Law and Disorder (1974)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Ivan Passer

Writers:

Kenneth Harris Fishman (writer)
Ivan Passer (writer)

Release Date:

31 July 1975 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Plot Keywords:

New York | Frustration | Independent Film

Cast

Carroll O'Connor	...	Willie
Ernest Borgnine	...	Cy
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Sally
Anita Dangler	...	Irene
Leslie Ackerman	...	Karen
Karen Black	...	Gloria
Jack Kehoe	...	Elliott
David Spielberg	...	Bobby
Joe Ragno	...	Peter
Pat Corley	...	Ken
J. Frank Lucas	...	Flasher
Edward Grover	...	Capt. Malloy (as Ed Grover)
Pepper Wormser	...	Yablonsky
Lionel Pina	...	Chico
Gary Springer	...	F.U. Kid

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Fadsin Cinema Associates

Law and Disorder (1974) **/12

It's a weird thing about this comedy-drama. I first saw it as a kid back in 1975 where it played almost constantly on HBO and was one of the first movies I ever recall seeing on cable TV. At the time I thought it was damn funny and ever since it became somewhat of a lost film until Anchor Bay released it to DVD several years ago. I couldn't wait to see it again. But when I finally revisited it on disc, I'd found that much of the magic had gone and I didn't think it held up quite as well. It's worth watching for sure if you're a fan of Carroll O'Connor or Ernest Borgnine, but still stacks up as kind of a slightly lost opportunity.

In this movie, O'Connor is a cab driver (and doing his usual Archie Bunker routine even though I think he was trying to prove he wasn't typecast) and Borgnine is his longtime best friend and a struggling hairdresser who owns his own salon (how's that for bizarre casting?). Karen Black is cast as Ernie's ditzy and belligerent's employee, the best hair stylist he's able to find. Dwelling with their heads just barely above water in a typical '70s crime-infested New York City, the men become fed up with it all and decide to become auxiliary cops in order to help straighten the neighborhood out from the wrath of drug dealers, burglars and street scum. They get more than they bargained for in the end, which is the best part of the film, and a very strong climax.

While this team-up would seem to be a sure-fire winning combination and set-up, the "story" as it's presented is practically non-existent and all over the place, which is kind of a shame. Golden moments and funnies do show up in odd places, but these share the screen time with all sorts of plot holes and different, undeveloped ideas. Worth a watch if you can see it, but this could have been a lot better.