Martin Scorsese‘s The Departed, tells the story of a mole and an undercover cop trying to identify each other in a Boston gang. It’s definitely a favorite among movie fans, but not all of them know what went into making it. Here are ten things you didn’t know about The Departed.
1. The Departed is the only foreign film remake to win Best Picture.
2. Martin Scorsese didn’t know the film was remake until after he agreed to do it.
He also made sure to not to watch the original until he was finished shooting.
3. Jack Nicholson initially turned down the movie but changed his mind after meeting with Martin Scorsese, William Monahan and Leonardo DiCaprio.
4. Matt Damon worked with Massachusetts State Police unit out of Boston for research.
5. While shooting in Boston, Martin Scorsese viewed dailies at Emerson College.
6. Scorsese joked that Damon’s natural Boston accent is so thick he needed subtitles.
7. Most of Nicholson’s scenes were improvised and included his ideas.
It was his idea for Costello to throw cocaine at hookers, and for him to attend the opera.
8. Nicholson refused to wear a Boston Red Sox hat, instead, he wore a New York Yankees
9. The song, “Gimme Shelter” is in this movie along with other Scorsese gangster films.
The other movies include Goodfellas and Casino.
10. Vera Farmiga met with a LAPD psychiatrist who told her everything her character does is wrong
