52 Years Later, One of the Best Crime Thrillers Ever Made Explodes Onto New Streaming Home

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The 1970s were a golden age for gritty crime thrillers, giving us incredibly realistic movies like Taxi Driver, Death Wish, and Mean Streets. These films, featuring iconic performances from actors like Charles Bronson, Robert De Niro, and Harvey Keitel, truly captured the atmosphere of New York City. Now, over 50 years later, another classic crime thriller that helped launch Al Pacino’s career is finding a new audience on a streaming service.

The 1973 crime thriller Serpico features Al Pacino as a determined young New York City police officer who bravely reveals widespread corruption within his department. The film is based on the true story of Frank Serpico and is largely accurate, although some details have been simplified for dramatic effect. Despite these changes, Serpico is still considered by many to be a classic and one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made.

Sidney Lumet’s film Serpico, released on December 5, 1973, features Al Pacino alongside John Randolph, Tony Roberts, Jack Kehoe, Barbara Eda-Young, and Cornelia Sharpe. Building on the success of The Godfather the previous year, the movie earned Pacino his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and grossed $29 million worldwide on a $3 million budget. Here’s what the movie is about:

Frank Serpico, played by Al Pacino, is a dedicated New York City police officer who stands out from his colleagues by refusing to accept bribes. This makes him an outcast among other officers and frequently puts him in harm’s way. After his complaints about widespread corruption are dismissed by his superiors, Serpico bravely decides to expose the wrongdoing publicly. While this leads to an investigation by the Knapp Commission, it also makes him a target.

Al Pacino Didn’t Want to Play Frank Serpico At First


Paramount Pictures

It’s surprising now, considering how famous Serpico is for Al Pacino, that he initially didn’t want the role. He worried he couldn’t accurately portray the real-life man the film was based on and was unsure about taking on the challenge. But after meeting Frank, the person he was playing, Pacino felt inspired and saw a path forward. He told GQ in 2019:

I initially didn’t want to play the role when I first heard about it – it was a strange feeling. It wasn’t about whether the character was good or bad, I just didn’t feel I could portray him convincingly. But then I met Frank, and I immediately saw potential. I felt like I could bring something to the character. He was unusual in appearance – he had an earring and long hair – but it was the look in his eyes that really struck me. I spent a lot of time getting to know him, and we became close.

Frank felt Al Pacino portrayed him more convincingly than he could portray himself, and that’s a fair point. If you haven’t seen this excellent crime thriller, Serpico became available on Paramount+ on January 1, 2026.

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2026-01-08 01:21