided, and Capone killed the guy as punishment. In real life Capone was actually quite forgiving. The worst he would do if you royally screwed up professionally was just reassign you (like he did with Jack Magurn, the guy who organized the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre and ended up not killing Capone's intended target, Bugs Moran). The only times he would have anyone killed was if they betrayed him and tried to kill him, or if a person killed one of his close friends. To Capone, and the gangsters of those days, and betraying him or his buddies was the one thing he couldn't forgive.

[@jackthorton10]

After all, no one likes a traitor, especially the crooks

[@christophertaylor9100]

Yeah he wasn't horrendous as portrayed, but he's become the ultimate figure of mob brutality

[@saintroddy]

"He's in the car." YEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHH

[@honeyv6020]

😂😂😂

[@MatthewSmith-wv5fi]

As far as I understand the Canadian side, Capone did have a cottage just outside the nation's capital in Smith's Falls, Ontario. He probably used this place to clandestinely meet with Canadian suppliers. Canada did have prohibition around the same time, however, it was repealed sooner than in the US and was never as restrictive. The Temperance movement in Canada was largely supported by the province of Ontario. In Quebec, for example, you could still buy wine. Because of Quebec's refusal to adopt complete prohibition, Canada ended up with a patchwork of legislation that varried from province to province. Most provinces repealed prohibition prior to 1927 with the tiniest province of Prince Edward Island being the last to repeal in 1948. Of course, Capone would have likely travelled to Winnipeg, which more or less shares the border with Chicago. Smuggler's Notch in Vermont, was most certainly used to smuggle wine and spirits from Quebec. Needless to say, by 1930, prohibition was repealed in every major province, including Ontario and Quebec, noteably, Canada's largest two provinces at the time. It is highly unlikely that the RCMP, as witnessed in the film, would have played any major role in curbing the flow of alcohol between our borders. They might have given the appearance of aiding law enforcement as we have always had recipricol agreements in place with our neighbours, but I would highly doubt they would bring in the cavelry. I'm curious myself, as to where that altercation allegedly took place. By 1908, for example, Ontario had formed the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) with jurisdiction over the enforcement of the provinces liquor laws and highways. In any event, Canada got rid of the penny in 2012 so I guess we can call this my five cents or nickel.

[@100nitrog2]

Canada never would have been able to take wine away from the French (Canadians).

[@Khenfu_Cake]

100nitrog That was my thought too, when I read that sentence in OP's comment. No big surprise the French-Canadians wouldn't accept a ban on wine, just like their cousins in France probably wouldn't either.

[@Cyan.l0g]

Much like in the US, Canada didn't do a great job enforcing prohibition either. In fact, there were many ways to still buy alcohol legal, just not from a bar or LCBO, but from a pharmacy. People would in fact get prescriptions from doctors and there would be line ups around the block at the local pharmacy on long weekends.

[@stewartdowbiggin2337]

It wasn't just the French Quebec population keeping the province wet, the Bronfman family--yes the same bunch that ended up in NY NY--started in North America as a Montreal family. They were kingpins in supplying booze to the US and in fact one of the family was murdered in a smuggling deal gone bad. There's a famous highway in Montreal known as the Whiskey Trench; I wonder why?

[@scottshanahan3827]

"Without beer, prohibition doesn't work!" Homer Simpson

[@gtasanandreascluckinbell]

True

[@samuelbarber6177]

“To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems!”

[@natashalopez1453]

Mobsters: You didn’t see nothing *Throws a wad of cash at the cops* Eddie: *Counting the money* I don’t know why people are always bad mouthing the Mafia

[@buddy8225]

History Buffs: Sean Connery had a better Irish accent than his Spanish one, Sean Connery: I’m not Spanish, I’m Egyptian. Me: 😂

[@residentelect]

R.I.P Sir Sean Connery... We have lost a true legend. Goodnight Mr Bond.

[@rleroygordon]

Also, Connery's accent was Scottish, not Irish.

[@riskyfap8416]

Just picturing chicks walking around with buttons saying "I'm wet"

[@1sma314]

Da fak?

[@jamesslick4790]

I know a girl form McKeesport.......]

[@riskyfap8416]

Isma 2:40

[@docsubsk]

LOL

[@willnailer3167]

Rob B hahahahaha one of the best comments I've ever read

[@twistedaddiction]

I can't stop rewatching all of these history buffs videos for these movies. I love all kinds of history, learning it randomly during my day is my favorite way to learn it. Thus, this is now one of my favorite channels on youtube.

