Serpico (1973)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

Peter Maas (book)
Waldo Salt (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 March 1974 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Many of his fellow officers considered him the most dangerous man alive - An honest cop.

Plot:

The true story about an honest New York cop who blew the whistle on rampant corruption in the force only to have his comrades turn against him.

Plot Keywords:

Undercover | Corruption | Hippie | Complot | Female Nudity

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Officer Frank Serpico
John Randolph	...	Chief Sidney Green
Jack Kehoe	...	Tom Keough
Biff McGuire	...	Capt. Insp. McClain
Barbara Eda-Young	...	Laurie
Cornelia Sharpe	...	Leslie Lane
Tony Roberts	...	Bob Blair
John Medici	...	Pasquale
Allan Rich	...	Dist. Atty. Herman Tauber
Norman Ornellas	...	Don Rubello
Edward Grover	...	Insp. Lombardo (as Ed Grover)
Albert Henderson	...	Peluce (as Al Henderson)
Hank Garrett	...	Malone
Damien Leake	...	Joey
Joseph Bova	...	Potts (as Joe Bova)

Runtime:

129 min | Spain:113 min

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

English | Spanish | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12 (re-rating) (2006) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Artists Entertainment Complex

Trivia:

Al Pacino's residence in the movie is located at 5-7 Minetta Street in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. The real-life Frank Serpico, however, lived at Perry & Greenwich, a few blocks away.

Goofs:

Continuity: Serpico was shot in his face and operated on. He subsequently wakes up after the operation with his beard intact. The hospital would have shaved it to cure the injuries caused by a bullet trespassing his cheek.

Quotes:

Frank Serpico: How come all your friends are on their way to bein' someone else?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The TV Set (2006)

The first real power-house performance by Pacino, thirty years down the line still one of his finest

Sidney Lumet proved himself to be a highly competent and effective director/storyteller for the true story of New York Officer Frank Serpico, who became famous after appearing to testify before the NAPA Commission about payoffs and corruption in the Police Department. At the time, it was unheard of, and it gained Peter Maars attention to write the book, which thus got transferred to the screen as so. But what makes Serpico such a riveting and eye catching picture today are the little things about it, little details in specific scenes and locations that help ring Serpico's emotions far more than true- it's just there. Even more amazing on the part of the actual filming of the movie is that it was at the time filmed backwards (started with the beard, then the mustache, then clean-shaven).

Al Pacino, right off of the first part of the Godfather trilogy, took this role with all the fire and compassion that he had in him. He sees in Serpico not just an honest cop wanting some balance and honor in his work, yet also a man, who can get as joyful and humorous as he can act subtle, furious, and thoughtful. This will always remain one of his stand-out roles after all the Scarfaces and Scent of a Woman pictures he can do because he, as well as Lumet, know how to approach such a saga. Plenty of great, compelling set pieces, and even sweet ones (like when he first buys the sheepdog as a puppy). A+