Riddle: Name a Good Pacino Role In Which He Is Not a Gangster.

Prior to watching "Serpico" (1973), I would have been hard-pressed to summon a movie title that answered that riddle. This made me realize, after watching "Serpico," that "Serpico" falls easily into Al Pacino's top five performances which are (in no particular order):
-"Godfather"
-"Godfather II"
-"Any Given Sunday"
-"Serpico"
-Definitely not "Scarface"

Normally, Pacino so facilely plays a conniving or manipulative anti-hero, that his on-point performance of incorruptible New York City detective Frank Serpico is a pleasant surprise. As Serpico graduates police academy and quickly rises through the ranks of the NYPD, he observes the racketeering and money-skimming widely practiced in the force. As an honest man, he denies participation. This alienates him from his squads who antagonize his benevolence. Transfer after transfer promises a cleaner department but fails to deliver.

Eventually, Serpico has to make decisions that compromise more than his reputation with his peers. Serpico puts his life on the line as he soon realizes he must work with district attorneys and commissioners to bring about an end to police corruption. Yes, Pacino acts in a role that is the antithesis of corruption.

Pacino keeps a suave cool for Serpico, who is stylyish in his undercover street dress (except when he poses as a chassid) and charming in his intellectual pursuits. But when Serpico does crack under the pressure from isolation and from the turmoil of battling corruption while maintaining civility amongst the police force, Pacino adequately releases charged speeches that could easily end with: "...and they pull me back in!"



(N.B. For those of you who are not as up on Puzo, Coppola, or Pacino filmography, that video is not from "Serpico.")

True in story, "Serpico" is a compelling cop-drama with an attractive lead performance. I can see why Max Fischer (6:00) would adapt it to the high school stage: three.5 out of five stars.