IMDb >
Dragnet (1987)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsDragnet (1987) More at IMDbPro »
| Videos (see all 2 NEW) |
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
26 June 1987 (USA) moreTagline:
They're so bad at being bad... but so much worse at being good! morePlot:
The equally-straight-laced and "by the book" nephew of Joe Friday must work with his more laid-back partner to solve a mystery. full summary | add synopsisNewsDesk:
(6 articles)
The New Adam-12: Watch the Last Episode of the 1989 Remake Series (From TVSeriesFinale. 19 August 2009, 4:06 PM, PDT)
Dragnet rates a U.S. postal stamp
(From AOL - TVSquad. 11 August 2009, 9:02 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Passable spoof of a serious '50s police series. more (57 total)Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Dan Aykroyd | ... | Sgt. Joe Friday | |
| Tom Hanks | ... | Pep Streebeck | |
| Christopher Plummer | ... | Reverend Jonathan Whirley | |
| Harry Morgan | ... | Captain Gannon | |
| Alexandra Paul | ... | Connie Swail | |
| Jack O'Halloran | ... | Emil Muzz | |
| Elizabeth Ashley | ... | Jane Kirkpatrick | |
| Dabney Coleman | ... | Jerry Caesar | |
| Kathleen Freeman | ... | Enid Borden | |
| Bruce Gray | ... | Mayor Parvin | |
| Lenka Peterson | ... | Granny Mundy | |
| Julia Jennings | ... | Sylvia Wiss | |
| Lisa Aliff | ... | April | |
| Joe Altmark | ... | Milkman | |
| Nina Arvesen | ... | Lady Motor Cop |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
106 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
DolbyCertification:
Iceland:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #28649) | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Norway:11 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12Filming Locations:
Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA moreFun Stuff
Trivia:
In real life, Dan Aykroyd is a huge fan of Jack Webb, the original Joe Friday, and as a tribute to him Aykroyd gives many of his characters the ability to spit out complex technical jargon the way Joe Friday recites laws and police procedures. Examples are in Ghost Busters (1984) (when Ray Stanz "orders" the demi-god Zuul to leave New York), The Blues Brothers (1980) (when Elwood describes the specifications of the "Bluesmobile"), and 1941 (1979) (when he explains the function of the anti-aircraft gun to Ned Beatty). moreGoofs:
Revealing mistakes: Cables used to pull the fiberglass cow from the roof of the "milk factory" can be seen as Friday and Streebeck ram the door moreQuotes:
[Friday is about to eat a chili dog]Pep Streebeck: You know the kinds of things that can fall into an industrial sausage press? Not excluding rodent hairs and... bug excrement?
[Friday gives a disgusted look]
Joe Friday: I hate you, Streebeck.
more
Soundtrack:
Dance or Die moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (57 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Dragnet (1987) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! | The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear | The Stunt Man | Woman in Distress | Batman Begins |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Comedy section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |



Those who actually remember, or were fans of, the '50s cop show Dragnet might be a little alarmed to find that this 1987 homage is played predominantly for laughs. Those who do not know the original show, whether that be because they are too young or simply because they never watched it, might enjoy this version on its own merits. Dan Akroyd and Tom Hanks certainly strike an agreeable comic partnership, though the story is rather hackneyed even at spoof material level.
Sgt Joe Friday (nephew of the Jack Webb character from the original TV series, and played here as a by-the-book stickler by Dan Akroyd) is paired with a new partner, the loud and cocksure Pep Streebek (Tom Hanks). Together, they drive the streets of L.A in search of crime and criminals. The mismatched duo find themselves drawn into a case involving a sect of demented cultists who go by the acronym P.A.G.A.N (People Against Goodness And Normalcy!) The P.A.G.A.Ns are fronted by a powerful leader whose identity is kept from them as he wears a goat's head mask during cult gatherings and rituals. Friday and Streebek infiltrate one of the P.A.G.A.N ceremonies and rescue a virginal young beauty, Connie Swaile (Alexandra Paul), who is to be sacrificed by the cultists. In the ensuing fracas, Connie discovers that the goat-headed cult leader is actually Rev Jonathan Whirley (Christopher Plummer), and for the rest of the picture the trio of Friday, Streebek and Connie try to prove to the doubters that the greatly revered Reverend is actually a criminal mastermind of considerable repute and depravity.
At 106 minutes, the film is pretty brisk and never really taxes one's patience. As mentioned, the plot is hackneyed and in truth is never used as anything more than a backcloth against which to highlight some comic set pieces. The comedy itself is amusing though never more (I certainly can't think of a line or sequence which I would call "hilarious"). There was an opportunity here for some witty interplay between the two heroes, but generally-speaking the film tends to reject this opportunity in favour of a more physical and frantic brand of humour. Akroyd is good as the absurdly rule-abiding Friday, and Plummer gives an enjoyably villainous turn as the film's sinister, smirking bad guy. But the film mainly belongs to Hanks, still in the relatively early days of his film career, who brings energy and confidence to his role. There's nothing remarkable about Dragnet, but it passes the time painlessly enough.