The New Centurions (1972)

An idealistic rookie cop joins the L.A.P.D. to make ends meet while finishing law school, and is indoctrinated by a seasoned veteran. As time goes on, he loses his ambitions and family as police work becomes his entire life.

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Stirling Silliphant (screenplay), Joseph Wambaugh (novel)

Stars:

George C. Scott, Stacy Keach, Jane Alexander

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George C. Scott	...	Kilvinski
Stacy Keach	...	Roy
Jane Alexander	...	Dorothy
Scott Wilson	...	Gus
Rosalind Cash	...	Lorrie
Erik Estrada	...	Sergio
Clifton James	...	Whitey
Richard E. Kalk	...	Milton (as Richard Kalk)
James Sikking	...	Sgt. Anders
Beverly Hope Atkinson	...	Alice
Mittie Lawrence	...	Gloria
Isabel Sanford	...	Wilma
Carol Speed	...	Martha
Tracee Lyles	...	Helen
Burke Byrnes	...	Phillips

Storyline

A group of new police recruits takes to patrolling the streets of Los Angeles. Roy Fehler is a law student with a family and has joined the LAPD until he can complete his degree. He's partnered with veteran patrolman Kilvinski and they soon develop a good rapport. On the street the policemen are exposed to the seedier side of life but Kilvinski is a fair cop and a good teacher. Over time however, Fehler comes to love the work and both his family and his studies fall by the wayside. Kilvinsky retires and Fehler loses his way, drinking heavily. Fehler's wife leaves him and he soon hits bottom. Just as he begins to get his life in order, fate intervenes.

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Plot Keywords:

squad car | call box | police call box | lapd | veteran | 

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Taglines:

The Picture About Cops By A Cop Is Back To Blast The Screen!

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Isabelle Sanford as a hooker in an early scene.

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Goofs

Both Fahler and Kilvinski make a grievous error (not to mention violating both LAPD policy and procedure) by not handcuffing the truck driver when they arrest him. That is the first thing that should have been done before placing him in the back seat of the patrol car, especially given his belligerence about being pulled over and issued a traffic ticket, which then he refused to sign.

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Quotes

Dorothy: Roy, I'm leaving you.
Roy: When did you decide this?
Dorothy: I don't know. It's been coming on a long time, I guess. I guess after Kilvinski retired and you decided to stay on and go on to vice, I guess that's what did it.
Roy: Yeah, but Dorothy, I'm, I hate this assignment, I'm not gonna be doing this forever.
Dorothy: It doesn't matter, Roy. It doesn't have anything to do with that. And it has nothing to do with you being a policeman anymore. And it's not because I'm a girl who doesn't like to be alone or because I worry ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Cop Stories: The Making of Richard Fleischer's 'The New Centurions' (2016)

User Reviews

Nice little film. Good character study

Good little film, about the ins & outs of a group of cops in LA in the early 70's. Good eye for detail, and another fine performance by George C. Scott. This guy was on a roll back then. Having finished up the 60's w/ "Petulia", then "Patton", followed by the excellent gem "The Hospital", it was almost a couldn't miss. True to life depiction, bogged down just a bit by melodrama & cliche'-ridden script. Stacy Keach fine in this as well.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

9 November 1972 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Los nuevos centuriones

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Chartoff-Winkler Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1