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 * Evaluation of Sources (250-400 words)** Tips]

I am going to analyze how useful the source ‘The Untouchables’ (1) is to a Historian studying the U.S. Prohibition. In terms of origin, the film was made in 1987 and filmed in the USA inspired by the book written by Eliot Ness (2), ‘The Untouchables (3) , and the T.V. series, ‘The Untouchables’ (4). The purpose of this film was purely to entertain, many scenes were added that did not occur in reality, such as the scene Eliot Ness throws Frank Nitti (5) off a building and he falls inside a car. (6)   The film valuable to a Historian because it shows Al Capone’s brutal reputation, such as the scene Capone kills a member of his gang with a baseball bat because he betrayed his trust, or when he says, “ I want him [Eliot Ness] DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the GROUND! I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna PISS ON HIS ASHES!”. The film also shows how Al Capone confidence, “People are gonna drink! You know that, I know that, we all know that, and all I do is act on that. And all this talk of bootlegging - what is bootlegging? On a boat, it's bootlegging. On Lake Shore Drive, it's hospitality. I'm a businessman!”. (7) However the film fails to show the life of ordinary people during prohibition and exaggerates the violence in Chicago during Prohibition. (8)

The second source I will evaluate is ‘Studs Lonigan: trilogy’ (9) by James T. Farrell, a novel of American naturalism following the life of William “Studs” Lonigan. The novels originated from Chicago in 1932, 1934, and 1935 and main character “Studs” was inspired by Farrell’s own experiences of growing up in south-side Chicago. The purpose of the trilogy was to show the hardships people faced during Prohibition and the Great Depression through this character. (10) Farrell also highlights the health issues associated with excessive drinking, when “Studs” gets a heart attack and enters a coma due to his heavy drinking. (8) The trilogy is very valuable to a Historian, because it shows how easily people could get a hold of alcohol during Prohibition and many people would, "drown [their] sorrows in drink". It also shows how life in Chicago was for men during this era, "The boys run the streets, and grow up in poolrooms, drink and become hooligans. They don't know any better … and they kill themselves with diseases from whores and this gin they drink". (8) However the novels depth on life of other social statuses is limited, and focuses on life of lower class men.

Word Count: 432


 * Reference Page: **

(1) The Untouchables, 1987, motion picture, Paramount Pictures, Directed by Brian De Palma, Starring Robert De Niro and Keven Costner

(2) Eliot Ness: Prohibition Agent of the U.S. Treasury Department

(3) Eliot Ness, Oscar Fraley, 1957, The Untouchables, Buccaneer Books, Cutchogue, New York

(4) The Untouchables, 1959-63, television series, Desilu Productions and Langford Productions, Director unknown, Starring Robert Stack and Walter Winchell.

(5) Frank Nitti: Member of Al Capone’s Gang, also known as “The Enforcer”

(6) Allan May, 1999, Crime Magazine: an encyclopedia of crime, 22 August 2011, []

(7) The FBI Federal Bureau Investigations, 2011, U.S. Federal Government, U.S. Department of Justice, 25 August 2011, []

(8) Taylor Hales, Nikolas Kazmers, 2004, University of Michigan, [|http://www.umich.edu/~eng217/student_projects/nkazmers/bibliography.html]

(9) James T. Farrell, 1932, 1934, 1935, Studs Lonigan (trilogy), Penguin Putnam Inc. New York

(10) June Sawyers, Cheryl Kent, Daniel Greene, 2011, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, 25 August 2011, []