[@TheSP33DFREAK]

The only thing more evil than Capone was the one to take him out... THE IRS.

[@NoExitLoveNow]

Clown.

[@NoExitLoveNow]

@DRS_ au OOOOOOOH, good one. You got me good.

[@texaspatriot2038]

Even Joker doesn't mess with those guys

[@fbi8801]

@@texaspatriot2038 yup even I’m scared some times

[@Ludwig_Perpenhente]

@Aditya Chavarkar Taxes

[@jasonallen3678]

That score for the untouchable movie is really dope..

[@thelonerider5644]

"He sends one of yours to hospital, you send one of his to the morgue! That's the chicago way!"

[@emsnewssupkis6453]

Today, the thugs in Chicago can't shoot straight, they spray and run.

[@beareggers]

Prohibition...ugh. It's amazing that people can try to claim a moral high ground while advocating to violently restrict the rights of peaceful people. "I think the government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem and very often makes the problem worse." - Milton Friedman

[@AJwiththeAK]

Bear Yggers Fairly similar to what the anti gun communitues are trying to do to lawabiding gun owners

[@nathanbruce1992]

Bear Yggers: the context of it though was hard liquor started becoming popular and the men of the house were drinking it as if it was beer. They were the sole income earners of the house and would get blackout drunk and beat their wife or skip work. This is why women were at the forefront of the temperance movement. I agree with you though. We are all free, independent citizens. The government should not regulate victimless crimes.

[@user-oy9zy4ds9m]

The temperance movement would have argued that it was not a victimless crime at all

[@redram5150]

Yes, the movie is wildly inaccurate... but you’re forgetting one thing SEAN CONNERY CURES ALL

[@oneofspades]

Then they needed five or six more Sean Connery.

[@ballsdeep2520]

I'm not Spanish, I'm Egyptian

[@emjackson2289]

RIP Captain Marko Ramius

[@johnprice5784]

Except premature baldness.

[@mgrzx3367]

I'm not going to watch this movie again, but was this when Sean started " Shaying his Eshes?"

[@organicketchup5171]

My Dad let me watch ‘The Untouchables’ when I was 11 and I’ve loved it ever since. A smart, badass classic.

[@arturdent5168]

Only thing I ever learned from this movie was to never bring a knife to a gun fight

[@edgarallanlovecraft5485]

And if you are at a dinner party and your host starts walking around with a baseball bat LEAVE!

[@CorbCorbin]

Never bring a shotgun to a Tommy Gun fight.

[@pringlescanman8230]

Artur Dent saddest moment is when Sean Connery gets killed 😭

[@richardkranium2944]

Well I’m going to assume you didn’t learn anything from this. Everyone knows not to do that.

[@11DNA11]

the magnificent seven knife scene wants to have a word with you.

[@Verilee1970]

"I'm not Spanish, I'm Egyptian." - I laughed heartily!

[@oblivionnow92]

My town still has a nickname that I'm sure other towns have for the same reason. 'Gun-town', we were a huge halfway point and final destination on moonshine run routes. Half the buildings on the main street had false basements hosting speakeasies or stills. We were also on the underground railroad, so there's alot of really weird hidden cubbies and spaces used to hide slaves. Were above the Mason dixon line, but just barely.

[@johncarroll772]

Contains one of the greatest scenes ever with the camera close up to De Niros face as he starts the speech, before unleashing the baseball.

[@KTChamberlain]

During Prohibition-Era Chicago it was illegal to have a revolver in your pocket in public, and yet, ironically, it was perfectly legal to have a Thompson sub-machinegun in your arms in public, because there were no laws against it until after the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

[@macmcleod1188]

KTChamberlain it was also illegal to have guns in new york when some founding fathers were still alive. It wasn't an issue. The nra adopted their extremism in about 1980. Ironically, the lack of reasonable regulation is going drive stronger regulation as massacres of young children continue or even get worse.

[@kennethfharkin]

Mac McLeod you really don't want to go there.

[@jcaliberty8288]

Mac Mcleod gun homicides are way down and it isn't extremism to follow the constitution

[@ironblitz6054]

Mac Mcleod you don't want to go there, especially not after D.C vs Heller deemed a total ban on any type of firearms unconstitutional.

[@af146983]

The Reason why concealed weapons were usually deemed illegal is because it was thought to be cowardly and that only criminals would hide their guns in public.

