Fort Apache (The Bronx)

I have just seen this film as a late night slot, a time when the occasional gem shines amidst a field of c**p. This film is most definitely a gem. The scale and variety of the issues and problems the film attempts to address are perhaps too great, meaning that there is a sense that the film leaves certain areas underdeveloped or tantalisingly unexplored. However the grit and atmosphere of the city, along with the tired pathos which defines Newman's character, are powerful enough to allow a viewer not to become disenchanted.

The film, like the cityscape in which it is set, gives an overwhelming sense of sorrow and despair, there are few bright events in the life of any character and as the film progresses it seems an endless sequence of progressively worse crises threaten to drown what humanity there is left in the character of Murphy and the Bronx as a whole. Ultimately the viewer is left with the impression that the cops and society as a whole are powerless in the face of entropic decline.

Definitely not for those needing to raise their spirits and less powerful than the brilliant "Taxi Driver," "Fort Apache, the Bronx" is still a tale capable of making the viewer think, about himself and his society, and ultimately that is a noble end to achieve.

I'm surprised at all the negative reviews of this movie. yes, it's dark and depressing and certainly 'un-even', but I was glued to the screen. New York is the most fascinating city I've ever visited. Beautiful, cosmopolitan, fantastically wealthy and it sure never sleeps. But there's a dark side to "the big apple" and I honestly think this film captures that perfectly. It shows the poverty and despair of all those who haven't managed to live the dream and the siege mentality of the guys trying to maintain law and order. It's an utterly believable picture of day-to-day police work in a huge city. Much better than Cagney & Lacey & Kojak. Paul Newman plays a veteran patrol officer who's been on the streets too long and finds it hard to take anything seriously any more, until. You'll have to watch the movie to find out what lights his fire again. Ken Wahl (convincingly) plays his much younger partner and Ed Asner is superb as their hard-nosed Captain, struggling to be a cop, manager, politician, budget-holder and father-figure all at once. In fact, I would say Asner deserved an Oscar nomination. It was easily his best role. Fort Apache truly shows the real nature of a war against crime. Cops are under-funded and battling daily against impossible odds. All they have is each other. On the DOWN side, this movie does have 2 major flaws. First, it is horribly jolty and un-even. There's no plot at all and (to me) it felt throughout like a 'pilot' for a police soap opera that never made it to series. And second, the romance between Paul Newman and Rachel Ticotin is frankly ridiculous. They're both excellent actors and I'm one of the many millions who envy Newman his good looks, but, Ticotin is THIRTY THREE years younger than Newman. He could (almost) be her Grandfather! Fort Apache is a good movie though and I would say it paved the way for many current shows (such as Law & Order) which show law enforcement, warts and all. It's well worth seeing.

For those who didn't know.... This movie was based on the real life experiences of Thomas Mulhearn and Paul Tessitore who are pictured in some of the stills. Murphy (Paul Newman's Character)was inspired by Tom Mulhearn, he is my sister's dad, and he's a pretty interesting guy. I've heard all kinds of funny stories from my mom whom we will refer to as "V", talking about how Rachel Ticotin stole her role (which she claims is based on her given the fact that she's Puerto Rican and that she was with Tom during the writing of the screenplay). Its true that the story behind the drama is always the most interesting.

The point of this is... to let you guys know.. that the stuff in that movie, isn't even half of what i've heard really happened, and that those guys it was based on deserve props for being some of New York's Finest. I've heard that, it was a pretty tough neighborhood back then. Tom (part of the inspiration) is alive and well with a beautiful family to speak of. I'm not sure what happened to paul.

I was a bit taken aback when reading through the external reviews and seeing notable critics like Roger Ebert generally panning this movie. Not that it's a high water mark of film making, but a stylish, gritty, well-constructed movie, certainly.

The one major distracting element is Paul Newman. His performance is not at fault by any standards, in fact he was very good, but in this dark look at inner city dwellers and how they're prisoners of the crime and poverty that surrounds them, one of Hollywood's most notable actors just sticks out like a sore thumb. Again, not through any misstep that Mr. Newman might have made, but just simply because he is who he is: Too big to fit into a movie about little people.

Regardless, the movie is highly recommended for anyone wanting a unique look at inner city blight, the people who live in this setting and the men and women who try to protect them. There is nothing quaint about this movie, it is real and rough.

Fort Apache is flawed, but interesting and atmospheric. Newman's and Asner's accents are a bit dodgy, but the location shooting and moral ambiguity place this 1981 movie firmly in the camp of 1970's police/New Yawk flicks. Rachel Ticotin is a real stunner, in a very early role. A lot of fuss was made over the portrayal of minority groups and the South Bronx generally when Fort Apache was being made, though it seems standard movie fodder now.