Law and Disorder

It's a weird thing about this comedy-drama. I first saw it as a kid back in 1975 where it played almost constantly on HBO and was one of the first movies I ever recall seeing on cable TV. At the time I thought it was damn funny and ever since it became somewhat of a lost film until Anchor Bay released it to DVD several years ago. I couldn't wait to see it again. But when I finally revisited it on disc, I'd found that much of the magic had gone and I didn't think it held up quite as well. It's worth watching for sure if you're a fan of Carroll O'Connor or Ernest Borgnine, but still stacks up as kind of a slightly lost opportunity.

In this movie, O'Connor is a cab driver (and doing his usual Archie Bunker routine even though I think he was trying to prove he wasn't typecast) and Borgnine is his longtime best friend and a struggling hairdresser who owns his own salon (how's that for bizarre casting?). Karen Black is cast as Ernie's ditzy and belligerent employee, the best hair stylist he's able to find. Dwelling with their heads just barely above water in a typical '70s crime-infested New York City, the men become fed up with it all and decide to become auxiliary cops in order to help straighten the neighborhood out from the wrath of drug dealers, burglars and street scum. They get more than they bargained for in the end, which is the best part of the film, and a very strong climax.

While this team-up would seem to be a sure-fire winning combination and set-up, the "story" as it's presented is practically non-existent and all over the place, which is kind of a shame. Golden moments and funnies do show up in odd places, but these share the screen time with all sorts of plot holes and different, undeveloped ideas. Worth a watch anyway if you can see it, but this could have been a lot better. **1/2 out of ****

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.

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.

Basically this was a film about a couple of blue collar NYC guys that are fed up with their city. They are great friends and organize an auxiliary police force. Getting caught up in this venture, they take this way too seriously and like to believe they are real cops. Gradually , they become out of control. This film had some of the funniest moments but out of nowhere, reality would hit. I liked the film and felt it was a very creative effort. Some wonderful scenes featuring Karen Black , in what may have been her best performance, as an over the top hairdresser. You also had an actor named J. Frank Lucas as a flasher who was funny. Perhaps the best character in the film was Gary Springer billed as the F.U. Kid. I am not making this up folks. It is right here on IMDb. The couple scenes Mr. Springer participated, were worth the price of admission, back in the day. In summation, I would say this is a dramady , with more emphasis on comedy than drama. Be prepared for some harsh moments and appreciate the great comic moments, of which there are many.

During the hiatus of "All in the Family", Carroll O'Connor starred in this feature film about a couple of New York guys who join the auxillary police force in order to clean up the neighborhood. I'll just say this film meanders quite a bit with many comic interludes of which some of the funniest involves Carroll's co-star Ernest Borgnine. Karen Black is also a hoot as Borgnine's not-so-helpful hairdressing assistant. The way it all ends is quite bittersweet. So on that note, I highly recommend Law and Disorder. P.S. This review is dedicated to the late Ann Wedgeworth-playing O'Connor's wife here-who passed a few months ago.