Serpico

Serpico is a 1973 American  crime film directed by  Sidney Lumet and starring  Al Pacino. Waldo Salt and  Norman Wexler wrote the screenplay, adapting  Peter Maas' biography of  NYPDofficer  Frank Serpico (born 1936), who went undercover to expose corruption in the force. Both Maas's book and the film cover 12 years — 1960 to June 15, 1972 — in the life of Serpico, who wanted to do the best job he could do as an honest policeman.

Plot summary
Working as a uniformed patrolman, Frank 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 use drugs, commit violence, take paybacks and other forms of  police corruption, Serpico decides to expose what he has seen, but he is harassed and threatened by his peers. The struggle leads to infighting within the police force, problems in his personal relationships, and life-threatening situations. Finally, after being shot in the face during a drug bust on February 3, 1971, he testifies before the  Knapp Commission, a government inquiry into NYPD police corruption between 1970 and 1972. After receiving a  New York City Police Department Medal of Honor and a  disability pension, Serpico resigned from the force and moved to  Switzerland.

Cast

 * Al Pacino as Frank Serpico
 * John Randolph as Chief Sidney Green
 * Jack Kehoe as Tom Keough
 * Biff McGuire as Captain Inspector McClain
 * Barbara Eda-Young as Laurie
 * Cornelia Sharpe as Leslie Lane
 * Tony Roberts as Bob Blair
 * John Medici as Pasquale Serpico
 * Allan Rich as District Attorney Herman Tauber
 * Norman Ornellas as Don Rubello
 * Edward Grover as Inspector Lombardo
 * Joseph Bova as Potts
 * Gene Gross as Captain Tolkin
 * John Stewart as Waterman
 * Woodie King Jr. as Larry
 * James Tolkan as Lieutenant Steiger
 * Ed Crowley as Barto
 * Bernard Barrow as Inspector Roy Palmer
 * Sal Carollo as Mr. Serpico
 * Mildred Clinton as Mrs. Serpico
 * Nathan George as Lieutenant Nate Smith
 * Alan North as Brown
 * Lewis J. Stadlen as Jerry Berman
 * John McQuade as Inspector Kellogg
 * M. Emmet Walsh as Gallagher
 * George Ede as Daley
 * F. Murray Abraham as Detective Partner
 * John Brandon as Police Lieutenant
 * Sam Coppola as Cop
 * René Enríquez as Cervantes Teacher
 * Conard Fowkes as Cop
 * Judd Hirsch as Cop
 * Tony Lo Bianco as Cop