If you loved
The Untouchables
Brian De Palma · Film · 1987
If you loved The Untouchables, you crave the high-stakes friction between righteous lawmen and the systemic corruption they fight to dismantle.
Start with the source
The source
The Untouchables
Quinn Martin · Series · 1959
Books on the same thread
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 1991
Explores: The American Dream, Social Class, Wealth and Status.
Like The Untouchables, this tragedy captures the violent pulse of the Roaring Twenties, exploring the dark collision of ambition and excess that defines the era of organized crime.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
David Grann · Book · 2018
Shares a thread with The Untouchables: Corruption.
This gripping investigation into historical corruption mirrors the moral crusade found in The Untouchables, highlighting the dangerous quest for justice against powerful, entrenched forces within the American landscape.
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 2004
Explores: American Dream, Social Class, Love and Loss.
This classic tale captures the same Jazz Age atmosphere seen in The Untouchables, grounding its exploration of wealth and moral decay in the reality of a turbulent American era.
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 essential perspective of the criminal empire, providing a perfect narrative counterpart to Ness's relentless pursuit.
Series on the same thread
Miami Vice
Anthony Yerkovich · Series · 1984
Shares 2 threads with The Untouchables: Good vs Evil, Neo-noir.
The Untouchables celebrates the power of an unlikely team, a dynamic you will recognize in the partnership of these officers as they tackle high-stakes crime with intense, stylized grit.
The A-Team
Frank Lupo · Series · 1983
Shares 3 threads with The Untouchables: Teamwork, Underdog Story, Justice.
You enjoyed the camaraderie of the squad in The Untouchables, and this series delivers a similar satisfaction by following a specialized team operating outside typical constraints for justice.
Boardwalk Empire
Terence Winter · Series · 2010
Explores: Political Corruption, Organized Crime, American Dream.
This series expands on the Prohibition backdrop of The Untouchables, diving deeper into the political corruption and moral ambiguity that defined the era of bootlegging and organized crime.
Crime Story
Gustave Reininger · Series · 1986
Shares a thread with The Untouchables: Neo-noir.
This intense police procedural echoes the obsessive cat-and-mouse dynamic of The Untouchables, pitting a driven lawman against a dangerous criminal in a fight that transcends mere professional duty.
Podcasts on the same thread
Bag Man
Rachel Maddow, MS NOW · Podcast · 2023
Shares a thread with The Untouchables: corruption.
If the battle against systemic corruption in The Untouchables kept you hooked, this deep dive into historical political scandal provides a similarly compelling look at accountability and institutional failure.
The Realignment
The Realignment · Podcast · 2026
Explores: institutional change, populism, technological disruption.
If The Untouchables hit, The Realignment shares the thread.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Untouchables movie based on a true story?
The 1987 movie The Untouchables follows the historical efforts of prohibition agent Elliot Ness to take down Al Capone. While it is a dramatized film directed by Brian De Palma, it depicts the real-life formation of the group known as The Untouchables during the prohibition era.
Is The Untouchables 1987 movie related to the 1959 TV show?
Yes, both versions share the title The Untouchables and focus on the same historical premise. The 1987 movie and the 1959 TV series are different adaptations centered on Elliot Ness and his mission to dismantle the criminal empire of Al Capone during the prohibition period.
What is the premise of The Untouchables?
The Untouchables tells the story of ambitious prohibition agent Elliot Ness as he attempts to bring down the notorious gangster Al Capone. To succeed in his mission, Ness recruits a specialized team of law enforcement officers who earn the nickname The Untouchables.
Should I watch The Untouchables movie or the 1959 series first?
The 1987 movie The Untouchables and the 1959 TV series are independent adaptations. You can watch either version first, as they are separate interpretations of the same historical events involving Elliot Ness and his efforts to stop Al Capone during the prohibition era.