Mildred Clinton

Serpico -- Adapted by Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler from Peter Maas's book, Sidney Lumet's drama portrays the real-life struggle of an honest New York City cop against a corrupt system. Neophyte officer Frank Serpico (Al Pacino) is determined not to let his job get in the way of his individuality.

When ten-year-old Karen (Brooke Shields) is killed in church on the occasion of her first communion, her seemingly innocent older sister Alice (Paula Sheppard) becomes the prime suspect.

Tommy Wilhelm (Robin Williams) is a salesman. An honest, hard-working guy who has lost his job, his girlfriend, and left part of his sanity behind as he heads to New York to pick up the pieces of his life. He's always been able to sell, but caught in a downward spiral, he must, in addition, face the father who never really understood him, while trying to balance his newly precarious existence. The Los Angeles Herald Examiner calls Saul Bellow "the most honored living American writer," and yet this stands as the only of his works adapted to film. "Seize the Day," as well as Mr. Williams and the rest of the cast (which features Glenne Headly "Dick Tracy," Jerry Stiller, and Tony Roberts "Annie Hall, Manhattan"), received critical praise for this adaptation.

Al Pacino's classic portrayal of Frank Serpico established him as one of today's most versatile actors. "Serpico" was based on the true story of a New York policeman who discovers that honesty is not expected to be part of his job. He endures scorn and mistreatment from his fellow cops while attempting to perform his job with integrity. The character of Serpico, combining the best elements of the Establishment and counter-culture, is a tour-de-force for Pacino. The film is a breathtaking suspense story and a fascinating character study as well as a memorable statement about government's inherent flaws.