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The Untouchables (1959): Chicago. Prior to May 1934, robbing state banks was not a federal offense. Bandits only had local police to contend with, and they were often understaffed, inefficient or corrupt. This led to a rash of successful, though clumsily executed, bank robberies. In this city alone, there were 422 robberies in the last year, with 221 casualties. On March 1934, Eliot Ness is meeting with his friend D.A. Beecher Asbury. Ness tells him that until bank robbery becomes a federal offense, there's not much he can about it. Beecher is heading to Washington, D.C., to get the Senate Committee to make bank robbery fall under federal jurisdiction; to help his case, he wants Eliot Ness to go after a big-time professional bank robber: Ace Banner, who just pulled off a $150,000 heist in Kansas City. Finding Banner should be easy: he's right here in Chicago, staying at the swanky Crestmoor Arms. Although pinning something on him would be another matter. At this moment, a dapper Ace Banner walks into the Midland Savings & Trust, and meets with the vice president, James Havens. Banner blithely tells him he wants to "make a withdrawal"-- of a quarter of a million dollars. Before Havens can call the guard, Banner tells him he knows of his embezzlements: Havens has lost 120 grand gambling, and spent a bundle on his honey Edwina-- he's knocked down over 200 grand in the last year. What better way to cover the shortage, than to have a robbery? Banner will take 250 grand, and Havens can report that 450 grand was stolen. Later, Ness tails Banner, and shares a taxi with him; Banner puts down Ness, he says he's a chump for doing honest work and wearing $20 suits. Banner tells him, the man who thinks he's smartest will outsmart himself; Ness tells him, "That's just what I'm counting on." Ace Banner, a master of disguise, impersonates Mr. Johnson, a bank teller, and the guard lets him in before the bank opens. Banner then lets the rest of his gang in. The robbery is pulled off, and the story that hits the newspapers is that $450,000 was stolen. Ness is suspicious, and goes over Havens' books; Banner figures Ness might find out how Havens was involved, and has Jamie "The Knife" Hennigan stick Havens in the back with a shiv. April 9, 1934. Eliot Ness and federal D.A. Beecher Asbury are summoned to Washington, D.C., before the Senate Committee. Due to Eliot Ness' testimony on the importance of making bank robbery a federal offense, the Federal Bank Robbery Act was passed on May 18, 1934. The Big Squeeze was on. Crossing a state line was no longer protection for bank robbers; they could now be extradited. All over America, bank robberies dropped; the big-time criminals gave it up as a poor risk. Ace Banner now had over 500 grand, but the dough was hot, so Jamie "The Knife" kept it in reserve for them. Ace Banner changes his name to James Spencer, and enjoys a luxurious lifestyle. But one night, while gambling in a swanky casino, he runs into a femme fatale: "Chickie" Purcell. Over a few drinks, she kisses him, but he doesn't respond. She asks, what's wrong: "You married... divorced? I don't want to waste my time if you're a stick."* He says he doesn't know what a stick is; then, on the spur of the moment, he proposes to her. For 6 months, they live like a king & queen in a Florida resort; he has to dip into his reserves. Late one night, Ness trails Jamie "The Knife" to the loot and arrests him. Banner is broke; when the money runs out, so does Chickie. Banner has to go to work again, and Ness is waiting. Ness pays a visit to Chickie, and sees a letter Banner sent to her, postmarked Beacon Hill, Penn. Later, Ness and his men check a map; Banner must be planning to hit a bank in Petroleum City, PA. They figure it will be on a Friday-- payday. Ness finally nabs Banner in the act of robbing a bank; Banner is sentenced to 99 years in prison. When it comes to crime, Ness will always catch the bad guy-- you can bank on it. (synopsis by: kdh) --------------------------------- *[1930s slang. "Stick": a person regarded as stiff, boring, or spiritless.]