The Untouchables (1959): November 1932. Big-time gangster Joe Palakopolous is playing a dangerous game-- he just had his hitman rub out Danny Coogan, the biggest supplier of Canadian whiskey that Frank Nitti had. And Nitti's plenty sore. Coogan was the only guy who could import Canadian Gold for Nitti. The phony stuff is no good; Nitti quips that bottled rotgut is so bad, "it peels off the labels from the inside." Eliot Ness and his men investigate Coogan's killing, and try to find out who will take over the operation. Joe Palakopolous personally settles into a small village of fishermen by Lake Michigan, about a 2 hours' drive from Chicago; it's a perfect spot for having his Canadian supplier delivery booze by boat. He even comes across as a benefactor to the small community, giving the parish priest, Fr. Francis Gregory, money to set up a soup kitchen. The townsfolk think it's wonderful when the apparently church-going Palakopolous spends a grand of his own money to install a large, lighted cross on top of the local church. They are totally unaware that when the cross shines in the night like a beacon, it will serve the same purpose as a lighthouse-- but the only boats that it will guide are those smuggling in booze from Canada, to be shipped down to Chicago. 100s of cases of Canadian Gold are trucked into Chicago, and wind up in 30 speaks-- Nitti's competitors. Nitti has 2 of his boys bring Palakopolous to Chicago for a meet. Nitti tells Palakopolous he wants half his action; Nitti says he'll pay him $75 a case. Palakopolous had been selling the stuff for $148; they compromise on $105/case, and Palakopolous gets to live. Ness sends Agent Ned Ferber from Kansas City to the fishing village, to work undercover and find out about the smuggling operation. But one of Palakopolous' boys discovers his identity and severely wounds him. Then Ness and his Untouchables go to the village. They catch Palakopolous bringing in a boatload of booze. In the shootout, Ness shoots Palakopolous, and the rest of the mob is arrested. The Canada Run was stopped dead in its tracks; and Nitti had another source of his booze eliminated by Eliot Ness. (synopsis by: kdh)

Starring:

Abel Fernandez, Nicholas Georgiade, Paul Picerni, Robert Stack, Steve London, Walter Winchell

Genre:

Action, Crime, Drama