In many ways, the entire gangster genre in film and even literature has Al Capone to thank for its existence. While there isn't anything else to thank Al Capone for, his public image, antics and flair in the late 1920s and early 1930s gave rise to a specific perception of gangsters in the cultural zeitgeist. Seen as movie stars and larger-than-life figures, some gangsters leaned heavily into the spotlight following the reign of Al Capone. His presence influenced artists and storytellers to base specific crime characters on the famous gangster, and in turn, the entire gangster genre was shaped into existence. In the early days of the genre, figures were merely based on Al Capone and didn't feature his name or real backstory. As the years went by and Capone had passed away, his story was told more directly with accuracy and style.

Al Capone is the inspiration for many rise and fall gangster stories in cinema history, and many iconic actors have portrayed him throughout different generations of the gangster genre. The historical figure gave rise to an iconic character that has been seen time and again in different forms. However, the most noteworthy gangster performances based on him are the ones that try and depict him accurately or entertainingly. He has appeared in multiple films and TV shows over the years, and yet the greatest version of him on screen was in an unlikely TV series that only ran for five seasons on HBO. Although Boardwalk Empire has many great qualities as a gangster series, its inclusion of historical figures is one of its most underappreciated aspects. From "Lucky" Luciano to Arnold Rothstein, Boardwalk Empire was unique in the way it depicted history within fiction. The show's inclusion of Al Capone is actually the best version of the gangster ever to appear on-screen.

While fans love to talk about the obvious hits that came out during cinematic television's "golden age," there are a number of shows that fall under the radar that deserve their time in the spotlight. The Sopranos gave birth to cinematic TV as it is known today, but it also paved the way for multiple career writers to make their own TV-defining shows. The obvious one is Matthew Weiner, who wrote multiple episodes of The Sopranos and then ended up creating Mad Men for AMC in 2007. The other big name to come from The Sopranos was Terence Winter.

Winter has become a successful feature writer since leaving The Sopranos, writing hits like The Wolf of Wall Street and, most recently, Bob Marley: One Love. However, Winter is a TV writer through and through, with writing credits on The Sopranos, Vinyl and Tulsa King. His greatest achievement came three years after The Sopranos ended when he teamed up with producing partner Martin Scorsese to make his passion project, Boardwalk Empire. Premiering on HBO in 2010, Winter aimed to create a prohibition gangster series that evoked the same feel and impact as The Sopranos. The series ran for five seasons and ended naturally with a compelling final season in 2014.

Fans remember all the buzz around the "Pilot" episode because it was directed by the great Martin Scorsese and even won him his first Emmy for directing. However, Winter's vision for Boardwalk Empire made it a consistently entertaining crime drama with tons of twists and turns and plenty of resonance. Taking place in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and set in the thriving beach-town location of the 1920s, 1930s, and even the 1890s, Boardwalk Empire features a mix of fictionalized gangster fun and rich historical context. In many ways, it is a period piece, a Prohibition-era version of The Sopranos, without the therapy. In fact, the argument can be made that instead of prioritizing an aspect like therapy in The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire was able to prioritize more storylines for the supporting characters in the series.

The best thing about the supporting characters is that many of them are based on real-life figures from that time period. Iconic gangster figures like "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky and Johnny Torrio get their own complete arcs throughout the five seasons because there is adequate time spent on each character. The brilliance of Boardwalk Empire shines through in multiple ways, whether it is the writing, the performances, or the design of the world. However, one of its greatest elements is having, hands down, the best on-screen portrayal of the famous gangster Al Capone.

Boardwalk Empire follows main protagonist Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, who is played by Steve Buscemi and is based on the real-life politician/bootlegger Enoch "Nucky" Johnson. While the series primarily follows Nucky's story and transformation from a corrupt politician to a bootlegger to a full-time gangster, it also explores the arcs of other iconic gangsters from the same time period. When detailing the Prohibition era, it makes sense to include the most famous gangster of that era, Al Capone. Throughout the history of film, Al Capone has been portrayed on screen multiple times and has been played by some pretty incredible actors.

As far back as 1959, the great Rod Steiger played him in Al Capone. Robert De Niro delivered a compelling portrayal of Capone in Brian De Palma's 1987 film, The Untouchables. As recently as 2020, Tom Hardy played Al Capone in a hugely disappointing film about the final days of his life. While the film was horrible, Hardy's performance still managed to shine. The crime figure has also been played by other famous actors such as Jason Robards, Ben Gazzara, William Forsythe and even Jon Bernthal. However, none of these iterations are as electrifying as Stephen Graham's supporting role as Capone in Boardwalk Empire.

A big part of Graham's success as Al Capone stems from the writing of the series and a complete arc that is given to the character. It's the first time fans feel like they got to know Al Capone during his formative years as Johnny Torrio's driver. Starting with this point in his life, the series actually slowly builds Capone's arc until he finally becomes the larger-than-life figure audiences recognize in the final season. However, it is the way Graham portrays him that stands out. Stephen Graham is not a very tall or big guy and doesn't actually compare accurately to the physique of Capone. However, Graham makes up for this by turning his Capone into a terrifying presence that mirrors roles played by Joe Pesci in Goodfellas and Casino. His size doesn't matter because his authorial control over situations, dark humor and undeniable strength make him one of the most compelling characters in the entire series. Graham is more than capable of handling the challenge as he has established himself as a versatile actor throughout the years. He has recently had success with the Netflix series Adolescence but has been playing diverse roles for decades. Between Snatch, Gangs of New York and The Irishman, Stephen Graham is one of the most underrated actors of his generation, and it's fitting that he delivers the most underrated Al Capone portrayal in cinema history.

Other than a 1993 miniseries called The Untouchables, which ironically featured fellow Boardwalk Empire actor William Forsythe as Al Capone, Boardwalk Empire gives audiences more Al Capone than they've ever had on-screen before. In thirty-five out of fifty-six episodes, Stephen Graham's Al Capone lights up the screen in almost every scene he's in. While his arc is compelling and even makes audiences empathize with him on multiple occasions, he's most memorable in many of the biggest scenes. Whether he is cracking a joke, intimidating an enemy or shooting a target, he has many of the biggest moments in the series. Stephen Graham's portrayal of Capone is essential to the series, and Graham was a series regular throughout the entire five-season run, from 2010 to 2014.

Much of the show's success stems from the way it intertwines the supporting arcs with the main arc of the season. Between Jimmy and Al spearheading a takeover of their respective cities early in the series, Nucky going to Capone for help with his Gyp Rosetti problem, or Capone taking in Eli and Van Alden when they have nowhere else to turn, Capone is often integral to the story. Even "Lucky" Luciano becomes the main antagonist in the final season of Boardwalk Empire, continuing to prove that Winter and company did a good job keeping every character relevant.

Al Capone transforms multiple times throughout his thirty-five episodes, and fans will remember best when he takes out one of the D'Alessio brothers, mows down Gy Rosetti's men in a shootout, sways a political election with violence, and makes a grand entrance in court the day he is going to be indicted for tax evasion. Graham's iteration of Capone is one of the best parts of Boardwalk Empire and easily the best iteration of the famous gangster overall.