The Untouchables TVseries: 1993-1994

Review by Helen Chavez

Tom Amandes (Eliot Ness), John Rhys Davies (Agent Michael Malone), Paul Regina (Frank Nitti), Davis James Elliot (Agent Paul Robbins), John Haymes Newton (Agent Tony Pigano), William Forsythe (Al Capone), Nancy Everhard (Catherine Ness)

Guest Stars: Ron Perlman (Marcel 'Snake' Boureaux), George Dzundza (Warden Wyandotte)

Plot Summary

It is the early 1930s in prohibition-hit America, and the city of Chicago is in the grip of organised crime. Corruption is rife in both political circles and law enforcement, and a new team of crimefighters enter the fight, led by a young FBI agent named Eliot Ness. Tough, fearless and completely incorruptible, they become known as … The Untouchables.

Eliot Ness (Tom Amandes) is making inroads into the influence of the Mob, and Al Capone (William Forsythe) now languishes in jail, leaving the running of his empire to barber-turned-gangster Frank Nitti (Paul Regina).

Ruthless and intelligent, Nitti realises Ness and his Untouchables are getting too close for comfort in their single-minded desire to break his organisation's hold on the city of Chicago. So he decides Ness' days are numbered, and on the recommendation of minor hoodlum Johnny (also Ness' informant) he hires a newcomer to the city - a psychopathic Cajun backwoodsman called 'Snake' Boureaux (Ron Perlman).

Snake is a hunter, and decides to lure Ness into his own territory - the wilderness. To do this he begins to hunt Ness' wife Catherine (Nancy Everhard) and their small daughter.

Meanwhile Al Capone is offered a deal by the Commissioner - his parole in return for ten thousand dollars. The plan, however, goes awry and Capone decides to secure his release another way by inciting the inmates of the Penitentiary to riot. But all is not as it seems …

Marcel 'Snake' Boureaux

"I was locked up down in Louisiana a while back, met this Cajun who pulled life for murder, named Snake. Kills - for the pleasure of killin'. His head shaved bald, and his body's covered with tattoos. Asked him one time what he did for a livin', said he was a professional hunter. Told me he was plannin' a breakout, asked him what he was plannin' to do when he did. Said he was gonna go back into huntin'. Killed a fat man once 'cause he ate too much …"

These are the words of informer and small-time crook Johnny as he tells mobster Frank Nitti about the psychotic 'Snake' Boureaux. Nitti is secretly impressed, and tells him to find Snake, but Johnny is vehement in his refusal.

"You can't find him - he's like the fog."

Arranging to meet Snake at a bath-house Nitti finds himself face-to-face with a deeply disturbing character. Big, powerful and quietly menacing, it is obvious Snake has no regrets about killing, and even Nitti is disconcerted by Snake's lack of concern. All Snake wants is his payment of five thousand dollars for the job of killing Ness. He is profoundly unimpressed with Nitti and all he represents. Aware of the impression he makes, Snake revels in his own persona, his muscular frame covered with tattoos, and he keeps his speech minimal.

Nitti is not too sure if he wants to unleash Snake - the man is, after all, crazy, so he tells the hunter he'll be in touch. Snake is unconcerned.

"I walk outta here … it over." He warns.

Nitti thinks about it - and decides the chance is too good to miss. On telling Snake he'll supply him with information on Ness, a photograph and the five thousand dollars, Snake shrugs.

"Forget everyt'ing 'cept the money. I track 'im. Au revoir.'

Within moments he is gone.

It is obvious even Nitti is deeply disturbed by the unctuous Snake, and instructs his lieutenant to entice Snake with an extra five thousand dollars - and then kill him.

"A man like that shouldn't be walkin' the face of the earth …" Strong words from a man renowned as a ruthless killer himself.

When Johnny the snitch informs Ness that Nitti has taken out a contract on Ness' life, Ness does some digging of his own and finds Snake's FBI file - and it makes grim reading.

"Marcel Boureaux, alias 'Snake', born Bayou LaFitte, Louisiana, 1900. Bald, six foot, 190 pounds … muscular … distinguishing marks - multiple tattoos."

Snake's crimes make even these tough agents sit up and listen as Ness recites his charge sheet.

"Animal mutilation, kidnapping, rape, battery, assault, torture, suspected in multiple murder investigations …"

Agent Pigano is impressed.

"He kills for the fun of watching people die …"

Their only lead is Snake's passion - his tattoos. He is an art lover, Ness reckons, his tattoos are of excellent quality. So they do the rounds of the tattoo parlours and finally discover Snake has recently acquired a new tattoo - an asp on his right hand. The tattooist is impressed by Snake's tattoos, and informs Ness that Snake told him he always got a new tattoo just before he performed a 'Majestic Deed'. Ness can guess what a 'Majestic Deed' entails, and it certainly isn't pretty. But Snake has also left Ness a message in his hotel room - the recently-shed outer skin of a rattlesnake. Ness knows Snake is taunting him, but is at a loss as to where the killer is.

