Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988)

The Police Academy's commandant will be honored at a police convention in Miami Beach. At the airport he picks a wrong bag with stolen diamonds. The "owners" want them back.

Director:

Alan Myerson

Writers:

Neal Israel (characters creator), Pat Proft (characters creator)

Stars:

Bubba Smith, David Graf, Michael Winslow

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bubba Smith	...	Hightower
David Graf	...	Tackleberry
Michael Winslow	...	Jones
Leslie Easterbrook	...	Callahan
Marion Ramsey	...	Hooks
Janet Jones	...	Kate
Lance Kinsey	...	Proctor
Matt McCoy	...	Nick
G.W. Bailey	...	Harris
George Gaynes	...	Lassard
Rene Auberjonois	...	Tony
George R. Robertson	...	Hurst
Tab Thacker	...	House
Archie Hahn	...	Mouse
James Hampton	...	Mayor of Miami

Storyline

Indeed, it seems that some people never learn, and after the recent fiasco of conniving Captain Harris in Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987), once more, the sneaky officer wants to take over the ageing Commandant Lassard's job, and step into his shoes. This time, the perfect opportunity arises in the shape of the prestigious "Police Officer of the Decade" convention in sunny Miami Beach, to commemorate Lassard's dedication to the force; however, a fateful encounter with an audacious trio of diamond thieves leads to a dangerous, high-speed chase across the Everglades. Now, it is up to Commandant Lassard's nephew, Sergeant Nick Lassard, and the Academy's loyal graduates to save the day. Can the boys thwart Harris' plans?

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Plot Keywords:

slapstick comedy | voyeur | police helicopter | police academy | fifth part | 

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Taglines:

Hold everything! The cadets are dropping in on Miami Beach for an all new adventure.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

(At around twelve minutes) Proctor hums the "Police Academy" theme tune as he folds his paper airplane. This was not originally part of the scene. The humming was later recorded by Lance Kinsey in-studio, and was added in post-production.

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Goofs

(at around 15 mins) Three goons traverse the gap between two buildings by shooting a grappling hook device, securing the line at their end first. You hear the word "Go!" telling the first to go, then "Go" for the second man, then "Go" for the third. You should only have heard the "Go" twice, as the last one wouldn't have told himself to go, and it was said by the same voice so no-one else could've told him to "Go". Plus when the second one was going across, from the camera angle looking back to the balcony they came from, no one was waiting for their turn. The camera angle switches again, well after the second guy left, and you see the third guy set off from the balcony.

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Quotes

Capt. Thaddeus Harris: You'll never get away with this, you two-bit filthy scum!
Tony: What did he call me?
Mouse: Scum.
Tony: Ah. Well, perhaps you'd like to leave now.
[snaps fingers]
Tony: Mouse?
[Mouse cocks his pistol]
Capt. Thaddeus Harris: [laughs weakly] About that "filthy scum" comment...
Tony: Shut up, shark bait.
Capt. Thaddeus Harris: "Shark bait"?

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Alternate Versions

SPOILER: A TV spot for the movie shows a deleted scene, where the mob boss Mr. Dempsey is being captured by Sgt. Hooks, who yells her trademark catchphrase, "Don't move, dirtbag!"

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Connections

Referenced in Conflict (1988)

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Soundtracks

La Cucaracha
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Below Awful...

"Police Academy V: Assignment: Miami Beach" continues the on-going "Police Academy" "comedies," if you wish. I call them trash.

The first had a few laughs, but was basically a rip-off of "Stripes" with Bill Murray. The second film was decent, and had just enough laughs to watch for. The third was one of those Sunday afternoon flicks. The rest are absolute, slobbering, grimy, putrid trash.

The plot involves Police Chief Lassard heading off to Miami Beach to accept an award. At the airport, he accidentedly switches suitcases with jewel thieves, who want their diamonds back...

This is the excuse for laughs not even half-baked. As always, the things one laughs at are those that the writers did not intend the audience to laugh at, like the end "action" sequence involving alligators, crocodiles, or whatever those fake puppets were.

I don't know how the "Police Academy" series ever got any more productions after the second or third film, but they did. Perhaps, in a sick, demented way, it's for the better. It ruined Steve Guttenberg's career, and gave all aspiring comedy writers something to "not do" when writing a comedy.

1/5 stars--

John Ulmer

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Police Academy V

Filming Locations:

Fontainebleau Hilton Resort - 4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,106,661, 20 March 1988

Gross USA:

$19,510,371

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,510,371

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1