Star wars revenge of the sith book to movie comparison. Adapted by waldo salt and norman wexler from peter maass book, sidney lumets drama portrays the reallife struggle of an honest new york city cop against a corrupt system. Both maass book and the film cover 12 years, 1960 to 1972. Frank serpico al pacino is an idealistic new york city cop who refuses to take bribes, unlike the rest of the force. 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. Serpico, a cop himself, ended up getting shot in the face when fellow officers wouldnt come to his aid when confronting a suspect. Various other biographies and peter maas was an american journalist and author born of dutch and irish ancestry in new york city, new york state usa on 27 june 1929.
Serpicos revelations trigger an independent investigation by the knapp commission, but they also make him a marked man, permanently changing his life. Serpico holsters his model 36 before going to meet the corrupt officers in the park. Nobody wants to work with serpico, and hes in constant danger of being placed in life threatening positions by his partners. Frank serpico al pacino covered in blood and slumped in the backseat of a police car as it races to a hospital with lights and sirens blaring. Jan 04, 2005 frank serpico was a ny cop who not only refused to participate in corruption, but took measures to expose it and root it out, risking his life in the process. The deadly game, served as pilot and aired in april 1976. The deadly game 1976 new york cop frank serpico investigates loan sharks and drug smugglers in this pilot episode of the tv series. With frank serpico, stanislao pugliese, janet panetta, john oconnor. A culture of corruption pervaded the new york police department, where payoffs, protection, and shakedowns of gambling rackets and drug dealers were. Frank serpico speaks, in a new documentary about the. He is also at odds with his colleagues because he has something of a hippie appearance and lives in a bohemian neighborhood. Frank serpico was a ny cop who not only refused to participate in corruption, but took measures to expose it and root it out, risking his life in the process. Serpico internet movie firearms database guns in movies.
New york police corruption classic shoots from hip. The police are still out of control politico magazine. Serpico has some brutal surface flash and an acetylene performance by al pacino in the title role, but its energy is used to dodge all the questions it should have raised and answered. Nearly 50 years after frank serpico exposed endemic corruption in the new york city police department, his name still divides people.
Serpico is a 1973 american neonoir biographical crime film directed by sidney lumet, and starring al pacino. Fans of sidney lumets 1973 serpico, starring al pacino and his beautiful beard, likely hold a romantic notion of the real man who inspired the. But dunne didnt think there was a story to tell after reading maass book. He eventually testified before a special commission set up to investigate corruption in the nypd, and al pacino.
His struggles ultimately led to the knapp commission and reforms at the nypd, and set the stage for ethical reforms in policing across america. In the opening scene of the 1973 movie serpico, i am shot in the faceor to. Still has the original letter to the bookseller explaining what publicity the publisher is planing as well it explains about the forthcoming movie will star al pacino. In the 1970s, whistleblower frank serpico exposed rampant bribery in the new york police department. Serpico is an interesting and well written book about the struggles frank serpico faced while trying to be an honest cop among the corrupt practices which were ongoing at the time in new york city.
Systemic the public and the police force and how it is viewed in society. Serpico s revelations trigger an independent investigation by the knapp commission, but they also make him a marked man, permanently changing his life. Julio, a narcotics detective, waits outside the apartment when serpico is sent in to make the fake deal. Francesco vincent serpico born april 14, 1936 is a former new york city police department. Oct 28, 2017 it stuck close to the 1973 peter maas book, and frank serpico reveals just how much of serpicos story became, through the movie, iconic. Frank serpico is a former brooklyn detective who became the most famous whistleblower in nypd history, appearing before the knapp commission in 1971 to expose rampant police corruption. For some, especially those on the left, serpico is a whistleblo. In real life, as in the film, serpicos whistleblowing earned him the enmity of many colleagues. With al pacino, john randolph, jack kehoe, biff mcguire. The movie changed the name of the police officers accused in the book obstructive bureaucrat. To even tackle the difference between a movie and a book is a mortal sin. Documentary about the reallife whistleblowing cop is an interesting companion piece to the 1973 film starring al pacino. Unfortunately, i read this book about 20 times or so before i saw the movie.
Serpicos model 36 sits in his shoulder holster when another officer asks him for the collar on a suspect. Jul 08, 2015 in 1971, after the story of nypd corruption first broke, sam peckinpah wanted to make this movie as a twohander, with paul newman as durk and robert redford as serpico. In this book, serpico, maas wrote the biography of frank serpico who was a new york police officer who witnessed and testified against corruption in the police service. Serpico 1973 allmovie movies and films database movie. Serpico is a film that based on the of new york city police officer named frank serpico and the difficult obstacles he had to face working for the nypd. The series was based on the book by peter maas and the 1973 film of the same name that starred al pacino in the title role. From the very beginning of the film, viewers are captivated by the character frank serpico. Nov 23, 2017 new documentary frank serpico sees former nypd police officer frank serpico take on al pacino who played him in 1973 movie serpico, donald trump and the nypd. He would later go on to write in his book commissioner that he had very grave. He was shot while caught in the door of the drug dealers apartment. In 1976 david birney starred as serpico in a tv movie called serpico. It stuck close to the 1973 peter maas book, and frank serpico reveals just how much of serpicos story became, through the movie, iconic. There is another book that kind of goes with this one called varnish brassthe.
