Prince of the City (1981)

Plot: A NYC Detective decides to expose corruption in the police force. Based on a non-ficiton book.

I got sad about half-way through Prince of the City. It had started out so well and had so many good Cop characters and supporting actors. Along with quite a few realistic, well done, action scenes.  I liked Treat Williams too.

But after while, it just got to be too much.
Too un-focused , too confusing, too little plot movement, too many characters, too many lawyers, too many dull court scenes, too many scenes of regret and shame, too much gloom, too much overacting, and too many perfunctory family scenes. Not to mention, too dull.

I finally had to turn it off after 100 minutes (with 80 to go). It wasn’t a film, it was an endurance contest.

So what went wrong?
Two words: Sidney Lumet. Not only did the Producers give him almost creative carte blanche (and $10 million budget) they agreed to his demands of no stars, and a 3 hour run time. Throw in that he co-wrote the screen play in just 30 days, and you got the resulting mess. It takes Lumet 3 hours to get from A to A.

This movie should have been 2 hours, tops.
And the script should have been rewritten and made more focused and dramatic. This story needed better structure, fewer characters and more plot movement.

It also has two inherent problems

Its based on a true story (which limits the drama) and low-level Police corruption really isn’t that engrossing. Drama needs villains and corrupt policeman don't make good ones. Nor are the stakes that high. How upset can you get at NYC Cops shaking down drug dealers or skimming off drug dealer money? Or care about them being convicted?  I cared a little, but not 3 hours worth.

Highlights:  Gritty 1980 NYC and those Big cars.  Ron Karabatsos as a slimy bails bondman