Headscratchers / The Untouchables (1987)

• The courtroom shootout starts because Frank Nitti freaks out when Ness realizes that Nitti had Malone's address written down in a matchbook. Wouldn't a seasoned criminal such as Nitti realize that this still doesn't prove anything in court instead of panicking and starting a shootout that led to his death?
  • On its own, it may not be much of a "smoking gun," but a man with close ties to Al Capone having the address of a Chicago cop who was brutally gunned down at home would probably be enough to trigger an investigation that could have had serious repercussions for Nitti himself, even if Capone wasn't even brought into it.
  • I don't think Nitti was worried about proving anything in court. He's worried because he killed Ness's friend, also making him a Cop Killer, and he's smack dab in cop ville.

• Was it ever explained why Malone didn't just shoot the knifeman? Even if Nitti was outside, Malone should still have shot the wop.
  • Notice that Malone has a bottle of whiskey (or some sort of alcoholic drink) at home. One can assume that he might have had a few rounds, not enough to make him completely drunk, but to amp up his fortitude and arrogance.

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