New York cop Frank Serpico blows the whistle on the rampant corruption in the force only to have his comrades turn against him.
Acting
Pacino's slow-burn desperation — the beard phase of his career.
Direction
Lumet makes NYC feel like a character gaslighting Frank.
Production
Grimy 70s authenticity that no period piece has matched.
Director
Sidney Lumet
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Frank Serpico attended the premiere in disguise and fled to Switzerland shortly after — he still lives there.
This film helped create the 'whistleblower' archetype in cinema; Serpico's actual police badge is now in the NYPD museum — ironically.
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