[@SaltyTucker]

was expecting 25 minutes of black screen lol

[@MrDoob-xo3sm]

same tbh

[@C0wb0yBebop]

Duffman740 why...? I feel it’s obvious but I don’t get it

[@Centurian128]

Video was released on April Fool's Day, so they expected to be fooled.

[@Gunners_Mate_Guns]

Actually, I'd expect 25 minutes of black screen to represent all the parts of the movie that were historically accurate. ;)

[@Lluminal]

Nick! I don't know if you read comments, bud. I , no joke, just literally spent the day watching your amazing videos. Keep it up! I've loved every one and you even convinced me to watch a few movies tomorrow.

[@stephenwest6738]

I will never forget being a kid and seeing the scene when Sean Connery was gunned down. Might be the first time I had a viseral reaction to a murder in a movie. I know I'd reacted to deaths before, mufasa, Bambi mom, ET fake out death,but this one seemed real.

[@ChrisHalliganLaw]

What are you prepared to do?

[@APersonOnYouTubeX]

@@ChrisHalliganLaw what?

[@nunyabidness3429]

@@APersonOnKZbinX no one pulled your cord, why you talking? (it's a reference to the movie ya dunce XD)

[@darrinkemp1755]

Billy Dragon was a total scene stealer as Nitti.

[@tperk]

If you have to fire, hold low and squeeze. And put your man down. Because he'll do the same to you.

[@jackcandy8450]

I’ve been meaning to do some research on the temperance movement so you gave me a good introduction thank you

[@frankgesuele6298]

Prohibition:The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. True words.

[@martonk]

@Mary Burdette very true

[@Brandon.Reacts]

Thank you so much for uploading these videos, they’re unbelievably entertaining. I’ve just binge watched 7 of them, and will continue tomorrow!

[@spiffywolf2850]

I always love returning to these videos for nostalgia and how good they are

[@menedian]

Great video as always! I would like to suggest Patton as a candidate for one of your next HB reviews. It's one of my favorite historical movies of all time and I'm sure I'm not alone in this regard.

[@Shadowman4710]

Excellent choice.

[@GeorgeSquare]

Just recently discovered your videos - really enjoying them. Well put together and informative.

[@bigjoe4770]

Herbert really said: "It's just a prank bro, it was just a social experiment!"

[@Vaille32]

I’m from Chicago. My great-grandfather was the very first cop on scene at the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.

[@apkillebrew83]

Also interesting was that capone was in his late 20s at the height of his criminal career... 33 when he went to prison. DeNiro was 44 at the time of the portrayal.

[@chrisheimva4857]

The movie is based more on the TV show of the same name, which ran from 1959-1963, than the actual historical events. I personally don't mind a movie being historically inaccurate as long as it's still entertaining, which thankfully the 1987 film is indeed. I do sometimes wonder if Ness's last line in the movie "I think I'll go get a drink" was a sly darkly comedic bit inserted by the filmmakers acknowledging that the real life historical figure was a heavy drinker? Great video by the way, I remember you from the Spill.com days and it's great seeing you make these videos. Keep it up!!

[@giupieri]

Great work as always. I would love to see Public Enemies (2009) on the show

[@Changelingineveryway]

Thank you for making history fun to listen to.

[@nem447]

-Hacksaw Ridge -Gangs of New York -Barry Lyndon -Gone with the wind

[@maxshea4762]

Al Capone was in his twenties and early thirties while his gang was at their peak. De Niro portrays a man considerably older.

[@jsharps1000]

The gang wasn't at it's peak. the peak for the outfit came much later in the 40-50s

[@mageofdoomsie1598]

@@jsharps1000 I think he means that during this time shown, Capone would’ve been a lot younger looking.

Wasn't Al Capone horribly sick with syphilis when he was still young tho? That would explain why he looked so old.

[@verticalisland]

In my opinion, one of the best movie soundtracks of the 80s.

[@madamebkrt]

Agreed. The opening theme and Al Capone's theme in particular are fantastic.

[@wratched]

Well, it IS by Ennio Morricone...

[@californiacondor4887]

This movie had one of the most beautiful theme songs. 🎶💜

[@MemestiffGaming]

I would love to see you analyze Bridge of Spies

[@gabrielf2432]

The Volvo P1800S is a 1963+ model when the scenes it's in take place in 1962. Literally unwatchable. (Also, I know a gentleman who was a U.S. ambassador to East Germany; he told me that though Volvos were not uncommon among high-ranking DDR officials [there even being a parking lot U.S. reps called 'Volvosgrad'], Vogel happened to be a Mercedes-Benz man.)