Just to be on the safe side he sends his wife Catherine to their cabin in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, along with their daughter Ellen and German Shepherd dog, Dutch. But Snake is ahead of them.

After unnerving Catherine by destroying the gravestone of her grandparents, Snake follows her to the lakeside cabin. There he begins to carefully and methodically stalk his victims, watching, waiting, knowing that when the time comes he will be able to lure Ness out into the remote woods and kill him.

The fear begins when Catherine discovers their dog Dutch has disappeared. Snake watches from his hiding place in a tree as she continues to call to the dog - and the only response is silence. Seeing her concern, Snake is satisfied things are going to plan.

"Tomorrow's gonna be the day … tomorrow's gonna be … Majestic Deed …" he throws back his head with an almost sensual expression on his face. "MAJESTIC DEED!" And he spreads his powerful arms, moving them with the slow grace of a hunting eagle.

As the evening wears on, Snake steps up the pressure. He cuts the telephone line. Catherine hears footsteps on the roof, and after trying to telephone her husband discovers the worst - the line is dead. Then a shadowy figure is seen at the windows - Snake. Scrabbling for her husband's hidden gun, she gathers up her daughter and manages to get into the cellar and bolt the door, just as Snake forces his way into the house.

Not to be thwarted, Snake begins to try and charm her from the cellar, his lilting Cajun accent turning the threats to soft enticements, promising her that he will be gentle if she comes out. Catherine is not impressed, and lets loose a bullet that whines past Snake, just missing him. By his grin it is obvious he is surprised at her nerve.

But all is not lost. Ness, discovering the telephone is dead, sends the local sheriff to check up on his wife while he gets into his car and heads off to rescue Catherine. Unfortunately, as the sheriff arrives Snake resolves from the shadows and kills the lawman in his tracks. Nothing - but nothing, comes between Snake Boureaux and his Majestic Deed …

Snake's next ploy is to let loose his 'babies' on Catherine and Ellen - three diamondback rattlesnakes. Snake croons and soothes the reptiles, stroking the scaled skin and urging them to do his bidding, his tongue flicking in and out of his mouth in a parody of his namesakes. The reptiles slither into the cellar, but Catherine is not easily frightened - taking aim by the light of a torch she shoots the creatures, leaving an impotent and furious Snake shouting dire threats through the door.

"You hurt my babies … I SKIN YOU ALIVE!!"

Catherine knows by his tone that when Snake Boureaux says he's going to skin you alive, he means it.

But rescue is at hand as Ness drives up to the house, and Snake, realising his mission is almost complete and his Majestic Deed is at hand, disappears into the surrounding woods, his taunts ringing in Ness' ears.

And so the hunt begins, although Ness is not too sure about who is hunting whom. Snake is armed with nothing but a heavy reflex bow and a quiver-full of arrows, and Ness is armed with a handgun - but Snake is far from feeling threatened. As the sun begins to rise over the lake, the two men get closer to a confrontation.

Ness begins to talk to Snake, telling him he knows all about him … all about his Majestic Deeds. For once Snake is rattled. He asks how Ness knows, and Ness replies he knows everything about Snake, all about his crimes.

"Rapist, child molester, multiple murderer … I leave anything out?"

An arrow thuds into the tree next to his head as Snake roars out his reply.

"CANNIBAL!!"

Ness is closing in on an unafraid and unrepentant Snake, but the hunter still taunts and calls out insults, hoping to tease Ness into making a tactical error, his arrows coming closer and closer to taking the agent's life. "

Figured out what I'm gonna do wit' your family when I'm done wit' you - gonna have 'em for DESSERT!!" Snake's cat-calls and 'whoo-ee's' echo through the quiet forest, as the psychopath finally decides to cut his losses and leave Ness until another day. He breaks and runs for it.

Snake manages to get back to the cabin and purloin a car, and he thinks his luck has changed as he spots Ness emerging from the woods right in front of him. Stepping on the gas Snake determines his Majestic Deed is within his grasp, and heads straight for Ness, unwavering in his determination to finish the job.

But Ness calls his bluff. Standing firm and unafraid, Ness raises his gun and slowly aims, his hand steady and nerves under control.

A well-aimed shot ends it in an instant. Both Snake and vehicle erupt in a ball of flame as the bullet hits the fuel line, and the burning wreck carooms into the lake, the intensity of the heat sending steam from the chill water.

The fear is over … for now …

Trivia

The snakes used in the episode are rattlesnakes. There are several varieties of these beautiful creatures, all of which are poisonous. Ron Perlman doesn't like snakes.

On-line resources

Marilyn Bardsley, Eliot Ness: The Man behind the Myth http://www.crimelibrary.com/Ness/Nessmain.htm

Frank Nitti - The Cosa Nostra http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Lobby/9880/e.html

Gangsters, outlaws and G-men - the library of organised crime. http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters-outlaws-gmen.htm

Encyclopaedia of Cajun Culture - Links
http://www.cajunculture.com/linkspag.htm