Al Capone charities and was viewed by many as "modern-day Robin Hood". However, the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, in which seven gang rivals were murdered in broad daylight, damaged Chicago's and Capone's image, leading influential citizens to demand government action and newspapers to dub Capone "Public Enemy No. 1". The federal authorities became intent on jailing Capone and prosecuted him in 1931 for tax evasion. During a highly publicized case, the judge admitted as evidence Capone's admissions of his income and unpaid taxes during prior (and ultimately abortive) negotiations to pay the government taxes he owed. He was convicted and sentenced to
Al Capone (film) films like "Baby Face Nelson" (1957). J. Edgar Hoover criticised the film and a proposed movie about Pretty Boy Floyd was dropped. However in 1957 Lindley Parons and John Burrows announced they would make a film about Al Capone for Allied Artists. Jack De Witt was assigned to write the script. The script was worked on by Mal Wald and Henry Greenberg who were known for doing true life stories, including an episode of "Climax!" about Albert Anastasia. Rod Steiger was cast in the lead. He had been reluctant to play the lead but was persuaded once he read the