Mystery Fest: Serpico

1973 cop drama

Rating: 16/20

Plot: Based on the true story of honest cop Frank Serpico who starts tattling on fellow cops who are up to no good and then gets shot in the face because crucifixion has gone out of style.

 That beard and hair that develops as the titular cop's story progresses is an obvious Christ figure attempt, right? Or maybe the real Serpico modeled his head hair and facial hair after Jesus, too. This is another great film from 1973 that is burdened with a terrible award-nominated score by Mikis Theodorakis. And it's not just that it's dated even though it is dated. The problem is that a lot of the music just seems inappropriate. There are early scenes where we get to see Serpico early in his career, and the background music sounds like it's straight out of a romantic comedy montage. I wondered if it was supposed to represent--in tone--young Serpico's idealism, but although the music does grow in intensity a smidgen, it's really all pretty cheesy. I also think the film's pacing is strange. It feels much longer than it actually is and a little disjointed, like chunks of the story are missing. It jumps to high points instead of flowing, and honestly, I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or not. It requires you to fill in some gaps, create parts of Serpico's story in your head. For example, there's his love interests. There's really no warning leading up to his first girlfriend's bathtub announcement that she is going to marry some Texan if he doesn't marry her unless I missed something. You have to fill in those gaps. It does help round Serpico's character, however, as we find out what his priorities are. What I do like a lot about this is the consistent grit. You feel it right away with the great opener, a whistling siren over white-on-black credits and an opening shot of a bloody Serpico. There's talk that could make you wonder if the guy's a criminal or a hero if you don't already know the story. That driving rain, those rhythmic windshield wipers, and all sans music of any kind which makes you wonder how much better this whole thing could have been without Theodorakis. The movie would not have survived without Pacino and the performance he brings. What's interesting to me is that this was filmed in reverse with a bearded hippie Pacino gradually being trimmed to the clean-cut greenback he is at the beginning of the story. That's what makes the performance so remarkable. Pacino seemingly warms up and really gets going, turning on the intensity as this thing drives on, but in reality, he filmed the most intense stuff first. I'd imagine that would be difficult to do as an actor. He gets some terrific moments in this--singing opera loudly in his car, getting to say "Now I gotta do my pee-pee in the dark," and trying to sit down during a scene at Felix's after announcing that he "can shout anywhere!" and nearly falling off his chair. Again, that's the sort of thing that has to be left in there because it adds to the grit, just like the "God wants you in church often" graffiti written clumsily on the side of the "potato machine" that Tony Roberts, who also gives his own solid performance, is talking about. The scene that really stands out in this movie? A great one where Pacino's silhouette is shooting at an approaching practice target.