wilsonstuart-32346 Coming in at thee hours,Prince of The City must rate as one of the longest films I've seen; and it's certainly one of the best New York cop thrillers out; maybe one of the best cop thrillers, period. Sidney Lumet picks up and develops from the earlier themes he started with Al Pacino in Serpico - although the moral certainties displayed in that film are noticeably absent here.Based on Robert Daley's novel of the same name, and the experiences of cop turned crime novelist - lecturer the late Bob Leuci, Prince of The City makes compelling viewing. Detective Danny Ciello of NYPD's Special Investigation Unit - specialising in narcotics and organised crime; working city wide with no external supervision, one character notes, starts to experience a series of qualms about the more ''unorthodox' aspects of his work. After a couple of false starts, he agrees to cooperate with a federal commission, under the illusion he can pick and choose his targets and keep his partners in the clear.He soon finds that much more will be expected of him and that his new colleagues are neither reliable or trustworthy.Treat Williams puts in a first class performance as the increasingly tormented Ciello, the late Jerry Orbach is a powerhouse as the partner (one of several) he will betray. Danny's decisions have tragic implications for his family, colleagues and associates. Yet his hands are not clean - sooner or later he will have to face the consequences of some earlier actions....despite his less than truthful accounts.Prince of The City protrays the problems of policing a big city, perhaps any big city, with a gritty realism that most police procedurals only dream about - perhaps rivalled only by The French Connection. It's a having an exhaust journey into man's descent into a foggy morass of grey morality, where nothing is what it appears...and the uncertain redemption that follows.

Richie-67-485852 Most excellent entertainment on all levels. If you love cop stories, action, inside track dialog, mobsters and fast pace thrills and suspense then get to watching this classic right away. You will be very glad it is a long movie as well and not wanting it to end when it does another great sign of a good movie. The characters own their roles and that helps capture the viewer and hold them glued to the screen. Another great test of a good movie is if it has memorable scenes. I have seen this movie and have lost count and will continue to see it periodically. It just has an appeal that goes to work as a good story and makes it that way every time you view it. The music is good and fits the movie theme well. Lots of dilemma in this movie as in conflict. Some of the choices having to be made are on the gut level and we wish not to have to travel this way ourselves. Instead, we watch to see how Detective Daniel Ciello handles it and ask "would we do the same'? Great characters and good balance of cops, district attorneys and power in both worlds. If the DA gets the goods on you, you are toast is well-acted out here yet the main character states quite well that without cops and the risks they take whatever they are there would be no protection past them. In other words you need us so don't kill us off when you catch us doing wrong. Both sides of that coin are presented quite well. In one climatic scene, a group of prosecutors, I mean some pretty powerful guys are all in a room discussing the fate of Detective Ciello. This is one of the most believable scenes to be found and then some too. You can taste the anguish, morale arguments and character above and beyond dynamics as this group not only articulates it well but acts it out too. Very impressive. Imagine if your fate was tied up in that room. Which way would it fall for you? Prince of the City. You can be this in any profession if you are that good.

a1_andy_11 Prince of the City is an excellent film by Sidney Lumet, a director I feel doesn't get enough praise for his work.I noticed a lot of similarities between Lumets earlier film Serpico, and I was worried this was going to be a bit of a rehash. However once the film got going the story developed in a completely different way. Not only that, it was shot differently too. Even NYC feels like a different city than it did in Serpico.I was going to go on and explain the plot a little bit, but I really can't do it justice. What I will say is that this film feels very real, and gritty. Treat Williams (our lead) does an excellent job of playing a character who is at odds with the decisions he has to make. At times he overacts a little, but the majority of his performance is perfect. The supporting cast are also excellent, Jerry Orbachs performance sticks out as one that was particularly good.The cinematography is solid, and the sets are convincing, everything seems to add to the realism of the film. For me this film alone puts Sidney Lumet up there with Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. It's a shame this film didn't get the recognition it deserved.

Lechuguilla Based on true-life events, this film tells the story of a New York City cop named Danny Ciello (Treat Williams), whom the Feds ask to be an informant against local police corruption. Ciello is in his twenties, street-savvy, and extremely loyal to his cop buddies. He doesn't trust the Feds, but he's willing to help them. I'm not sure why.One would think that an informant has a clear-cut, unambiguous job: snitch on the bad cops and, in return, earn the status of hero. But reality doesn't always lend itself to neat, black-and-white options or outcomes. In this case, shades of gray complicate Ciello's life, because he knows that some of his best cop friends have indeed compromised their ethics in pursuit of serious criminals. He is caught in the middle, between local loyalty, and assistance to the American ideal of criminal justice.The story takes place in the 1970s in New York City. Ciello is part of the city's Special Investigating Unit, which has a generally free hand in dealing with dope pushers and other shady types. Even Ciello has sold drugs to street junkies, in exchange for information on bigger fish. Does this make Ciello culpable now that he's an informant?When a person gets trapped in the American legal web, there's no easy way out. That's Ciello's dilemma, and the essence of the story's theme. Ultimately, we feel sorry for the guy, with his naive, idealistic, black-and-white mental conception of right and wrong. Clearly, the Feds are using Ciello to their advantage, and most of them are portrayed in this film as smug and condescending.Technically, "Prince Of The City" is a fine film, one to take seriously. Color cinematography, sets, casting, and acting are all quite good. Visuals look very 1970s. Treat Williams is convincing as Danny Ciello.But the film is rather talky. And the runtime extends to almost three hours. The plot is so strung out, and there are so many characters, it's hard to keep track of who's who as well as some of the characters' motivations.The film could easily be described as a typical cop drama. But its basis in historical fact makes it more compelling. More than anything else, "Prince Of The City" is a character story of a man under pressure. We see how he deals with that pressure in the choices he makes. We see the impact that his behavior has on his family life and on those around him, who not only depend on his loyalty but also expect him to uphold principles of justice, regardless of where the chips may fall.