Details

Release year: 1973

Storyline

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.

Top credits

Directors

Sidney Lumet

Writers

Cast

Al Pacino — Serpico
John Randolph — Sidney Green
Jack Kehoe — Tom Keough
Biff McGuire — Captain McClain

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Awards

0 wins & 2 nominations

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Did you know

• 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.

• 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?"

• Al Pacino considers this movie to be one of his greatest achievements as an actor. In his autobiography, Pacino explains he was given the official biography of Frank Serpico for research but found the book dull saying it read like, "He does this, then he does that. Then he meets his mother, then he meets his mother, and so on." However, when Pacino met the real Frank Serpico face to face, immediately he knew that he could play this role.