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Capone (1975) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1975 · 101 mins · English
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Directed by
Steve Carver
Starring
Sylvester Stallone, Dick Miller, Mario Gallo, John Cassavetes, Royal Dano, Carmen Argenziano

Young Al Capone draws the attention of Johnny Torrio, a visiting Chicago gangster. Torrio brings him to Illinois to oversee a Prohibition‑era alcohol racket during the 1920s. Capone rapidly ascends Torrio’s crew, eventually seizing control, eliminating rivals, rigging elections and amassing wealth, while courting the principled Iris Crawford.

On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Capone Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Capone (1975) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Ambush and scar in Brooklyn

    Capone tips off fur thieves to ambush the arriving police. A brawl erupts and Capone is thrown through a glass window, leaving a lasting scar on his left cheek. He is released from custody thanks to the intercession of a senior police lieutenant.

    When
    May 6, 1918
    Where
    Brooklyn
  2. Recruitment to Chicago under Colosimo

    Johnny Torrio plans bootlegging and sends Capone to Chicago to become an enforcer for Jim Colosimo. Capone meets Colosimo and Iris Crawford, and the move marks his rise in the Chicago underworld. The following morning Capone kills Colosimo in a restaurant so the bootlegging plan can go forward.

    When
    September 23, 1919
    Where
    Chicago
  3. Territorial map after Joliet ambush

    A raid on a beer pickup in Joliet leads to a bloody exchange that redefines Chicago's territories. Capone suspects Hymie Weiss of the attack and Johnny separates the city into zones for O'Banion, Spike O'Donnell, the Genna brothers, and the Chicago Outfit. The violence sets the stage for long running feuds.

    When
    June 7, 1920
    Where
    Joliet, Illinois
  4. O'Donnell killed and O'Banion targeted

    Spike O'Donnell is gunned down at the cusp of a turf war, triggering retaliations. Capone's crew helps carry out the violence against the Genna family and O'Banion is killed in a flower shop that night. Capone attends the funeral and tensions rise with Hymie Weiss.

    When
    September 5, 1923
    Where
    Chicago
  5. Capone takes control as Johnny plans to leave

    Johnny Torrio considers peace offerings as Capone's heat grows, but ambushes threaten their direction. Johnny is shot but survives and decides to leave America for Italy. Capone ends up taking control of the Outfit, shaping its future.

    When
    January 15, 1925
    Where
    Chicago
  6. Ambush at Cicero and Crowe confrontation

    Capone and his men ambush Weiss's allies in a Cicero inn, killing several and a crooked prosecutor. Capone learns Weiss is alive on the radio and faces District Attorney Crowe who threatens charges. Capone taunts him and Crowe drops the case after Capone hints at exposing corruption.

    When
    April 27, 1926
    Where
    Cicero, Illinois
  7. Drive-by and retaliation against Weiss

    A drive-by shooting on Capone's hotel precipitates a furious retaliation. Capone orders a hit on Hymie Weiss, killing Weiss and his men from a rooftop.

    When
    September 20, 1926
    Where
    Chicago (North Side)
  8. Aiello killed after betrayal

    Joe Aiello refuses to work with Capone and allies with Moran. Capone's faction counters by killing Aiello with a car bomb planted by Nitti, intensifying the war for control.

    When
    September 21, 1926
    Where
    Chicago
  9. Moran feud escalates; Iris's death

    Capone faces Moran's challenge as the feud intensifies. Iris Crawford is killed during a Moran attack on Capone's bistro, leaving Capone deeply heartbroken and vowing revenge against Moran's gang.

    When
    February 7, 1929
    Where
    Chicago
  10. Political pressure and warehouse massacre

    Newly elected officials pressure Capone to end the violence. Capone's men, posing as police, execute seven men at Moran's warehouse, including the Gusenberg brothers. Nitti uses the incident to enable the authorities to bring Capone to trial for harsher charges.

    When
    February 14, 1929
    Where
    Chicago
  11. Tax evasion conviction and Alcatraz

    After a lengthy process, Capone is found guilty not of murder or bootlegging, but of multiple counts of federal tax evasion. He is sentenced to eleven years at Alcatraz in San Francisco, marking the end of his dominance in Chicago.

