Serpico

(1973)

Directed by

Sidney Lumet

Review by Todd Plucknett

Serpico is a true story based on the book by Peter Mass. The film is directed by the legend Sidney Lumet. It is one of the great films ever made about police corruption, and it is Lumet at his absolute finest.

The story revolves around Frank Serpico (Oscar-winner Al Pacino). He graduates from the Academy in 1960, and becomes a police officer in New York that same year. Almost immediately, Serpico is faced with the harsh reality that corruption is rampant throughout the force. There are drug dealers and other criminals paying monthly to the officers so that they would leave them alone. Serpico’s conscience cannot let himself take part in these crimes. As a result, almost every officer in the precinct looks down on him, as if he were the one doing wrong. Serpico also embraces counterculture, so he grows his hair long and dresses accordingly. He told the precinct that he was dressing like the citizens to enhance his undercover abilities.

Serpico then tries to report the police corruption. Barely anyone gives him the light of day. He meets Bob Blair (Tony Roberts), and he helps him start the process. It really began to put strain on his career, his life, and his relationship with his fiancée Laurie (Barbara Eda-Young). He was trying to do what he knew was right without drawing too much attention and ridicule from his fellow officers.

The movie is driven by Pacino’s best work and the gritty direction by Lumet. Eda-Young gives a fine performance, and Roberts is also very good in his supporting role. None of these people can contend with Pacino, though. His persona is absolutely flawless. His performance blends every part of Pacino that we have come to love into one perfect role. The stillness that he showed in The Godfather, the rage that he showed in Scarface, and the vulnerability that he expressed in Dog Day Afternoon all come together to create one of the great heroes in film history. The Oscar-nominated screenplay is very deft and appropriate, and the emotional impact is great.

If there is one problem with Serpico, it would be that the pacing is a bit off. It is a somewhat long 130 minutes, but the rewards in the end make the experience an absolutely satisfying one. The final scenes are poignant and brilliant. It is one of the more inspiring films, deserving its place on the AFI 100 Year…100 Cheers list. It is about one man who knows what the right thing is, and even though he is pressured to go against his beliefs, his standards and conscience drive take a stand against the corruption of the force. It is an absolutely inspirational film that still has not lost its appeal.

Rating:

# 65 on Top 100

# 1 of 1973