Known around the new york police department just as serpico, he is the protagonist of the film. Advance reading copy of the third novel by this author. Each time he finds that the departments are corrupt in similar fashions, but with different groups of officers. Inspired by the real story of newyorker cop frank serpico captured in the book by peter maas, the screenplay by waldo salt midnight cowboy, coming home and norman wexler saturday night fever anticipates in 20 years the introduction of another spectacular work by al pacino, carlitos way, also presenting his character when he is being taken to the hospital after being shot. Made into the 1973 movie of the same name starring al pacino. Serpico is a cops cop that had to deal with persuasive organized corruption, police crime, and ethical dilemmas etc.
You just cannot compare and contrast movies from books because it would be saying or identifying the best bunch of the two. Unlike all his colleagues, he refuses a share of the money that the cops routinely extort from local criminals. Frank serpico catches up with the nyc cop who made al. Shot on location with a gritty emphasis on documentarystyle realism, serpico presents a city in decay both literally and morally, as everybody is in on the take, and the cops and criminals are. While filming the movie, pacino grew incensed when a truck was blowing its. People outside new york city might not immediately know the name of frank serpico. As it turns out, the legend and the truth match up. There are a number of differences between the book and the movie but we are just going to focus on one category now, the feelings and inside information that is not seen in the movie. Professionalismfrank serpico and nypd wikibooks, open. Nov 03, 2017 in the 1970s, whistleblower frank serpico exposed rampant bribery in the new york police department. For instance in the fight between count dooku and anakin. Serpico is an american crime drama series that aired on nbc between september 1976 and january 1977. Frank serpico is a mature film, about a fascinating man made only more so by his time away from new york and the controversy that engulfed him. The film and principals were nominated for numerous.
As a movie, though, serpico deserves a lower score because it is a bit too long, some scenes about his personal life could be edited better, the timeline and length of serpicos police service are unclear, some of the supplementary characters are indistinguishable at times, and, most importantly, i was left unsatisfied at the end because i. Frank serpico updates the story of the man behind a. Performances, writing, attention to detail, and the visual storytelling are all first rate. These days, though, the movie feels languorous and overlong even. Apr 24, 2017 nearly 50 years after frank serpico exposed endemic corruption in the new york city police department, his name still divides people. After military service, he worked parttime and attended college, joining the new york city police department at the age of twentythree.
New york police corruption classic shoots from hip and. The rest of the movie tells the story of serpicos career up to this moment, starting with him becoming a police officer in 1960. On february 3rd, 1971, serpico was shot in the face face during a buy and bust operation. The deadly game also known as the deadly game, broadcast on nbc. Neophyte officer frank serpico al pacino is determined not to let his job get in the way of his individuality. Difference between movies and books difference between. In his own words, frank serpico tells the story of his oneman crusade for police reform in the nypd during the early 1970s.
As ive detailed in my film, the graft at the time went into many. This book is a well written account of this mans life and career. Taking place from 1960 to 1972, this film adaptation tells the story, as revealed by reallife new york city police officer, frank serpico of police corruption among his colleagues. Serpico 1973 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Serpico is a movie released in 1973 that is as impactful and relevant today as it was when it was made. Serpico, a cop himself, ended up getting shot in the face when fellow officers. Four decades after getting shot in a drug bust and testifying against police corruption, retired detective frank serpico is living in upstate new york and still trying to heal. Apr 25, 2017 frank serpico is a mature film, about a fascinating man made only more so by his time away from new york and the controversy that engulfed him.
Serpico climbed up the fire escape, entered by the fire escape door, went. Serpico, the 1973 movie directed by sidney lumet and starring al pacino, was an adaptation of a book by peter maas about a new york city police. He luckily survived, but he lost hearing in his left ear and had bullet fragments lodged in his brain. Serpico, the cop who wouldnt take money far flungers. May 09, 2017 fans of sidney lumets 1973 serpico, starring al pacino and his beautiful beard, likely hold a romantic notion of the real man who inspired the movie. And as we once again turn our national attention to. Serpico is a cops cop that had to deal with persuasive organized corruption, police crime, and. His testimony before it, after which he disappeared to europe. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48. But serpico was fortunate in that the target of his revelations was a police department, an organization which it was then and is. When it was decided to make the movie about his life called serpico. He is a perfect example of a whistleblower and a person with the utmost ethical courage. An engrossing, immediate depiction of early 70s new york, serpico is elevated by al pacinos ferocious performance.
But serpico was fortunate in that the target of his revelations was a police department, an organization which it was then and is now politically correct to distrust. Oct 31, 2017 serpico, the 1973 movie directed by sidney lumet and starring al pacino, was an adaptation of a book by peter maas about a new york city police officer who fought corruption in the ranks and. Though frank serpico paid a terrible price for his honesty, this book and the sidney lumet movie based on it did portray him as a hero, which he undeniably is. Serpico, a 1973 biography by peter maas, sold over 3 million copies. Serpico, the 1973 movie directed by sidney lumet and starring al pacino, was an adaptation of a book by peter maas about a new york city police officer who fought corruption in.
Jan 25, 2010 four decades after getting shot in a drug bust and testifying against police corruption, retired detective frank serpico is living in upstate new york and still trying to heal. Serpico by peter maas meet your next favorite book. He luckily survived, but he lost hearing in his left. Based on the true story of former nypd officer frank serpico, al pacino. In 1976 david birney starred as serpico in a tvmovie called serpico.
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