[@SgtTwilight]

Why is it that I, someone whose never drunken a lick of alcohol in his entire life, suddenly get the urge to after watching a video about the prohibition era. I mean, I know the actual reason but still.

[@Feast_965]

De Niro's acting was superb as usual but he didn't look anything like ALCapone

[@chiyo-chanholocaust8143]

Yeah, De Niro was damn good at playing mobsters but that didn't mean he should be cast as every single gangster in history. I think Tom Sizemore or someone with a rounder face like that would've been more appropriate

[@kimisdaman]

I think Hollywood, and fans, go overboard with their desire to see actors who look like historical figures, especially when the figures' appearance doesn't have much to do with their story. Obviously, you can't cast Roseanne as Marilyn, or Danny DeVito as Lincoln, but don't know that Capone's appearance is so familiar to movie-goers that you need an actor who looks like him. Geez, people who impersonate Gen. Patton today don't "do" Patton at all, they impersonate George C. Scott's portrayal of Patton.

[@DeepEye1994]

Originally Bob Hoskins was meant to play Al Capone... whyyyy did they change that...

[@Kruppt808]

if they are gonna make up the story and the whole movie why does it matter if your best actor looks like the real guy? why start trying for realism at this point. Al Capone lived in Chicago, enough facts to do a hollywood movie.

[@Feast_965]

@@Kruppt808 chill out

[@larumpole]

The introduction, giving the story behind the story, was brilliant! It put everything in context. Thank you. Why was history so boring in school?

[@DamoBloggs]

Is it sad that a new History Buffs video makes my day? I quite enjoyed The Untouchables, but the dialogue was a bit lazy - cringe-worthy in parts. For me, it made most of the characters seem very 2 dimensional, and almost secondary to the action and plot. For your next movie review, How about the Custer movie 'Son of the Morning Star'?

[@NelsonStJames]

I honestly felt the same way when I saw it in theaters, not to mention I wasn't thrilled with the way it twisted a lot of the history. I've since eased up on my criticism of it, and enjoy it now as just another gangster film. Plus it has a great score.

[@lavrentivs9891]

Ennio Morricone makes the best movie music =)

[@MCL003]

I freaking died when you called the gangster Arthur slugworth Lol

[@BlueZeroThree]

The date is suspicious

[@Telsion]

Sayori is Best Girl Sayori? Oh bugger, deleting your characterfile again certainly did not prevent you escaping into the world outside DDLC

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

Happy Aprils fools

[@ericengstrom2138]

The Untouchables is one of those movies that's such a great watch, I forgive some of its major inaccuracies. Thanks for the great video!

[@mqbitsko25]

How does a TEAM "single-handedly" take someone down? Were all the other guys double-amputees?

[@zacharyhoyte493]

Mickey Bitsko sigh 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@BigBWolf90]

single handedly = only ones dealing with the issue untouchables = only group really trying to deal with the issue of Al Capone .....did I make it clear enough for you?

[@RepublicAgent]

+Bryant Wolford *eye roll*

[@kazudv1071]

Bryant Wolford swoosh

[@JokerL1000]

😂😂😂😂

[@HNGuthrie]

You say it would be easier to enforce Prohibition in rural America, but that isn't entirely accurate. Appalachia is full of illegal stills as part of a tradition of illegal alcohol production going back many generations. They are also traditionally fond of killing the shit out of people who try to stop them, including local deputies and the feds. Additionally, there are still a ton of dry counties across the South, and I guarantee there's at least one well-known bootlegger in every one of them. I grew up in such a county in Texas and knew the local bootlegger (and what he did for a living) from the time I was a small child. Being far removed from large population centers has its benefits regarding skirting federal law.

[@farmerboy916]

H. N. Guthrie Not to mention the tradition of using moonshine as currency and the whiskey rebellion

[@HNGuthrie]

farmerboy916 Yes! Based on tradition, geography, and sheer size, there are so many parts of rural America make enforcement of laws they don't like hard, and not just in terms of alcohol. That's not necessarily a good thing, but it is a reality. See: Cliven Bundy. Twice.

[@HNGuthrie]

Unkle Zeebizcut That is true, but people who are underage or can't get to the next county over still buy from bootleggers all the time. They may not have to smuggle alcohol, but they still sell it illegally, and this is still a wide practice.

