Now that 10 years have passed since it entered theaters, “The Departed” is easily considered among the canon of all-time great movies.
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg and Vera Farmiga, TheWrap takes a deeper look at the acclaimed gangster film to discover facts you probably didn’t already know.
1. It Took Only One Day to Decide to Make It
“We read the script in one day and called each other the next day and said ‘Let’s do this,'” recalled DiCaprio in an interview of regarding his group decision with Scorsese to do the film. He added of William Monahan‘s script, “It was so well written.”
2. Nicholson Didn’t Want the Role at First
The three-time Oscar winner initially declined the role of Boston-Irish gang boss in Frank Costello. “I always give a fast no when it’s no, and originally there wasn’t a part there,” Nicholson told New York Magazine. “I said, ‘I’d love to work with you, Marty, I’ve always wanted to work with you — and Leo — but I just can’t do something because I like the idea. I gotta have a part that I’m interested in.'” So Scorsese, along with DiCaprio and Damon — who were already cast — agreed to expand on his role.
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3. Dead Guy Easter Eggs
Scorsese put a subtle “X” in the frame whenever anyone was killed onscreen as an homage to the 1932 version of “Scarface,” which is one of his favorite films (and also employs a similar “X” factor).
4. Sex Scenes Were Invented
Nicholson said his erotic appeal was historically underrated and suggested his character have sex scenes. “These kind of monsters, they don’t usually have a sex life onscreen, so I wanted to bring that to the part,” he said in a 2006 interview. “I pushed that side pretty good. He’s a mad, bad nut job, so he’s evil sexually too. F— ‘em, kill ‘em, you know.” Scorsese is also reported to have wrestled over how much to edit down the brutal lovemaking shots.
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5. Robert De Niro Was Initially Cast
The actor, who is a Scorsese mainstay starting with 1973’s “Mean Streets, eventually decided to ditch “The Departed” to direct “The Good Shepard.”
6. A First-Time Heavyweight Team-Up
While it was highly publicized at the time, it’s still hard to believe the film marked Nicholson and Scorsese’s first ever collaboration. Unlike DiCaprio, who has done five Scorsese films, the two haven’t worked together since. Hey, there’s still time!
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7. Brad Pitt Was a Producer
Pitt was initially attached to either one of the two lead roles, eventually played by DiCaprio and Damon. One of the first projects out of his Plan B Entertainment, Pitt eventually served as a producer on the film.
8. Boston Gangster Whitey Bulger Served as Inspiration
Years before Johnny Depp signed on to play Bulger in a biopic (and five years before he was caught hiding out in California), Nicholson used the infamous gangster — and FBI informant — as the blueprint for his memorable portrayal as the ruthless Costello.
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9. It Got Scorsese His Only Oscar
Scorsese, considered one of America’s best all-time filmmakers, has won only one Academy Award in his six-decade career — for directing “The Departed.”
10. Nicholson Went Off Script — a Lot
“You never never know what to expect from him because he can go off the cuff and just say anything or do anything,” DiCaprio said in an interview, recalling Nicholson’s many improvisations during filming. “In character, it instills this constant fear in you,” he added.
Read more on TheWrap.com.