IMDb on iPhone and iPod touch Learn more Learn more Download from the App Store
IMDb > Serpico (1973)
Serpico
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips
Photos (see all 10 | slideshow) Videos
Serpico (1973) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   23,062 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Peter Maas (book)
Waldo Salt (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Serpico on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
14 March 1974 (Netherlands) more
Genre:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(11 articles)
Warren Beatty, Steven Spielberg, Dino de Laurentiis: Governors Awards 2009
 (From Alt Film Guide. 15 November 2009, 4:33 PM, PST)

Little Scene : Scarecrow
 (From t5m.com. 30 July 2009, 6:07 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
Serpico: A Name That Became Famous more (111 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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)
Gene Gross ... Capt. Tolkin

John Stewart ... Waterman
Woodie King Jr. ... Larry (as Woodie King)
James Tolkan ... Lt. Steiger (as James Tolkin)
Ed Crowley ... Barto
Bernard Barrow ... Insp. Roy Palmer
Sal Carollo ... Mr. Serpico
Mildred Clinton ... Mrs. Serpico
Nathan George ... Lt. Nate Smith
Gus Fleming ... Dr. Metz
Richard Foronjy ... Rudy Corsaro
Alan North ... Brown
Lewis J. Stadlen ... Jerry Berman
John McQuade ... Insp. Kellogg

Ted Beniades ... Al Sarno
John Lehne ... Insp. Gilbert

M. Emmet Walsh ... Chief Gallagher
George Ede ... Deputy Chief Insp. Daley

Charles White ... Commissioner Delaney
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

F. Murray Abraham ... Detective partner (uncredited)
Don Billett ... Detective threatening Serpico (uncredited)
Raleigh Bond ... (uncredited)
John Brandon ... Police lieutenant (uncredited)
James Bulleit ... Det. Styles (uncredited)
Roy Cheverie ... Cop (uncredited)
Sam Coppola ... Cop (uncredited)
Marjorie Eliot ... Rape Victim (uncredited)
René Enríquez ... Cervantes teacher (uncredited)
Frank Gio ... Police lieutenant (uncredited)
Trent Gough ... Cop (uncredited)
Paul E. Guskin ... Police Academy classmate (uncredited)

Judd Hirsch ... Cop (uncredited)
Richard Kuss ... Detective (uncredited)

Tony Lo Bianco ... Cop (uncredited)
George Loros ... Det. Glover (uncredited)
Kenneth McMillan ... Charlie (uncredited)
Stephen Pearlman ... Desk sergeant (uncredited)
Tim Pelt ... Black hood (uncredited)
William Pelt ... Black hood (uncredited)
Jay Rasumny ... Television cameraman (uncredited)
Jaime Sánchez ... Cop (uncredited)
Franklin Scott ... Black prisoner (uncredited)
Tom Signorelli ... Bookmaker (uncredited)
Ben Slack ... Detective sitting at desk (uncredited)

Tracey Walter ... Street Urchin (uncredited)
Mary Louise Weller ... Lisa - girl at party (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Sidney Lumet 
 
Writing credits
Peter Maas (book)

Waldo Salt (screenplay) and
Norman Wexler (screenplay)

Produced by
Martin Bregman .... producer
Dino De Laurentiis .... executive producer
Roger M. Rothstein .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Mikis Theodorakis 
 
Cinematography by
Arthur J. Ornitz 
 
Film Editing by
Dede Allen 
Richard Marks (co-editor)
 
Casting by
Michael Chinich 
Shirley Rich 
 
Production Design by
Charles Bailey 
 
Art Direction by
Douglas Higgins 
 
Set Decoration by
Thomas H. Wright 
 
Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone 
 
Makeup Department
Philip Leto .... hair stylist (as Phillip Leto)
Reginald Tackley .... makeup artist (as Redge Tackley)
Michael R. Thomas .... special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Martin Danzig .... unit manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Burtt Harris .... assistant director
Alan Hopkins .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Leslie Bloom .... set dresser (as Les Bloom)
Joseph M. Caracciolo .... property master (as Joe Caracciolo)
Jack Hughes .... scenic artist
 
