All Coppers Are...

All Coppers Are... comes across as a slice of life kitchen sink drama of the 1960s. Only it was made in the early 1970s after the worldwide student protest movement of the late 60s.

This was the time when Carry On producer Peter Rogers who also produced this movie started to rebel against the swinging 60s to become a bit of a reactionary.

Set in Battersea. Young policeman Joe (Martin Potter) is married with a baby but gets to have a bit of fun with flighty Sue (Julia Foster) who he met at a party. Joe neglects to mention that he is married and a policeman.

Joe also befriends petty crook Barry (Nicky Henson) who he confesses to about his marital status but no his job.

Barry is also attracted to Sue and they become a couple when they find out more about Joe. Barry is also planning a cigarette warehouse robbery, if only he drove a less conspicuous car. You just know Barry's heist will go wrong and he will come face to face with Joe.

This is story with a thin plot. It was obviously inspired by the French New Wave but it lacks a ballsy approach.

The film's open ended conclusion does it no favours. The protest scene although well filmed seemed to be about nothing apart from young radicals wanting to have a punch up with coppers. It just highlights that the wrong people were involved in the movie as it had no social commentary. Their sympathies were with Barry, being a copper is a hard and dangerous life.

It needed genuine leftist filmmakers to show that times are changing.

All Coppers Are .1972, gritty love triangle between a cop, a villain and a girl , the girl played by Julia Foster falls for married policeman, he feels the same but can't leave his wife, villain played by Nicky Henson is a fun outgoing Jack the lad with no responsibility. He's about to get involved in a big robbery hoping to join the big league. It's a gritty time capsule of the early 70s. Guess what happens? Without giving away any spoilers it does leave you dangling, which is pretty annoying.

Enjoyable 6/10.

All coppers are has a lot going for it. Set in gritty London of the 70s. Its the story of 2 men on opposing sides of the law. It features a strong cast and even a fresh faced David Essex. But the it tends to lack the courage of its convictions. Where the story should have been at its strongest the makers seemed to have lacked the courage to carry it through. Also most of the characters are very unsympathetic. The film does have its moments but it could have been so much better.

Not really watchable as entertainment but fairly revealing if we're looking for insight into the varying mindsets of film makers of the time. Peter Rogers, whose company produced this, had put out Carru On Camping a couple of years before. That film had ended with a scene where a bunch of hippies were driven from a field by the film's main protagonists. In other words a victory for the sensible silent majority over the unwashed hordes threatening to corrupt society. It was part of a trend in the later Carry Ons where they became part of a kind of mainstream reactionary backlash against the 'counter culture'. In this film there is a 'protest demo' scene which continues this theme and tries to replicate the same type of battle in a more serious setting and besides being appallingly badly done it is unashamedly biased. Waving a banner about student grants , the protesters isolate a police officer and in cold blood surround him and badly beat him. Because of their grants, presumably. It makes those dreadful old political cartoons by Cummings in the Express look enlightened. Some interesting external shots though.

This is a film that doesn't quite work. It's overall feel is that of being a film that, with a little bit more time and a bit more money it could have been a gritty, real to life, classic in a 'Get Carter' (made the next year) mould.

It seems to have genuine characters who are believable and a story that builds interestingly although you feel you know the outcome of each scene. Its' problem is that, in places, it comes across as done on the cheap - the demo scenes (although not lacking impact), and the couple watching Rangers v Celtic on English telly. Also, importantly, where 'Get Carter had Michael Caine this film has Martin Potter who doesn't quite work and was possibly chosen for his good looks over his acting skills.

There are many good parts of 'All Copper Are...' and the story is a good one. Perhaps, if the film had completed the sentence for its title and gone for a AA or X certificate rather than a 12 it might have worked better.

Julie Foster shines. He natural acting stands out and hers is a memorable performance despite been given a script a script that is stodgy in parts.

There are some hard hitting moments.some interesting messages trying to get out and the film is a good look at the life and times of the early 70s which I just about remember. Unfortunately, the bad parts of the film dilute the messages, negate the force of film and it ends up seeming more dated and less relevant than it should,