Capone ** (1975, Ben Gazzara, Susan Blakely, Harry Guardino, John Cassavetes, John Davis Chandler, Frank Campanella, Sylvester Stallone) – Classic Movie Review 10,626

Director Steve Carver’s and producer Roger Corman’s 1975 crime thriller biopic Capone stars as Al Capone Ben Gazzara, who chews on his cigar (but not the scenery this time) and chomps out his words, giving a powerful, eye-catching performance, in an intriguing interpretation of the infamous Chicago gangster as madman.

Capone is made with robust, zesty enthusiasm, a complex plot in Howard Browne’s screenplay and lots of shoot-outs by director Carver, who is abetted by turns you cannot turn away from by the talented cast (especially Susan Blakely, Harry Guardino, John Cassavetes, John Davis Chandler, Frank Campanella and a pre-stardom Sylvester Stallone as Frank ‘The Enforcer’ Nitti).

However, it does not compare well to Rod Steiger’s interpretation in Al Capone. The cheap production includes stock footage from Roger Corman’s earlier Capone film, the 1967 The St Valentine’s Day Massacre, which also written by Howard Browne.

Also in the cast are John Orchard, Carmen Argenziano, Royal Dano, Joe De Nicola, Angelo Grisanti, Peter Maloney, and Dick Miller.

Capone is directed by Steve Carver, runs 101 minutes, is made by Santa Fe, is released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Howard Browne, is shot by Vilis Lapenieks, is produced by Roger Corman and is scored by David Grisman.

Susan Blakely’s nude scene is missing from the TV version and bootleg copies sourced from TV prints.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,626

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