Cops and Robbers

Disillusioned NYC cops Joe (Joseph Bologna) and Tommy (Cliff Gorman) decide their meager weekly salary isn't worth getting killed over and plan a big score. Tommy contacts Mafia kingpin Pasquale "Patsy" Aniello (John P. Ryan) after observing him being booked. In disguise, Tommy finds out that Patsy would pay handsomely for $10 million in bonds. So together the two cops plan to rob a local Wall Street firm during a big parade for the Apollo 11 astronauts.

One review here leads off with the line, "A Real Find" and I couldn't agree more. This 70s cop thriller captures both the working man's embitterment with the system and the sleazy side of NYC. Both of the leads are good in their roles and they get fine support from Ryan (has he always been middle aged?), whose lead henchman is played by Joe Spinell. Director Aram Avakian didn't make many films (5 total), but he has a great eye for realism and even a bit of the absurd like the mob using guys on ten speeds during the final chase in Central Park. Filmed entirely in New York City, this really captures the feel of the 70s station house with the green, cracking walls.

... which sounds like an odd combination of genres, but not really for the 1970s.

Joseph Bologna and Cliff Gorman star as two NYC cops who grow tired of seeing slimy characters grow rich while they can barely make ends meet for their families, so they decide to try a little heist for themselves. They don't want to pull any petty jobs..they want one great caper that will provide them new lives, but the problem is they don't really know what's involved or how to plan it, so they go (in disguise) to a mob boss who they know has skirted the law easily for years. He gives them the inside info on a Wall Street company, and the benefits of stealing bonds, which he will pay handsomely for. The day they choose? The day the Apollo 11 astronauts are given a ticker tape parade just downstairs from their target.

This is a crime/comedy..so needless to say, all does not go as planned, and their biggest worry isn't getting arrested for the actual crime, but for their problem delivering 'the goods' to the mob.

This was really a fun watch and much better than I anticipated. It is flat out a New York film and in no way is it 'Hollywood-ized'. It's true to the NYC of the early 70's..lots of corruption, chaotic arrests, the noise, the little messy shops on littered streets contrasted to the order and sterile space of the financial offices. The actors are NY too, and there is a natural feel to every performance from accents to body language. It's like a darkly funny crime caper set in a time capsule, and wonderfully watchable - not your usual cop movie.

The story is a simple one, two of New York's finest decide to get rich by robbing ten million in bearer bonds, and then fencing them through the mafia. I didn't laugh once during this supposed caper comedy. I did however enjoy the film, and especially liked the supporting cast. The late Dolph Sweet and J.P. Ryan are standouts. The photography is another plus, with long engaging shots of New York City. The robbery itself is well done, but the exchange of the goods with Ryan's men in Central Park stretches believability to the limit. The ending seems quite abrupt, and while happiness reigns, it is doubtful, they could get away with it so easily. - MERK

Donold Westlake is a true American original. He wrote a number of great books on capers in the 70's including Bankjob and The Hot Rock. But his best screenplay is clearly Cops And Robbers which also benefits greatly from top notched performances and an effortless presentation of a tightly knit story. It is one of the few films from the period that has aged well and given the fact that it was never released during the VHS era (and rarely screened on television) it is a treat for those that missed it.

The DVD is nothing special (pan and scan without special features) but it captures the essence of the theatrical release and given the lack of close-ups it doesn't suffer a lot from being cropped. It captures the spirit of 70s morality without offending many. In summary, it remains a strangely uplifting "feel good" artifact of an era that generally feels more dated than the proceeding decade.

Two cops have had enough of the 'system' and decide on a high level robbery. This theme is presented in a somewhat light hearted manner. The film is an effective period piece of New York in the early Seventies. And of the work-a-day person in general.

The video (and current tv version) however...Whatever soulless bonehead was allowed to prepare this movie for video release should be thrown in a lake. The story line is still there. But apparently the plodding nature of the film prompted cutting and editing. Many scenes have been awkwardly shortened, re-mixed or completely removed. Hopefully an original copy still exists on the premium cable channels.