Law and Disorder

Having not seen this film for over 20 years, and remembering how great it was as a kid seeing it on cable, I was very happy (and surprised!) to see it released on DVD and picked it up immediately. I discovered it was a lot funnier when I was a kid, although making up for that was watching two great stars like Carroll and Ernest, as well as all the NYC locations, as I've always been a fan of NYC films, my hometown.

One interesting thing is, this being a motion picture, Carroll O'Connor is upstaged in every scene by movie star Ernest Borgnine. And not that Carroll is bad, not at all, he's actually decent, and the two actors make a good pair with some good chemistry (a re-pairing in a future film would have been great even!). But on the silver screen Carroll doesn't have the immense presence he has on the tube as Archie Bunker, and Ernest is clearly the "leader" here.

The two head an auxiliary police force to battle the crime in their neighborhood. It's obvious a pre-Rudy Giuliani New York City, NYC being quite legendary in the 70's for it's high crime and smut. NYC isn't cast in the best light, but then again, in 1974 it just wasn't in the best light yet. (Thanks Rudy for all you've done!) Like "Cooley High," it's a bit odd to see such a downbeat ending in a comedy, but it's still a good viewing.

If you like NYC films, and want to see two old pros do their thing and take the young'uns to school, "Law and Disorder" is a good DVD buy, before it goes out of print.

Given the talent of the two stars of this film (who incidentally happen to be among my favorite actors), I was surprised at how much I really disliked this movie. I will admit that the cinematogrophy was great, really capturing the New York City of the mid-seventies. However, the lack of plot really disappointed me. The film goes nowhere fast, it was all that I could do to keep awake until the end. My brother picked up the DVD at K-Mart for $2.95, but it wasn't even worth that low price. If you must insist on seeing this piece of garbage, however, I recommend the DVD purchase (at the aforementioned low price), as it would be easier to fling like a Frisbee than the VHS version!

-Den Corleone

I thought this was a decent film; not a classic, but entertaining enough. The basic premise for me is that sometimes you get in over your head trying to be something that you are not. Guess you'd call this a dark comedy. Excellent acting, gritty scenes of New York life when it wasn't so pleasant, and a shockingly brutal ending makes this worth a look.

This movie is basically a slice-of-life drama about working class people trying to maintain some order when, as Hamlet said, "the time is out of joint". It's plotless and episodic, and the tone changes from broadly comic early on to utterly nightmarish by the end. It has tons of authentic New-York-in-the-'70's atmosphere (it would play well on a bill with TAKING OF PELHAM 123 or SERPICO), and was, of course, actually shot there. The racial tensions, the collapse of the system, the oddballs, the hopelessness -- they're all there. And the performances are quite good -- neither O'Connor nor Borgnine has ever been better.

If you know what to expect, you will probably enjoy it very much. There are a few negative reviews from people who were obviously expecting a straight comedy... that's not what this movie is.

It has been many years since I saw this on TV. Two regular Working class Joe's, Ernest Borgnine and Carrol O'Connor, decide to formulate their own Volunteer Police force in their NYC neighborhood. Fed up with the rampant crime that pervades their area, both of these two buddies eventually learn they are in over their heads. Carrol O'Connor is always entertaining, especially when he rides on the Coattails of his famed character from "All in the Family" in a more subtle version. It's really hard to shake off that character, especially in 1974 when the sitcom had reached the height of its popularity.And with his equally tough and gruff friend, Ernest Borgnine, we are hoping these two will become heroic bad ass renegades that make a difference in cleaning up the streets. But things just don't turn out that way. Willie, Carrol O'Connor, gets discouraged by the job too soon before his irascible partner (Cy), Ernest Borgnine, grows increasingly frustrated into madness. The casting of these two is correct. But here their chemistry barely makes this drab film watchable. Unfortunately, O'Connor's wife is played by a much younger woman, Ann Wedgeworth, surpassing credulity. And would you accept Ernest Borgnine as a beautician? The crusty old-school humor with personal barbs, racial epithets and vulgarity may put off modern audiences. This forgotten film is a product of its time. Several scenes and one liners are memorable, but the treatment of the subject matter is too farcical to be taken seriously. A scene in a diner with Willie and his wife is inappropriately downbeat and bizarre. An awakening moment occurs when the buddy wannabee cops are driving the town in their makeshift patrol car. Cy notices a nearby crime scene, "hey let's go handle it. we're cops now aren't we?" "I don't know what the hell we are!", exclaims a confused Willie. And this is where the hope for an adventurous drama goes downhill. The supporting cast is filled with farcical caricatures which undermines the severity of the situation the main characters are in, leaving us duped and soured by the outcome of the final scenes. This was a strange attempt for a Black comedy that didn't quite fly.