Serpico (1973)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

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

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 | 1960s | Hippie | Policeman

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)
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)

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)

Production Companies

• Artists Entertainment Complex
• Produzioni De Laurentiis International Manufacturing Company

Distributors

• CIC (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corp. (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  location services
• Solters, Sabinson, Roskin  production publicity
• Talent Services Associates Inc.  extras casting

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]

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 | Brazil:12 | 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:

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?"

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.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Last Action Hero (1993)

Serpico: A Name That Became Famous

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.