20 years ago, 'The Departed' was Martin Scorsese's biggest success. It also almost broke him
Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning crime film was the last film of a different era
In 2006, Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" was his biggest success, grossing $292 million worldwide and winning four Oscars - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The crime thriller, a remake of the Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs," is an exhilarating cat-and-mouse story about cops, criminals, and the moral dilemmas they face. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon star as Costigan and Sullivan respectively, both entangled in a world of deception and loyalty.
Though originally starring Brad Pitt, DiCaprio was eventually cast after Pitt turned down the role, believing he was too old. The film, originally a $100 million project, features an A-list cast including Nicholson, Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Vera Farmiga, and Martin Sheen. It's a gritty, Catholic-themed film that explores guilt and nihilism, with the "X" motif to foreshadow character deaths.
"The Departed" is Scorsese's make-up Oscar, a film that broke him mentally and made him distrust major studios. Despite the Oscar win, only Damon received an Oscar nomination for his performance. Scorsese's desire for a sequel was quashed by Warner Bros., who pushed for a survival of either Sullivan or Costigan. The film's ending still surprises viewers, even after multiple viewings.
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