Watch The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

In 1929, the city of Chicago was rife with gang violence, and the St. Valentine's Day Massacre was one of the most infamous events in the city's history. This 1967 film explores the events leading up to the massacre and its aftermath. Jason Robards stars as Al Capone, the notorious gangster who had risen to power as the head of the Chicago Outfit. George Segal plays Peter Gusenberg, one of the seven men who were gunned down in the massacre. Initially, Gusenberg and his cohorts were allied with Capone, but a rift between the two factions led to the bloodshed.

Ralph Meeker plays George "Bugs" Moran, the leader of the North Side Gang, who was the target of the massacre. The two gangs had been engaged in bitter turf wars for years, and tensions had reached a boiling point.

As the film unfolds, we see the various players in the drama maneuvering for power and plotting their next moves. Capone is depicted as ruthless and cunning, willing to use any means necessary to eliminate his rivals. Moran is portrayed as hotheaded and impulsive, prone to making rash decisions that put his men in danger.

The film culminates in the brutal massacre itself, as Moran's men are lured to a warehouse on the pretext of receiving a shipment of bootleg liquor. Instead, they are met with a hail of gunfire from Capone's henchmen. The scene is staged with a visceral intensity that captures the horror of the event.

After the massacre, the city is in shock, and the police and the press launch a massive investigation. Capone and his men deny any involvement, but the evidence begins to mount against them. Throughout the film, we see glimpses of the corruption and complicity that allowed the gangsters to operate with near-impunity.

Ultimately, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre becomes a turning point in the fight against organized crime. The outrage over the killings leads to increased public pressure on the authorities to take action. Although Capone was never convicted of the crime, it marked the beginning of the end of his reign as kingpin of Chicago's underworld.

Overall, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre is a gripping and gritty crime drama that captures the brutal reality of gang warfare in 1920s Chicago. The performances by Robards, Segal, and Meeker are all excellent, and the film's evocation of the period is vivid and immersive. It's a must-see for fans of classic crime movies and anyone interested in the history of organized crime in America.

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre is a 1967 history movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6.