Antonino D’Ambrosio’s documentary tells the true story of the young New York City police officer who became a household name after the release of Sidney Lumet’s blockbuster 1971 drama Serpico. Raised with an idealistic moral code and trained as a social worker, Frank Serpico--a rare Italian among the insular Irish-descended NYPD regulars--was appalled at the culture of casual bribery and graft rampant on the force. His complaints and testimonies before the Knapp Commission were followed by a transfer to the narcotics division (oddly), which gave him an even bigger window into corruption. When backup withdrew during a drug bust, leaving Serpico shot and wounded, a deliberate conspiracy was suspected. A series of journalistic profiles (and a true-crime book by Peter Maas) inspired the hit Al Pacino movie. In real life, Serpico moved away from the spotlight to a farm in Holland--a disco-era Barbara Walters seems appalled here, but in retrospect Serpico’s shunning of celebrity seems to have been a wise move. Recent high-profile examples of police abusing power and shooting unarmed suspects has given Serpico’s story fresh relevance. Here, the outspoken Serpico comes across as a gifted storyteller and a man of conviction. Extras include deleted scenes. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)
Frank Serpico
(2018) 98 min. DVD: $24.98. MPI Home Video (avail. from most distributors). SDH captioned. Volume 33, Issue 3
Frank Serpico
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