Serpico

1973
R
2h 10m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

138K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer4:14

Cop Drama Docudrama Police Procedural True Crime Biography Crime Drama Thriller

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.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.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.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

138K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

3,004

186

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 8 wins & 13 nominations total

Laurie
(as Barbara eda-Young)

Cornelia Sharpe

Leslie

Tony Roberts

Bob Blair

John Medici

Pasquale

Allan Rich

D.A. Tauber

Norman Ornellas

Rubello

Edward Grover

Lombardo
(as Ed Grover)

Albert Henderson

Peluce
(as Al Henderson)

Hank Garrett

Malone

Damien Leake

Joey

Joseph Bova

Potts
(as Joe Bova)

Gene Gross

Captain Tolkin

John Stewart

Waterman

Woodie King Jr.

Larry
(as Woodie King)

Director
- Sidney Lumet
Writers
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

8.0

7.9

7.4

7.7

7.1

The Panic in Needle Park

7.8

7.8

7.7

7.2

7.3

7.2

8.0

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
After he decided to make the film, Al Pacino invited Frank Serpico to stay with him at a house that Pacino had rented in Montauk, New York. When Pacino asked Serpico, "Why did you do it?" Serpico replied, "Well, Al, I don't know. I guess I would have to say it would be because if I didn't, who would I be when I listened to a piece of music?"

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 still does.

Quotes
Frank Serpico: The reality is that we do not wash our own laundry--it just gets dirtier.

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

User reviews251

Review

Featured review

8/10

Serpico: A Name That Became Famous

There have so many crooked-cops-themed films in the past 30 years that this film has lost a lot of its shock-and-awe. The long hair, wild clothes, beads, etc. really date this film, too, it being so early '70s in looks. It's almost become a "period piece" as if it were the Roaring Twenties except its the Sleazy Seventies.

All you have to do is look at the party scene in here and you'll get a glimpse at the early '70s, and most of it is not good. What IS good is Al Pacino's acting, of course. There have been very few films in which he starred that didn't displaying his acting talents to the fullest. This one, along with Dog Day Afternoon and few others, put him "on the map," making him a big star. He's been a "star" ever since.

This is a fairly long film but, like Pacino, it's rarely boring. The name of Pacino's character, "Serpico," has become synonymous with "honest cop." It demonstrates what a strong impact this movie had on millions of people.

Gritty? Yes. Profane? Yes; Memorable? Most definitely. When you speak of modern-day "classics," this film is one of them.