Kevin Costner and Robert De Niro's "The Untouchables" departs Peacock within weeks, giving streamers a final window to experience Brian De Palma's 1987 crime-Western before it vanishes from the platform.
De Palma's film, which pairs Costner's straight-laced federal agent Eliot Ness against De Niro's Al Capone during Prohibition, remains a critical flashpoint despite its technical mastery. The director's stylistic flourishes and Sean Connery's Oscar-winning performance anchor a narrative about law enforcement operating in moral gray zones. The movie landed nominations across major categories at the 1988 Academy Awards, though critics have consistently debated whether De Palma's baroque visual approach serves or overshadows the material.
Peacock's licensing window closes soon, meaning subscribers who haven't streamed the film lose access temporarily. The removal reflects the complicated rights landscape streaming platforms navigate, where content rotates based on negotiated terms with studios and distributors.
"The Untouchables" exemplifies how streaming libraries shift constantly, particularly for prestige catalog titles. Legacy films bounce between platforms as deals expire, creating urgency for viewers who treat streaming as their primary theatrical alternative. For Costner, the film represents his early career establishment as a leading man capable of carrying historical narratives, a trajectory that would lead to later projects like "Yellowstone" and his own Western passion projects.
De Palma's direction, photographed by Stephen H. Burum, showcases compositional confidence and period authenticity that elevates standard crime drama. The famous staircase sequence exemplifies the director's willingness to construct action setpieces with operatic tension rather than kinetic realism.
Costner fans and De Palma devotees should act quickly. Once "The Untouchables