[@sam21462]

H. N. Guthrie - I thought the same thing when that comment was made. I mean there are places in this country where they have been illegally making transporting and selling booze before during and after the period of prohibition.

[@worsethanjoerogan8061]

Unkle Zeebizcut All dry counties accomplish is encouraging drunken drives to the county line IMO

[@joeyc3342]

“He’s in the car” 😂 gets me every time

[@omgbygollywow]

Wonderful channel! Two things I love: movies and history. This channel brings both together. Thank you!

[@rexstetson1717]

The CSI reference was hilarious.

[@patw.6567]

I don't regret that this channel was recommended to me.

[@jonerikson5925]

Just found your channel and I'm loving it

[@brettturner5299]

Thanks Nick great review. The Untouchables is one of my favourite cinema experiences of my life. I was 13 years old, 1987, in a pretty much empty cinema at a holiday camp in England and I had no idea what it would be about (always the best way to see a great movie). I still remember cheering - which is not a British thing to do in a cinema - when Elliot Ness throws the bad guy off the roof. DePalma showed me for the first time what camera moves, angles, lens selection and slow motion can do to massively enhance a narrative and it helped opened my eyes to the art of filmmaking, something I ended up doing as a career. Oh and Morricone's score is brilliant. Still great to watch 35 years later.

[@billbixby557]

19:55 In the '80s action classic Commando Arnie has a similar line when asked about one of the enemy's henchmen: Someone asked Anrie: "What happened to so and so"? Arnie's answer: "I let him go." Which sounds innocent enough but what really happened is Arnie was interrogating the thug while holding him by one leg over a cliff, and yes indeed, after getting the necessary information he did "let him go." I want to say Commando came out a few years before The Untouchables so the writers may have lifted this little gem of a line from the Austrian Oak.

[@treynelson4946]

The part about Frank Nitty having a permit from the mayor is the truest gangster part ever.

[@rubix4195]

I buy that 100% but I think Nitty's character is more like in Road to Perdition than he was here. I think he carried a permit to "ease" the wheels but he didn't get his hands dirty.

[@justinignaciopohshinji1359]

Brian De Palma’s wardrobe department is so damn good. I love all the attires adorned on the characters

[@rubix4195]

Wasn't it Hugo Boss that gave them the suits? They are indeed real nice.

[@MrNobbyify]

@@rubix4195 Georgio Armani

[@danielkutner2136]

I am surprised this very fine review doesn't mention the old series "The Untouchables" from the sixties, where Robert Stack played Eliot Ness. Without the series perpetuating the legend, I doubt there would have been a movie.

[@cadetflamen12]

24:07 it's meant for a casual audience, while al Capone is wearing the most formal thing in menswear

[@Pajaa37]

Connery has one pronunciation only in every movie he ever appeared: Connery Scottish😂😂😂

[@alysiamerdavid-wasser9165]

Billy Drago as Frank.. sigh.😍 i fell in love with him watching this. He was born here in Kansas, so proud of him..that rooftop scene IS epic.

[@RyanBrown5]

He died days ago :(

[@addiewelsh4308]

As a history buff myself I was thoroughly amused by the video and I always wanted to know what parts were fake and what was stretched out. I loved your take on history versus Untouchables. Thanks!

[@tylerkeller8869]

2:08 The ONLY way a man's lips would want to touch a single one of those haggard old battle axes lips is if he had been drinking, A LOT.

[@langleymneely]

Lmao!🤣😂

[@1967Rev]

roger that!!!!!

[@TakeUpYourCross]

@Vaccine Billy It was. 😂

[@lildaiki7629]

The first karens

[@caitlinjohnson4300]

You can still find restaurants in Kansas City that have speak easy style basements. Remnants from prohibition are still flourishing and proud

[@jamielacerte9806]

The Green Lady Lounge. ♡

[@markgarin6355]

How can you calculate a 30% drop in alcohol consumption when no one knows how much was made, sold (or when bought) or drank?

[@dontsubscribetome3262]

drinking alcohol was still legal

[@davidbentley4417]

My guess is somehow with public intoxication charges/ records along the lines of that

[@darkknight1340]

You can't let the facts get in the way of a good statistic!.

[@markgarin6355]

@@darkknight1340 63.72% of people using questionable statistics to prove their position....are making them up.

[@darkknight1340]

@@markgarin6355 Emm,that was my point!.

[@mentorofarisia371]

The line of "He's in the car" was inspired, yes, but they should have found a way to have had Sean Connery deliver it. Good old 007.