Cops and Robbers (1973)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Aram Avakian

Writers:

Donald E. Westlake (novel)
Donald E. Westlake (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 August 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Comedy

Tagline:

They make $ 215. 39 a week as Cops, and ten million dollars in one day as Robbers. HOW DID THEY GET AWAY WITH IT?

Plot:

Two disillusioned New York policemen plan a $10 million robbery to fuel their low pensions, only to run into one debacle after another in the process.

Plot Keywords:

Bearer Bonds | Switch | Mafia | Bonds Theft | Unlikely Criminal

Cast

Cliff Gorman	...	Tom
Joseph Bologna	...	Joe
Charlene Dallas	...	Secretary
James Ferguson	...	Liquor Store Clerk
Frances Foster	...	Bleeding Lady
Gayle Gorman	...	Mary
Walt Gorney	...	Wino
George Harris II	...	Harry
Ellen Holly	...	Ms. Wells
Randy Jurgensen	...	Randy
Martin Kove	...	Ambulance Attendant
Delphi Lawrence	...	Rich Lady
Lucy Martin	...	Grace
Arthur Pierce	...	Ambulance Attendant
Nino Ruggeri	...	Mr. Joe

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Elliott Kastner Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: Tom reads a news article about how securities were stolen as employees watched a Series game won by the Mets on TV. This gives him the idea to do the heist during the parade for the Apollo 11 astronauts. The Mets didn't appear in the World Series until October 1969. However, Cliff and Joe rob the brokerage house during the parade for the Apollo 11 astronauts, which took place in the summer of 1969.

An excellent piece of 70's film-making

Donold Westlake is a true American original. He wrote a number of great books on capers in the 70's including Bankjob and The Hot Rock. But his best screenplay is clearly Cops And Robbers which also benefits greatly from top notched performances and an effortless presentation of a tightly knit story. It is one of the few films from the period that has aged well and given the fact that it was never released during the VHS era (and rarely screened on television) it is a treat for those that missed it.

The DVD is nothing special (pan and scan without special features) but it captures the essence of the theatrical release and given the lack of close-ups it doesn't suffer a lot from being cropped. It captures the spirit of 70s morality without offending many. In summary, it remains a strangely uplifting "feel good" artifact of an era that generally feels more dated than the proceeding decade.