    When
    June 16, 1931
    Where
    Alcatraz, San Francisco, California
  12. Syphilis diagnosis and decline

    A doctor confirms Capone has syphilis, warning that the disease will erode his mind first. His health deteriorates in prison, and he becomes a shadow of the feared man he once was.

    When
    February 2, 1938
    Where
    Alcatraz, San Francisco
  13. Final decline on Palm Island

    Capone's condition worsens on Palm Island as Nitti and caretakers observe his mental and physical decline. He yells at imagined figures, signaling the collapse of the empire he built.

    When
    April 5, 1946
    Where
    Palm Island, Florida
  14. Capone's death

    Capone dies a year after the Palm Island visit, fading from complications of his illness. His death marks the end of an era for a man who once ruled Chicago's underworld.

    When
    1947
    Where
    Palm Island, Florida

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:25

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Timeline questions answered

Capone Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Capone (1975): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Capone kill Colosimo?

Capone killed Jim Colosimo in the back of a restaurant to remove a roadblock to Johnny Torrio's bootlegging plans. Colosimo was an old-school boss who resisted the shift to Prohibition-era alcohol smuggling, so Torrio and Capone orchestrated his elimination so they could move forward with their more profitable criminal enterprise.

Foreshadowing: The decision to recruit Capone to Chicago was specifically to enforce the bootlegging operation that Colosimo opposed.

  • jim colosimo
  • bootlegging
  • torrio
  • chicago outfit
  • assassination
Q2

Why was Iris Crawford killed?

Iris Crawford was a dancer and barmaid who was romantically involved with Capone and helped him rise in the Chicago underworld. She was killed during a Moran attack on Capone's bistro on February 7, 1929. Her death devastated Capone and intensified his resolve to destroy Moran's organization, leading directly to the warehouse massacre shortly after.

Foreshadowing: Iris had been a key figure in Torrio and Capone's operations since the early bootlegging days.

  • iris crawford
  • moran
  • bistro attack
  • revenge
Q3

Why did Capone go to Alcatraz?

Capone was convicted of multiple federal tax evasion charges in 1931, not for the murders or bootlegging he was known for. Federal authorities couldn't build cases on his criminal activities due to widespread corruption, so they prosecuted him for failing to pay taxes on his illegal income. He received an eleven-year sentence and was sent to Alcatraz, marking the end of his dominance in Chicago.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Capone boasted he was untouchable as long as corruption protected him.

  • tax evasion
  • alcatraz
  • federal conviction
  • court case
Q4

Why did Johnny Torrio leave Chicago?

Johnny Torrio decided to leave America for Italy after surviving an ambush shooting in January 1925. With Capone's heat growing and constant threats targeting the organization, Torrio chose to step away rather than continue living under constant danger. He handed control of the Chicago Outfit to Capone, who then consolidated power as the new leader.

Foreshadowing: Torrio had been shot at before and faced mounting pressure from rival gangs and law enforcement.

  • johnny torrio
  • italy
  • chicago outfit
  • leadership change
Q5

What was the warehouse massacre?

On February 14, 1929, Capone's men dressed as police officers and executed seven members of Bugs Moran's North Side gang at a warehouse on Chicago's North Side, including the Gusenberg brothers. This brutal attack was Capone's retaliation for Moran's escalating feud and Iris Crawford's death. The massacre marked the pinnacle of Capone's ruthlessness and ultimately provided the evidence authorities needed to pursue him more aggressively.

Foreshadowing: The feud had been building since O'Banion's death and Moran's challenges to Capone's authority.

  • bugs moran
  • saint valentine's day massacre
  • warehouse
  • north side gang
Q6

Why did Hymie Weiss die?

Hymie Weiss was killed in a rooftop shooting on September 20, 1926, ordered by Capone as retaliation for a drive-by shooting on Capone's hotel. Weiss had been a key rival and his death represented a major escalation in the gang wars. After the attempted drive-by, Capone responded with the hit that eliminated Weiss and his men, cementing Capone's dominance over Chicago's underworld.

Foreshadowing: Weiss had been a persistent threat since the early territorial disputes following the Joliet ambush.

  • hymie weiss
  • rival gang
  • rooftop shooting
  • retaliation
Q7

What caused the Capone-Moran feud?

