Serpico

19731973
RR
2h 10min

7.7/10

Biography Crime Drama

An honest New York cop named Frank Serpico blows the whistle on rampant corruption in the force only to have his comrades turn against him.

Director
- Sidney Lumet
Writers
- Peter Maas(book)
- Waldo Salt(screenplay)
- Norman Wexler(screenplay)
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 6 wins & 12 nominations total

Videos2

Trailer 4:14

Trailer

Video 2:34

Christopher Meloni Knows How to Spot a Good Cop

Al Pacino and Cornelia Sharpe in Serpico (1973)

Director
- Sidney Lumet
Writers
- Peter Maas(book)
- Waldo Salt(screenplay)
- Norman Wexler(screenplay)
All cast & crew

See production, box office, & company info

Serpico is a cop in the 1960s-early 1970s. Unlike all his colleagues, he refuses a share of the money that the cops routinely extort from local criminals. Nobody wants to work with Serpico, and he's in constant danger of being placed in life threatening positions by his "partners". Nothing seems to get done even when he goes to the highest of authorities. Despite the dangers he finds himself in, he still refuses to 'go with the flow', in the hope that one day, the truth will be known. —Rob Hartill

police corruption police corruption new york city undercover cop 163 more

Taglines
- Many of his fellow officers considered him the most dangerous man alive - An honest cop.
Genres
Certificate
- R
Parents guide

Trivia
The film was shot in reverse order. Al Pacino began with long hair and a beard, then for each scene, his hair and beard were trimmed bit by bit until he became clean-cut.

Goofs
The prison "chain gang" being led into the wagon at the beginning has male and female prisoners on the same "chain," and both sexes are transported in the same wagon. The NYPD absolutely forbade that then ... and now.

Quotes
Frank Serpico: You know what they say, don't you? If you love a man's garden, you gotta love the man!

Alternate versions
There is one Australian VHS version released through RCA Columbia Pictures Hoyts Home Video in the 1980s which had all profanity overdubbed with tamer language, as well as some scenes of sexuality/nudity. Subsequent releases on DVD are uncensored.

Connections
Edited into The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)

Soundtracks
E Lucevan le Stelle
(uncredited)
from "Tosca"
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Giuseppe Di Stefano

Top review

10/10

The first real power-house performance by Pacino, thirty years down the line still one of his finest

Sidney Lumet proved himself to be a highly competent and effective director/storyteller for the true story of New York Officer Frank Serpico, who became famous after appearing to testify before the NAPA Commission about payoffs and corruption in the Police Department. At the time, it was unheard of, and it gained Peter Maars attention to write the book, which thus got transferred to the screen as so. But what makes Serpico such a riveting and eye catching picture today are the little things about it, little details in specific scenes and locations that help ring Serpico's emotions far more than true- it's just there. Even more amazing on the part of the actual filming of the movie is that it was at the time filmed backwards (started with the beard, then the mustache, then clean-shaven).

Al Pacino, right off of the first part of the Godfather trilogy, took this role with all the fire and compassion that he had in him. He sees in Serpico not just an honest cop wanting some balance and honor in his work, yet also a man, who can get as joyful and humorous as he can act subtle, furious, and thoughtful. This will always remain one of his stand-out roles after all the Scarfaces and Scent of a Woman pictures he can do because he, as well as Lumet, know how to approach such a saga. Plenty of great, compelling set pieces, and even sweet ones (like when he first buys the sheepdog as a puppy). A+

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