Law and Disorder (1974)

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Fed up with an escalating crime rate and an increasingly ineffective police force, blue-collar New Yorkers Willie and Cy (Carroll O'Connor and Ernest Borgnine) join a citizen's vigilante group. Their efforts to act as an auxiliary police force are comically inept, but director Ivan Passer lulls us… More Fed up with an escalating crime rate and an increasingly ineffective police force, blue-collar New Yorkers Willie and Cy (Carroll O'Connor and Ernest Borgnine) join a citizen's vigilante group. Their efforts to act as an auxiliary police force are comically inept, but director Ivan Passer lulls us into laughter only to catch us unprepared when he wants to play things in dead seriousness. After finally proving their worth as after-hours cops, Willie and Cy are euphoric; this lasts just long enough for Cy to be killed. Constantly changing its tone and point of view, Law and Disorder struck just the right nihilistic note in the 1970s. Modern viewers may not be quite as responsive, though many will cheer Willie's final act of defiance against the Big Apple. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Ivan Passer
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 9, 1974 Wide
On DVD: Sep 19, 2000

Critic Reviews

Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily
Law and Disorder is truly one of the the great, overlooked gems of the 1970s. It's a gritty, funny and well-observed comedy-drama that perfectly captures the urban disillusionment of lower middle-class lives. An absolute must-see.

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Cast

            Leslie Ackerman as Karen

            Allan Arbus as Dr. Richter

            Teodorino Bello as Chico's Mother

            Ernest Borgnine as Cy

            Pat Corley as Ken

            Anita Dangler as Irene

            Jay Fletcher as Jogger

            Rita Gam as Woman in Cab

            Edward Grover as Capt. Malloy

            Jack Kehoe as Elliott

            J. Frank Lucas as Flasher

            Michael Medwin as Man in Cab

            Carroll O'Connor as Willie

            Lionel Pina as Chico

            Joe Ragno as Peter

            David Spielberg as Bobby

            Gary Springer as F.U. Kid

            Ann Wedgeworth as Sally

            Pepper Wormser as Yablonsky

            Karen Black as Gloria

            Jack Stamberger as Morris

            Adam Lessuck as Eddie

            Ed Madsen as Frank

            Bill Richert as Desk Sergeant

            Sydney Sherrif as Ralph
See full cast

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