When directing movies, particularly his crime stories,Martin Scorsesestrives for authenticity. What makesMean Streets,Goodfellas, andThe Wolf of Wall Streetso intoxicating is the documentary-like coverage that Scorsese presents these illicit underworlds. By the same token,Scorsese’s gritty realism underlines the brutality and fatalism of organized crime. As much as he glorifies crime, he’ll always be sure to show the inevitable horror that awaits its participants.The Departed, Scorsese’s Best Picture-winning crime saga about the paths crossed by an undercover cop and a criminal, may be set outside the director’s usual New York City milieu, but it carries the same authentic approach as its counterparts. The central figure of the narrative, Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), isbased on two notorious gangsters of the 20th century;Whitey Bulgerand the character’s namesake,Frank Costello.
The Departed
An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.
What Is ‘The Departed’ About?
Being set in Boston, Massachusetts,The Departed, a remake of the Hong Kong police thriller,Infernal Affairs, differs from Scorsese’s oeuvre. Accepting the top honorby the Director’s Guild of America, he joked that it was a landmark film of his, saying"This is the first movie I’ve done with a plot.“The sentiment is apt, asThe Departed– a story of deceit, betrayal, and character interconnections – featured Scorsese’s most intricate plotting to date.
Jack Nicholson, in a triumphant first and only collaboration with Martin Scorsese, plays Frank Costello, a charismatic and sinister South Boston crime boss whose friend and apprentice, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), has infiltrated the Massachusetts State Police. Working from enemy lines, he tips off Costello with confidential information. On the flip side, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), a disaffected member of a troubled criminal family, enlists in the Massachusetts State Police, only to be sent as an undercover agent in Costello’s crew. Scorsese capitalizes on the rich dramatic intrigue ofWilliam Monahan’s script bycrafting some of his most flashy and expressive formalismto date, with the frequent iconography of the letter “X,“paying homage toHoward Hawks' classicgangster film,Scarface.
Frank Costello Was Modeled After Boston’s Most Notorious Criminal, Whitey Bulger
For Boston natives and organized crime historians, Costello’s character description, a menacing Irish gangster with moles inside federal offices, sounds quite familiar.James “Whitey” Bulger, the head of the Winter Hill Gang in South Boston and the most infamous criminal from the area, was aloose inspiration for Nicholson’s character. Bulger’s story was brought to the screen to underwhelming heights in the largely forgotten crime biopic,Black Mass, withJohnny Deppplaying the subject. Upon being arraigned in July 2011, following a 16-year pursuit, Bulger was charged with 19 murders. More so than his physical prowess,Bulger gained an iron fist through his connection to the FBI.John Connolly(played byJoel EdgertoninBlack Mass), an FBI agent and childhood friend of Bulger’s, worked as a mole for Bulger. Under Connolly’s watch, the FBI ignored Bulger and allowed him to run free with his criminal enterprise. In return, Bulger would provide Connolly with intel regarding Winter Hill’s rival Italian families.
Jack Nicholson Took on This Mafia Boss Before Martin Scorsese Could
Danny DeVito and Jack Nicholson tried their hand at this biopic long before Martin Scorsese and Al Pacino.
If Costello is a stand-in for Bulger, then Damon’s Sullivan is an avatar for John Connolly. Nicholson’s Costello was a father figure to Sullivan as a youth. The film identifies theinextricable bond that would form between Sullivan and Costello.Even after joining the Special Investigations Unit, Sullivan still answers to his old boss he reported to while on the streets of Boston.The Departedblazes through its runtimewith a plethora of twists, turns, and sudden deaths, and one of the most unexpected narrative shifts occurs upon the revelation, to the characters and audience, thatCostello is an active FBI informant, presumably to satisfy self-interests in the Boston turf war. Sullivan, betrayed by his mentor, kills Costello in a sting operation. During the heart-racing elevator climax, Costigan is shot in the head by a fellow state trooper, Barrigan (James Badge Dale), who reveals himself to be one of Costello’s moles. Across all his films,Scorsese’s characters are defined by an undying oath, either to a criminal code or person. The power of a gun or iron fist pales in comparison to the devout loyalty to a soldier and his boss.
Frank Costello Shares the Name of a Notorious New York Mobster
To find another inspiration for Frank Costello, look no further than the name itself.The real Frank Costellowas not a Boston-born Irish-American, but rather, an Italian-American gangster in New York with a prolific track record. Costello was the Forrest Gump of organized crime, as hecrossed paths with the most notorious gangstersof the 20th century as a bootlegger during Prohibition, includingBugsy Siegel,Meyer Lansky,Arnold Rothstein, andLucky Luciano. In the late ’20s, Luciano rose to power in New York and became the boss of the infamous Luciano Crime Family, with Costello serving as his consigliere (top advisor). Following Luciano’s conviction, Costello eventually ascended to the throne as boss. As Nicholson’s Costello had his hands in many pockets, the real Costello’s business portfolioincluded illicit and legitimate means: prostitution, gambling, and meatpacking.
Jack Nicholson Improvised Scenes in ‘The Departed’
When Jack Nicholson inhabits a role, he’s going to bring his own two cents to the part. Frank Costello may be a composite of two historical gangsters, butThe Departed’s interpretation of the two bosses is pure Jack.In the scene when Costello sits down with Costigan in the bar, he discusses his growing suspicion of a police informant in his crew, oblivious that the “rat” is sitting right in front of him.Costello pulled a gun on Costigan, which was an improvised act toenhance the intensity of the scene. The moment genuinely frightened DiCaprio, with his sincere reaction captured on screen.Matt Damon recalled an instancewhere Nicholson altered a perfunctory scene involving Costello executing a man in the marsh. Nicholson insisted that the man be changed to a woman and have Mr. French (Ray Winstone) added to the scene. Through improvisations alone,Nicholson extended the scene with gestures and lines that never existed in the script,which included twisted banter betweenCostello and Mr. French, including the darkly humorous line, “Gee, she fell funny,” after executing the unknown woman. Frank Costello, inspired by real gangsters, will forever remain a unique creation by Jack Nicholson.
The Departedis available to rent or buy on Prime Video in the U.S.
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