Sound Department
Edward Beyer .... sound editor
Richard P. Cirincione .... sound editor
Jack Fitzstephens .... sound editor (as John J. Fitzstephens)
Robert M. Reitano .... sound editor (as Robert Reitano)
Robert Rogow .... boom operator
James Sabat .... sound mixer (as James J. Sabat)
Dick Vorisek .... sound re-recordist (as Richard Vorisek)
Maurice Schell .... assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Maurice Schell .... foley editor (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Frank Orsatti .... stunt coordinator
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Lou Barlia .... camera operator (as Louis Barlia)
Charles Kolb .... key grip
Willie Meyerhoff .... gaffer (as Willy Meyerhoff)
Joseph Di Pasquale .... first assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clifford Capone .... wardrobe (as Clifford C. Capone)
 
Editorial Department
Ronald Roose .... assistant editor
Angelo Corrao .... assistant editor (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Bob James .... conductor
Bob James .... music arranger
 
Transportation Department
Raymond Hartwick .... transportation gaffer
 
Other crew
B.J. Bjorkman .... script supervisor (as B.J. Bachman)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Serpico (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Sérpico (Spain) [es]
Serpico (Greece) [el]
Serpico (Denmark) [da]
Serpico (Brazil) [pt]
Serpico - gatans tiger (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Serpico - kadun tiikeri (Finland) (alternative spelling) [fi]
Serpiko (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
more
Runtime:
129 min | Spain:113 min
Country:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
After he decided to make the film, Al Pacino invited Frank Serpico to stay with him at a house that Pacino had rented in Montauk, New York. When Pacino asked Serpico, "Why did you do it?" Serpico replied, "Well, Al, I don't know. I guess I would have to say it would be because... if I didn't, who would I be when I listened to a piece of music?" more
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: Serpico and Lombardo rapidly descend a shaky metal fire escape system without making a sound or alerting the lookout man, who only notices them when they fall to the pavement beside him. more
Quotes:
[Given a detective's gold badge]
Frank Serpico: What's this for? For bein' an honest cop? Hmm? Or for being stupid enough to get shot in the face? You tell them that they can shove it.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Last Action Hero (1993) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
29 out of 37 people found the following review useful.
Serpico: A Name That Became Famous, 3 April 2006
8/10
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

There have so many crooked-cops-themed films in the past 30 years that this film has lost a lot of its shock-and-awe. The long hair, wild clothes, beads, etc. really date this film, too, it being so early '70s in looks. It's almost become a "period piece" as if it were the Roaring Twenties except its the Sleazy Seventies.

All you have to do is look at the party scene in here and you'll get a glimpse at the early '70s, and most of it is not good. What IS good is Al Pacino's acting, of course. There have been very few films in which he starred that didn't displaying his acting talents to the fullest. This one, along with Dog Day Afternoon and few others, put him "on the map," making him a big star. He's been a "star" ever since.

This is a fairly long film but, like Pacino, it's rarely boring. The name of Pacino's character, "Serpico," has become synonymous with "honest cop." It demonstrates what a strong impact this movie had on millions of people.

Gritty? Yes. Profane? Yes; Memorable? Most definitely. When you speak of modern-day "classics," this film is one of them.

Was the above review useful to you?
more (111 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Serpico (1973)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
When Serpico is ordering lunch Purple_Wolfhound
Anyone watch Sunny? druman451
Jack Lemmon vs. Al Pacino impossibledreamer
One thing that bothered me. jonnyheckman
Pacino in this movie... fireblyss
With Serpico's hat, beard and short stature... eight_days
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Magnum Force Pride and Glory King of New York Training Day The Basketball Diaries
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Crime section IMDb Italy section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.