The Untouchables (1959)

Episode Overview

In Chicago, before May 1934, robbing state banks was not classified as a federal crime, leaving bandits to deal mostly with local police forces that were often overwhelmed, ineffective, or corrupt. This environment resulted in a surge of bank heists, many of which were poorly planned but still successful. Over the past year, the city experienced 422 robberies, resulting in 221 injuries. In March 1934, Eliot Ness meets with his friend, District Attorney Beecher Asbury, and expresses his frustration, explaining that without federal laws against bank robbery, there’s little he can do to tackle the problem.