The Super Cops (1974)

The true story of two New York City cops. Greenberg & Hantz fought the system, became detectives and were known on the streets as "Batman & Robin".

Director:

Gordon Parks

Writers:

Lorenzo Semple Jr., L.H. Whittemore (book)

Stars:

Ron Leibman, David Selby, Sheila Frazier

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ron Leibman	...	David Greenberg
David Selby	...	Robert Hantz
Sheila Frazier	...	Sara (as Sheila E. Frazier)
Pat Hingle	...	Insp. Novick
Dan Frazer	...	Police Capt. Irving Krasna
Joseph Sirola	...	Police Lt. O'Shaughnessy
Arny Freeman	...	Judge Benny Kellner
Bernard Kates	...	Heller
Alex Colon	...	Carlos
Charles Turner	...	Joe Hayes
Ralph Wilcox	...	John Hayes
Al Fann	...	Frank Hayes
David Greenberg	...	Det. Basoff (as Dave Greeberg)
Robert Hantz	...	Det. Neel
Norman Bush	...	Billy

Storyline

Dave and Rob, fresh from the Police Academy, enrage their captain because they want to do more than controlling the traffic. As penalty they are sent to Brooklyn. However they don't give up, but develop their own methods to fight against dealers, criminals and corrupt colleagues.

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Plot Keywords:

police | new york city | wrecking ball | police officer | based on book

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Crime

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1974 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

2 supercolt a Brooklyn

Filming Locations:

Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), St. Regis Films, Tom Ward Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The New York papers did actually report their story as "The Adventures of Batman and Robin."

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Quotes

David Greenberg: Sir? Hantz and me we made all kinds of collars on our own time and all we got so far is called crooks and treated like we got leprosy. A polite question is what the fuck kind of police force is this?
Captain Bush: It is a big organization, that's what kind. Like General Motors. Like the Army. It has its own system of doing things. It may be lunatic. Who knows, who cares. But if you are bucking that system your are in TROUBLE!
Robert Hantz: Even if we aim to improve it?
Captain Bush: HmmmBoy... You belong in the New York Police ...

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Connections

Remade as The Supercops (1975)

User Reviews

Down and Dirty

The 60's loosened up movies a lot. It became okay, for example, to show crooked cops and real poverty. Older Hollywood in its preoccupation with glamour and the Cold War naturally shied away from such inflammatory topics. But the cultural revolt of the Vietnam period insisted on "telling it like it is", and I take this movie to be one of its products.

Greenberg (Leibman) and Hantz (Selby) are a couple of rookie cop hotshots who rock the precinct boat with their zeal and unorthodox style. Too bad we never learn what in their backgrounds drives them. Instead, the movie follows them on their exploits without explaining much of anything. It's kind of like watching a collection of sports highlights without the developmental threads of a narrative.

Still, the movie never drags or bores, plus the gritty shots of ghetto life are worth the admission price alone. Then too, the screenplay sure doesn't glamorize either the typical cop or precinct life generally. The "feel" here is of the real thing, one of the film's genuine strengths.

Unlike most films, however, none of the movie's characters are particularly likable. In fact, I agree with the reviewer who found the quirky Greenberg annoying, while the subdued Hantz remains something of a cypher. Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with this, except by the end, the two appear just the same as they were at the beginning. In short, all the murder, mayhem and human misery have affected them not at all, one way or the other.

All in all, the movie's an okay entry in the post-Serpico sweepstakes. Yet, despite its down-and-dirty look at urban policing, the story never manages any needed depth, despite the richness of the material.