The cinema itself is not the storyteller, but it is essentially the medium through which the story may be told. The creative work of the writers, actors, director, producer and the movie photographers themselves bring together their talents portrayal of action and the details of the story, using the means of cinema to reach their audience. In the film 'The Untouchables' De Palma uses the techniques of music, lighting, camera angles and narrative to convey the themes of good versus evil, loyalty, persistence and not giving in on something you really believe in. The story line relates to the US city of Chicago where gang warfare takes place during an era of Prohibition.


These ruthless gangs were confronted by the law. The main characters representing the law were special agents Eliot Ness, Jim Malone, George Stone and Oscar Wallace supported by regular police.


At the beginning of the film the director, De Palma, brings the attention of the audience, through a written code, the exact meaning of Prohibition and the gang-wars associated with it.

"Prohibition has transformed Chicago into a city at war. Rival

Gangs compete for control of the city's billion-dollar empire of

Illegal alcohol, enforcing their will with the hand grenade and

Tommy gun. It is the time of gang lords. It is the time of Al Capone."


The film then moves into a characterization of Al Capone, the gangland kingpin, showing him as a strong, powerful and confident leader of the 'mob.' The mood is set by many cinematic techniques, for example the camera angle, lighting and dialogue. This scene opens with a Bird's Eye View camera shot, displaying Capone in the middle of the screen. Automatically the camera angle influences importance and power to the audience. As there is no music in this scene the mood must be maintained with a powerful dialogue,...