Films about police officers underwent a fundamental transformation after the 1960s. Gee, I wonder why? Could it have something to do with the scurrilous effects of the Counterculture, that merry band of kool-aid pranksters and miscreants that worked tirelessly to undermine confidence in our public institutions? You bet it did, and the pattern continues today. Before the nuts took over the asylum, pictures dealing with police and other authorities routinely portrayed them as essentially honest, hardworking people devoted to public service and safety. Of course, there were exceptions, such as the crooked cops in noir films or the beat officer on the take, but these figures only served to reinforce the rule that most police officers were truly dedicated to their work. Nowadays, it's impossible to see a film that doesn't paint the men in blue as deeply corrupted by intolerance, bribery, extralegal murder, or whatever else passes as socially disapproved behavior today. "Fort Apache, the Bronx" constitutes a prime example of the "new" police film in several important ways, but it also contradicts itself in the process. No wonder this film wasn't a success at the box office; when tarring the cops with an unfair brush, it's absolutely necessary to do it in the clearest way possible.

Officer Murphy (Paul Newman) is a good cop. Sure, he's tired of toiling away in the hellhole that is the Bronx borough of New York City, and he's getting a bit long in the tooth to chase criminals through the streets, but at heart he believes in giving people a fair shake and not stirring up unnecessary trouble. His young partner, the narcissistic Corelli (Ken Wahl), thinks Murphy's a bit soft sometimes but will always support his views when the chips are down. Not every cop on the force, let alone every cop in Murphy's precinct (referred to as Fort Apache), harbors such idealistic aspirations. Some of these guys, primarily Officer Morgan (Danny Aiello) but many others as well, believe that any action is acceptable when dealing with the savages. And there are a lot of savages in the Bronx, including murderers, drug dealers, harridans and their flashy employers, and general lunatics. The two ideological poles, represented by Murphy and Morgan, exist side by side in an uneasy truce until a new commander, the rotund Captain Connelly (Ed Asner), arrives to take control of Fort Apache. Connelly is a real take charge type, a no nonsense cop who plays by the rules and approaches his new task with a fervor rarely seen in the Bronx. He's going to clean up the station, clean up his cops, and clean up the streets.

The first order of business is to solve the murder of two patrolmen that occurred immediately prior to Connelly's arrival. It's to the film's credit that this murder, which involves a harridan named Charlotte (Pam Grier), never finds satisfactory resolution. Most homicide cases don't. Instead, it serves as a thread to tie the rest of the film together, popping up from time to time to help move the rest of the plot threads along. Most of the film deals with Murphy's personal life, a life full of personal disappointment and moral quandaries. His relationship with pretty hispanic nurse Isabelle (Rachel Ticotin) puts the cop in a bad spot when he discovers she is a heroin addict. Too, the coupling takes a couple of shots on the chin when relations deteriorate between the police and the local hispanic community. The latter issue arises when Connelly's insistence on shaking up the Bronx touches off a riot after he orders the arrest of a local cell of revolutionaries. Even worse, Murphy and Corelli witness Morgan taking advantage of the riot to toss a kid off a rooftop. Murphy's world implodes when he tries to deal with Isabelle's addictions while simultaneously deciding what to do about Morgan's crime.

"Fort Apache, The Bronx" works well as a gritty crime drama. You've got Newman slumming in his role as a tortured cop, Ken Wahl and Danny Aiello at their mouthiest, and Ed Asner busting chops as a tough cop. Pam Grier, a personal favorite of mine, simply cannot hide her natural beauty even in a role that requires her to portray a drug addled streetwalker. The atmosphere easily sets and reinforces the tone of the film: the Bronx resembles a war zone, with crumbling buildings and overgrown lots hiding all sorts of unsavory crimes and secrets. Police officers in this area of the city must act as disciplinarians, confidantes, and doctors all in the course of a single shift. I think this last point is one of the strongest elements in the movie, as it portrays what cops do every day in all of its sleazy glory. The most interesting theme, however, is how the film tries to reconcile different methods of policing. "Fort Apache, the Bronx" cannot bring itself to take sides when dealing with Murphy and Connelly. Rather, the movie shows how both methods, an occasionally lenient attitude along with one as tough as nails, are necessary to protect people. That's surprising since most cop films paint any effort to enforce administrative discipline as fascistic at best and satanic at worst.

While "Fort Apache, the Bronx" is far from Paul Newman's best film, it's worth a look. Sadly, the DVD version contains only a trailer and filmographies/biographies as extras. Even sadder is the fullscreen picture transfer. There's simply no reason to release any big studio film in fullscreen to DVD, especially one starring a big shot like Paul Newman. Viewers looking for a multi-layered cop drama with few concrete resolutions--in other words, a movie that at least remotely resembles real life--will probably find a few things to like here.

This is a classic film that hardly anyone that I know have ever heard of. This is a shame since this is a movie that has hardly any of the cliches that clog up so many police dramas. Paul Newman stars as a cop who tries to enforce the law without engaging in violence against suspects. This sets him at odds with other officers including the new precinct captain played by Ed Asner. This is the heart of the movie and it leads to a surprising conclusion.

A script, acting and directing job that adds up to on excellent movie.

Good cop films are really important, and this is an excellent portrayal of the human side of law enforcement. What a find. It's a very convincing, gritty New York drama, something that is always appreciated. One of the film's strengths is its ability to shift from comedic moments into harsh tragedies, and in this sense feels like an accurate reflection on real life. Newman is absolutely convincing in his top rate performance, as is the rest of the cast. Which brings us to the plot - it's solid, but not dazzling. You have a sense it is trying to be a tour-de-force about police mentality and corruption but falls a bit short. But, for the rest of the film's strengths, this can be overlooked. Highly recommended.

pam grier makes me want to go out and bang a junkie

The script was a little hokey and the overall movie was nowhere near as good as I remembered from when I was 7 and saw it in the movies.

Having said that, Pamela Grier was much better than I remembered her being. Her ... hooker with a razorblade smile defined my opinions on females for a long time to come.