What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Untouchables
Quinn Martin · Series · 1959
If you loved The Untouchables, start with The Untouchables (Brian De Palma, 1987) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 2 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Untouchables across media.
What hooked you in The Untouchables was the high-stakes battle between incorruptible law enforcement and the dark, pervasive reach of organized crime.
Start with the source
Adaptation
The Untouchables
Brian De Palma · Film · 1987
Books on the same thread
Emil and the Detectives
Erich Kästner · Book · 1930
Shares 2 threads with The Untouchables: Justice, Good vs Evil.
If the pursuit of justice in The Untouchables captured your interest, you will appreciate this story of a resourceful young detective determined to recover what was stolen from him.
American Demon
Daniel Stashower · Book
Explores: urban decay, police procedural, serial killer investigation.
Since you followed the fight against crime in The Untouchables, you will find this historical account of Eliot Ness hunting a serial killer in Cleveland essential reading for your collection.
The Godfather
Mario Puzo · Book · 1969
Shares a thread with The Untouchables: Corruption.
While The Untouchables focuses on the law, this definitive mafia saga offers the flip side of that coin by exploring the complex power dynamics within an organized crime family.
The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler · Book · 2017
Explores: Moral ambiguity, Urban cynicism, Femme fatale.
The Untouchables thrived on the tension of urban crime, and this noir classic mirrors that atmosphere by thrusting a sharp investigator into a web of corruption and moral ambiguity.
Films on the same thread
Touch of Evil
Orson Welles · Film · 1958
Explores: Police Corruption, Moral Ambiguity, Abuse of Power.
This film provides the same intensity found in The Untouchables by pitting a righteous investigator against a corrupt official in a gripping struggle over power and the truth.
The Public Enemy
William A. Wellman · Film · 1931
Explores: Rise and Fall, American Dream Corruption, Brotherhood and Betrayal.
This film captures the same Prohibition-era criminal underworld that defined The Untouchables, detailing the rise and fall of two hoodlums operating within the brutal streets of Chicago.
Podcasts on the same thread
Forensic Files
Podcast
Explores: crime scene investigation, scientific analysis, evidence-based analysis.
If the methodical law enforcement approach in The Untouchables appealed to you, you will enjoy this series that applies modern scientific analysis to solve complex and intriguing criminal cases.
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
If The Untouchables hit, The Archers shares the thread.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Untouchables television series related to the 1987 movie?
Both the 1959 television series and the 1987 movie share the title The Untouchables and focus on Eliot Ness and his team. While they share the same source material and core premise regarding the battle against organized crime in 1930s Chicago, they are distinct productions.
What is the premise of The Untouchables television series?
The Untouchables television series follows Special Agent Eliot Ness and his elite team of incorruptible agents. The show depicts their ongoing efforts to dismantle organized crime operations throughout 1930s Chicago.
Should I watch The Untouchables movie before the television show?
You do not need to watch the 1987 movie before the 1959 television series. Both versions of The Untouchables function as standalone adaptations of the same historical premise, so you can start with either production to experience the story of Eliot Ness and his team.
How does the setting of The Untouchables movie compare to the television series?
Both the 1959 television series and the 1987 movie adaptation of The Untouchables are set in 1930s Chicago. Each production centers on the conflict between the incorruptible agents led by Eliot Ness and the organized crime syndicates active in the city during that decade.