The feud between Capone and Bugs Moran began after the death of Dion O'Banion, who Moran had allied with. As Capone consolidated power, Moran emerged as the primary challenger for control of Chicago's North Side. The conflict escalated with mutual attacks, culminating in Moran's role in Iris Crawford's death and Capone's subsequent warehouse massacre that decimated Moran's organization.

Foreshadowing: The territorial divisions established after the Joliet ambush created lasting rivalries.

  • bugs moran
  • north side gang
  • turf war
  • chicago outfit
Q8

Why was Capone considered untouchable?

Capone maintained that he was untouchable as long as he could buy off politicians and law enforcement. He cultivated relationships with corrupt officials, including District Attorney Robert E. Crowe, whom he repeatedly humiliated by hinting at exposing his corruption. This network of bribery and political protection allowed him to operate openly despite numerous crimes, until federal tax evasion charges finally circumvented local corruption.

Foreshadowing: Multiple scenes show Capone taunting authorities with his immunity from local prosecution.

  • corruption
  • politicians
  • untouchable
  • robert crowe
Q9

Why did Capone develop syphilis?

Capone contracted syphilis earlier in his life, and by the late 1930s while imprisoned in Alcatraz, doctors confirmed the disease had progressed and would erode his mind. The diagnosis explained his deteriorating mental state, memory loss, and behavioral changes. By the time he reached Palm Island for his final decline, his health had completely deteriorated due to the untreated illness.

Foreshadowing: The film depicts Capone's increasing mental confusion in the final chapters.

  • syphilis
  • alcatraz
  • mental decline
  • health
Q10

Why did Nitti kill Joe Aiello?

Joe Aiello refused to work with Capone and instead allied with Bugs Moran against the Chicago Outfit. Nitti, Capone's trusted enforcer, planted a car bomb that killed Aiello on September 21, 1926. This eliminated another rival and reinforced Nitti's role as Capone's most loyal and ruthless lieutenant in the ongoing war for control of Chicago's criminal empire.

Foreshadowing: Nitti had already proven his loyalty through multiple crucial operations for Capone.

  • joe aiello
  • nitti
  • car bomb
  • moran alliance

Movie threads

More Movies Like Capone, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Capone tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Grim Crime Lord Sagas like Capone

Chroncling the brutal ascent and inevitable, lonely downfall of a criminal kingpin. If you liked the intense, tragic story of Al Capone's rise and fall, explore more movies like it. This collection features similar gritty crime dramas about ambitious gangsters who build empires only to face a bleak and inevitable downfall, perfect for fans of heavy, character-driven organized crime stories.

  • ruthless
  • grim
  • calculating
  • melancholic
  • brutal
  • tense
  • Tone: dark, grim, melancholic
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows a linear or biographical path, tracing the protagonist's climb from obscurity to immense power. This rise is often fueled by ruthless tactics, strategic violence, and political corruption. The second half of the story focuses on the empire's instability, internal betrayals, and the protagonist's physical or moral collapse, culminating in a sad or bleak ending that underscores the futility of their quest for power.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are united by their focus on the tragic arc of a single powerful figure within a criminal underworld. They share a dark tone, high intensity from constant power struggles, and a heavy emotional weight stemming from the protagonist's moral and physical decay. The pacing is often fast, driven by a relentless series of strategic moves and violent conflicts.

Intense Stories of Moral Decay like Capone

Stories where the pursuit of power corrupts absolutely, leading to a dark end. For viewers who appreciated the dark and heavy tone of Capone, this section collects movies with a similar vibe. Discover films that explore the corrosive nature of power, featuring fast-paced narratives, high-stakes violence, and characters whose ambitions lead them into profound moral decay, resulting in a somber conclusion.

  • calculating
  • ruthless
  • tense
  • grim
  • brutal
  • oppressive
  • Tone: dark, oppressive, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories often depict a protagonist's gradual or rapid loss of ethical boundaries in their quest for dominance. The plot is driven by escalating conflicts, betrayals, and acts of violence that erode the character's humanity. The central conflict is internal as much as external, charting a psychological descent into ruthlessness that culminates in a hollow victory or a complete personal downfall.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared exploration of corruption and the heavy price of power. They create a cohesive experience through a consistently dark tone, high emotional intensity, and fast pacing that mirrors the protagonist's chaotic ascent. The unifying element is the focus on the psychological and moral unraveling of a central figure.

Every angle

Capone (1975) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Capone in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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