Serpico is a 1973 American crime film directed by Sidney Lumet. It is based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and intimidation they leveled against him. It stars Al Pacino, John Randolph and Tony Roberts. Based on the non-fiction book by Peter Maas, the film covers twelve and a half years in the life of Frank Serpico, a NYPD officer who wants to do the best he can as a policeman. Working as a uniformed patrolman,... Serpico succeeds in every assignment. He moves on to plainclothes assignments, where he slowly discovers a hidden world of illicit activities among his own colleagues. After witnessing cops doing drugs, committing violence, taking paybacks and other forms of police corruption, Serpico decides to expose what he's seen, but he is harassed and threatened. The struggle leads to infighting within the police force, problems in his personal relationships, and life-threatening situations.
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| Release date: | December 5, 1973 |
| Directed by: | Sidney Lumet |
| Rated: |  |
| Runtime: | 130 Minutes |
| Producer: | Martin Bregman |
| Editor: | Dede Allen, Richard Marks |
| Music by: | Míkis Theodorákis |
| Cinematography: | Arthur Ornitz |
| Screenplay by: | Waldo Salt, Norman Wexler |
| Estimated budget: | $1,000,000 |
| Genre: | Biography, Thriller |