10 Hidden Details In The Departed Everyone Missed
10 Hidden Details In The Departed Everyone Missed
Contents
The Departed is a Martin Scorsese film about undercover moles on both sides of the law. There is a lot going on, and these are some hidden details.
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Martin Scorsese is getting a lot of Oscar buzz for his latest film, The Irishman. Of course, this would not be the first time the acclaimed filmmaker won one of the coveted statues as he was awarded Best Director for another mob movie, The Departed.
The Boston-set crime epic featured an all-star cast in the intense story of two moles working on opposite sides of the law, trying to uncover the other before they are exposed themselves. The movie is a violent, funny, and shocking film with Scorsese once again proving he is the king of gangster stories. If you’re looking to pair this with The Irishman in a solid double-feature, look out for there are some hidden details about The Departed you might have missed.
10 Infernal Affairs
The premise of a cop and criminal working to expose each other is a brilliant setup for a crime thriller. However, the film is actually based on a Chinese crime film called Infernal Affairs. Oddly enough, even though he is a major film buff, Scorsese was unaware that the original film existed.
Wanting to make his own movie without being influenced by what came before, Scorsese decided not to watch the original film until after he was finished filming The Departed. In the end, The Departed became the first Best Picture winner based on a foreign film.
9 Mark Wahlberg’s Inspiration
Despite all the talented actors involved in the film, the only actor to score an Oscar nomination for his role was Mark Wahlberg, who earned his first nomination. Wahlberg plays Dignam, the abrasive and foul-mouthed cop who works as handler for Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio).
Wahlberg is hilariously cantankerous as the cop who doesn’t seem to get along with anyone. As it turns out, Wahlberg was able to draw on some very personal experiences for the role. He said he based his fiery performance on the cops who would arrest him in his youth as well as his parents who would bail him out of jail.
8 Based On True Events
Though the story is based on the pre-existing film, the remake does draw on some real-life events and figures from American history. Jack Nicholson’s character, Frank Costello, is based on infamous Boston mobster Whitey Bulger who was a prominent figure in the Irish mob.
In events that mirror the story of the film, Bulger was secretly working as an FBI informant for years. He would give information regarding his rivals while continuing to carry out his own illegal operations. He was protected by an FBI agent who was later arrested for working with Bulger.
7 Leo’s Award Campaign
This movie provided Leonardo DiCaprio with one of the key roles that made him respected as one of Hollywood’s best actors. He was still trying to escape the image of a boyish heartthrob when he took the role of Billy Costigan, a panic-stricken and violent undercover cop.
While DiCaprio was highly praised for his performance, he failed to get an Oscar nomination for the role. Apparently, the studio feared his work in an ensemble wouldn’t be able to secure a Best Actor nomination and wanted to run him in the Best Supporting Actor category. However, DiCaprio refused to campaign against his co-stars in the film.
6 Actors’ Research
As you can imagine, being cast in a Martin Scorsese is a thrill for any actor and they would want to do their best to prepare thoroughly for the role so as not to disappoint. Given the crime aspects of the film, this led to some intense preparation on the part of some of the cast.
The two lead actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon underwent particularly interesting research. Appropriately, DiCaprio, who plays a cop pretending to be a criminal, interviewed several members of the Irish mob. Meanwhile, Damon, who plays a criminal pretending to be a cop, went on police ride-alongs and even participated in raids.
5 Unpredictable Jack
The role of Frank Costello required an actor of incredible power and charisma to pull off successfully. It’s not surprising that the filmmakers tried desperately to get Jack Nicholson to take the role. Though he initially refused, Nicholson finally accepted after being told he would be given free rein with the part.
Nicholson fully embraced that idea and the opportunity to play a villain again. He would often adlib lines and actions that were completely unexpected by the other actors in the scenes. It certainly makes for a fun role for the actor.
4 Almost Cast
The Departed has an amazing cast which is not surprising given the engaging premise and the fact that it is Martin Scorsese. However, there were a number of stellar actors who almost took roles in the film.
In an early iteration of the film, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise were circling the lead roles. Al Pacino was pursued for the Costello role while his The Irishman co-star Robert De Niro almost reteamed with Scorsese as Queenan (played by Martin Sheen). Other actors considered or almost cast include Mel Gibson, Ethan Hawke, and Ray Liotta.
3 The Sequel
Given the success of the film, a sequel seemed like an inevitability, even though most of the main characters were dead by the end of the first film. However, according to screenwriter William Monahan, there were indeed talks of a follow-up.
Monahan stated that the film would explore some of the aspects of the first film that were overlooked in the original, such as political corruption. It was also said that the film would focus on Dignam. However, no movement has been made on a sequel in a number of years.
2 Sullivan’s Impotence
Though treated suitably, it is implied that Matt Damon’s character, Colin Sullivan, suffers from impotency. This aspect of the character is hinted at with an awkward relationship between Sullivan and his girlfriend, Madolyn (Vera Farmiga).
The theory was confirmed by Damon who came up with the character trait himself as a contrast to the macho personality of Costello. Given that Madolyn is pregnant by the end of the film, it creates a question if Sullivan is actually the father.
1 The Rat
While the film itself received a lot of praise, one aspect of the ending became quite controversial. After Sullivan is executed by Dignam we see a shot of Boston’s Capital Building as a rat runs across the frame.
Some people felt that the final shot was a bit obvious given the film’s story. This even led to a recent fan petition that campaigned to have the rat digitally removed from the film. Luckily, this movement was swiftly met with its own backlash condemning fans’ perceived ownership over films and the ridiculous nature of fan petitions.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/hidden-details-departed/
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