Pre-Order The Scarface Mob (1959) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

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[Robin9]

I'm very pleased about this release. I know this was shown in theaters but was it made as a movie or is it a combination of TV episodes?

 

[Keith Cobby]

It's two episodes of The Untouchables cut together. I have this show on DVD and would prefer all of it to be released on blu ray.

 

[Thomas T]

It's two episodes of The Untouchables cut together.

Yes but there's a few more seconds on the version released to theatres. Notably Barbara Nichols' striptease which was considered too racy for TV back in the day and had to be edited for broadcast.

 

[John Hermes]

It wasn't exactly two episodes of The Untouchables pieced together but actually two combined episodes of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. It could be considered more of a pilot for the TV series. Two movies that were episodes edited together were Alcatraz Express ("The Big Train" Parts 1 & 2) and The Gun of Zangara ("Unhired Assassin" Parts 1 & 2).

 

[Thomas T]

Also the release date is incorrect. The Scarface Mob was released theatrically overseas in 1959, not 1957.

 

[Garysb]

Per Amazon. This is and Arrow release so kind of expense at $39.99

Product Description​

Originally conceived as a two-part TV pilot, The Scarface Mob is a gritty and thrilling dramatization of Eliot Ness’s account of his hunt for ruthless gangster Al Capone in Chicago during the prohibition. The film would go on to spawn The Untouchables, one of the most widely celebrated TV crime dramas of all time.
Chicago, 1929. Al Capone’s ruthless gang of thugs are dealing in bootleg booze in blatant defiance of Prohibition laws, and paying off corrupt cops and crooked politicians to stay out of their way. That is, until Federal Investigator Eliot Ness is tasked with bringing down Capone’s criminal empire. To aid him in this task, he assembles a crack team of men he is sure will be incorruptible, to identify and sabotage the Capone gang’s distilleries. But when Capone, Scarface himself, gets wind that his operation is under threat, he decides to take matters into his own hands.
Tautly directed by film noir veteran Phil Karlson (The Phenix City Story) and featuring memorable performances by Robert Stack (Written on the Wind) as the righteous Eliot Ness and Neville Brand (The Tin Star) as the unhinged Al Capone, The Scarface Mob is a tense crime drama waiting to be rediscovered.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
• Original uncompressed dual mono 2.0 audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Gang Busters, a brand new video essay on the film and the career of director Phil Karlson by film critic David Cairns
• Philip Kemp on The Scarface Mob, a brand new video essay on the career of Eliot Ness and his depictions on film, including The Scarface Mob, by film critic Philip Kemp
• Theatrical trailer
• Gallery of original posters, lobby cards and publicity photos provided by The Scarface Mob and The Untouchables archivist Kelly Lynch
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jennifer Dionisio
• Six postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jennifer Dionisio
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw and liner notes on The Untouchables by Dan Lynch and Kelly Lynch

 

[Keith Cobby]

I don't need (or want) the extra stuff so will wait for a significant price reduction (unlikely) or a bare'bones edition (more likely).

 

[Garysb]

Some trivia - Van Johnson was offered the role of Elliot Ness first. Depending on the similar stories he and his manager wife, wanted double the salary offered or Desilu only wanted to pay him for a single episode for the pilot. Since it was twice as long as a single episode he felt he should be paid for 2 episodes. In any case they dropped Van and went with Robert Stack.

The Scarface Mob, as previously mentioned aired as two episodes of Desilu Westinghouse Playhouse which aired on CBS. CBS turned down "The Untouchables" as a TV series . ABC bought it so the show aired on ABC.

Only Scarface Mob was loosely based on Elliot Ness's book "The Untouchables". The TV series is all fiction. Ness died from a heart attack at 54 in 1957 shortly before his book ( co written by Oscar Fraley) was published . So he was mostly forgotten at the time he died and did not live to see himself become well known again.

 

[Robin9]

Only Scarface Mob was loosely based on Elliot Ness's book "The Untouchables". The TV series is all fiction. Ness died from a heart attack at 54 in 1957 shortly before his book ( co written by Oscar Fraley) was published . So he was mostly forgotten at the time he died and did not live to see himself become well known again.

I'd forgotten about that book which I read soon after it was published. I'd like to read it again.

 

[cineMANIAC]

My jaw briefly dropped to the floor the first few seconds after I saw the announcement thinking it was the '83 DePalma flick. Arrow reissued Carlito's Way in a nice Collector's Edition and I'm thinking maybe Scarface '83 may also be forthcoming at some point. I'd go nuts for an Arrow reissue, especially if they're allowed to re-do the scan. I thought Universal's 4K disc was way too dark.

 

[B-ROLL]

I don't need (or want) the extra stuff so will wait for a significant price reduction (unlikely) or a bare'bones edition (more likely).

Some of these end up a HamiltonBooks - it's a crap shoot if you get the booklet or not but they CAN end up a much less than half-price ...

 

[Garysb]

They should have included the Desi Arnaz intro used for the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse as well as his ending remarks. I still get a kick seeing them on the semi Twilight Zone pilot, called the Time Element that was included in the initial release of the Twilight Zone Complete series set.

 

[Timothy E]

They should have included the Desi Arnaz intro used for the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse as well as his ending remarks. I still get a kick seeing them on the semi Twilight Zone pilot, called the Time Element that was included in the initial release of the Twilight Zone Complete series set.

The Desi Arnaz introductions were included on the DVD release of The Scarface Mob from a few years back, so it is disappointing that they were not included on this otherwise fine release.

 

[Garysb]

I wish CBS would release the 2 season Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse as a DVD release or add it to Paramount plus instead of the select episodes as included in the Untouchables Complete Series and the one hour Lucy-Desi shows of which I think 8 of the 13 were part of this series. It includes a Christmas episode, The Desilu Revue, where Lucy plays herself but acts like she is Lucy Ricardo and KO Kitty an hour show where Lucy plays someone who is not Lucy Ricardo. She also appeared at the end of every episode to say how great the show was and I think to ask what will be on next week. It's probably the only TV show Lucy made that has not made its way to video or youtube. It was filmed, so unlike something like Playhouse 90 it is not a kinescope.