Product Description Robert Stack, Anthony George, Bruce Gordon. Eliot Ness, the fearless lawman of legend works with his team of handpicked agents to bring down Al Capone's illegal empire in 1920s Chicago. 16 episodes on 4 DVDs. 1961/b&w/13 hrs., 25 min/NR/fullscreen. .com In one of the 16 gripping episodes that close Season Two of this landmark crime series, a pesky reporter asks the famed Prohibition era Treasury Agent, "Mr. Ness, don't you ever smile?" From the "Big Syndicate" to an unending parade of mobsters, killers, bootleggers, and dope pushers trying to muscle in on the incarcerated Al Capone's territory, Chicago in the early 1930s doesn't give Ness and his incorruptible squad much to giggle about. No, Robert Stack's Ness isn't a barrel of laughs (when one killer asks if the jury will go easy on him, Ness replies, "They'll put a cushion on the electric chair"), but what he lacks in personality, he more than makes up for in his relentless drive to break the mob. Each of these tautly written and directed episodes is like a noir of the week, all menacing shadows, hard-boiled dialogue, insidious corruption, heartless goons, slinky femme fatales, and overwhelmed cops. The criminals, as ever, make the most lasting impression. Lee Marvin is at his glowering best as Nick Acropolis, rising underworld titan, who in a climactic moment, comes after a traitor in his organization with a pair of gardening shears. In "Death for Sale," James MacArthur stars as a fresh-faced "kid" cornering the market on the opium trade. In "The Nero Rankin Story," Will Kuluva stars as an elderly, ailing successor to Capone's chair, who tries to make a deal with Ness to lay off for a year until he dies, after which he'll turn over the company books. Ness replies, "I don't make deals with punks." In these episodes, The Untouchables further pushes the envelope on TV violence. There are grisly murders, ferocious beatings and maelstroms of gunplay. The violence, often sudden and shocking, takes no prisoners, claiming not only guest stars whose credits would suggest they'd stick around for the full hour (Ned Glass in "Death for Sale"), but, more of a dilemma for Ness and company, innocent bystanders. In "The Nero Rankin Story," Rankin tries to intimidate Ness by having his gang shoot at ordinary citizens in the street. "How many dead bodies before you lay off, Ness?" is one pointed message left at a crime scene. From top to bottom, these episodes are cast with indelible character actors who often muscle in on better-known guest stars. In "The Antidote," Joseph Wiseman co-stars as a handicapped killer in Telly Savalas' mob who pathetically tries to play the victim card when Ness nails him. "What else could I be?" he wails. Ness shows him a front-page headline about Roosevelt's election and replies, "Yesterday, you could have been elected the President of the United States." The Untouchables is 100-proof vintage television that just keeps getting better with age. --Donald Liebenson
T**N
Classic G-Men vs. Mobsters Saga
Retro television shows have never done particularly well unless they were set in the Old West. Shows set in the 20's, 30's, 40's, etc, any era outside of the one in which they aired have never lasted long except in three major exceptions - Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and The Untouchables.The Untouchables succeeded for a number of reasons. First, the veil that had been on the Mafia for a number of years was slowly but surely being peeled off due to gangland killings and the fame of gangsters such as Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, Dutch Schultz, Lucky Luciano, and others. Even before the Godfather and its outstanding first sequel, the public had a fascination and curiosity with the mob. So take some true events, ture characters, heavily fictionalize them with Hollywood gloss and pathos, and you get a very successful show that made a star out of Robert Stack and brought new fame to a Treasury agent named Eliot Ness.The Untouchables' collection should not have been split up into multiple sections. That's greed, pure and simple. But the lure of this show - its great characters, performances, grit and intelligence will draw buyers even though they know they're being ripped off. Stack's Ness is one of the best alltime detectives - fearless, relentless, and absolutely ruthless with the bad guys. The supporting casts were always excellent, and Bruce Gordon brough the right amount of humor and menace to Frank Nitti, Capone's chief lieutenant.The Untouchables - Season Two, Volume 2 is not untouchable, but it is irresistable.
A**1
Better than the "untouchables" movie. A lot more entertaining.
A great TV series, fun and enjoyable. Let's you see where future TV/Movie stars (Telly Savalos, Leonard Nimoy, and dozens of other future stars, etc etc etc) got their starts. It's a TV show and as such wasn't meant to be historically accurate. Other than that there was an Eliot Ness, Al Capone, and Prohibition.. it's fiction. The show did cause some consternation with J. Edgar Hoover, LoL! Was one of the very few TV shows that my late Father actually watched. We're real Italians and we never felt "insulted". It's a fun DVD if the subject matter interests you! It's a lot better than the Untouchables movie with Costner and Connery! For those who want accurate historical info, go to the Cleveland Police Museum.
D**R
Untouchables TV series starring Robert Stack as Eliot Ness
I obtained this to fill in a gap in my now complete collection of DVD's of the old "Untouchables" TV series that starred Robert stack as Eliot Ness.
J**L
Great collection
My husband loves the Untouchables and loves this collection.
M**.
"FEDERAL OFFICERS!!! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!!! THIS IS A RAID!!!"
I was two years old during Season 1, and in first grade for Season 4. I wanted to see what I've been missing. Talk about an all-star cast!!! Robert Duvall, James Caan, Robert Marley(The guy who woke up with a horse's head in his bed in GF 1), Donna Douglas (Before Ellie Mae Clampett), Ed Asner, Liz Montgomery, Dick York, Lee Marvin, Robert Redford, Danno in Hawaii 5-0, Henry Silva, Peter Faulk, all the other Hollywood Icons got their start on the Untouchables!
V**Y
Untouchable
I've collected all four collections so far, I know they are expensive but to me I think they are worth paying for. Robert Stack in particular is a delight. His portayal of the character is just right. He is electrifying. One thing I am desperately hoping for on a future DVD is the inclusion of 'This Is Your Life' episode of Robert Stack, they included his appearance in the Lucy show on the back of Season two Volume 1. so I think it would be a great and fitting tribute to him as the star of the show.
D**D
Vintage Television at its Best
I was concerned that the series would run out of story lines and lose its ability to hold our interest and entertain. Not to worry. Season Two has been just as enjoyable to watch as the first season. The story's are good. The acting is first class. We didn't wait to finish this set before ordering the next season. In my opinion, this is one of the best programs from this period of television.
K**R
Delivers everything it promises
I have purchased all four of the DVD's for seasons 1 and 2 and they are all I'd hoped for and more. They bring back all the excitement from when they were first shown. A real fun part is seeing all of the future stars when they were much younger, using the show as a springboard for their careers (Lee Marvin, Telly Savales, Peter Falk, Charles Bronson, Elizabeth Montgomery etc.). The quality is excellent. If you liked the original series, I guarantee you'll love the DVDs. Worth every cent.
B**D
Good TV
Watched this series as a kid - still enjoying it!
N**E
Excellent story line
Excellent story line, good actors and a lot of action. Very happy with the purchase. If you like action then order from Amazon.
A**R
Five Stars
Eliot Ness and his crew are Untouchable.
J**T
very good
good stories. good actors. i like to see the old cars, the fashion in the 1930's etc. i like everything about "the Untouchables". i have all the episodes.
C**G
Five Stars
Great DVD
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