1981
R
Orion Pictures
2 h 47 m

1981
R
Orion Pictures
2 h 47 m

Summary A New York City narcotics detective (Treat Williams) reluctantly agrees to cooperate with a special commission investigating police corruption. However, he soon discovers that he's in over his head, and nobody can be trusted.

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

Written By: Jay Presson Allen, Robert Daley, Sidney Lumet

1981
R
Orion Pictures
2 h 47 m

1981
R
Orion Pictures
2 h 47 m

Prince of the City

Name: Prince of the City
Genre: Crime, Drama
Released: 1981-08-21
Duration: 2 min 47 s
Rating: 81
Cast: Treat Williams, Jerry Orbach, Richard Foronjy, Don Billett, Kenny Marino

Metascore Universal Acclaim Based on 15 Critic Reviews

User Score Available after 4 ratings

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Where to Watch

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

Written By: Jay Presson Allen, Robert Daley, Sidney Lumet

Where to Watch

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Universal Acclaim Based on 15 Critic Reviews

80% Positive
12 Reviews

20% Mixed
3 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

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Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

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Metascore

Universal Acclaim Based on 15 Critic Reviews

80% Positive
12 Reviews

20% Mixed
3 Reviews

0% Negative
0 Reviews

All Reviews
Positive Reviews
Mixed Reviews
Negative Reviews

100

USA Today

Williams is only adequate, but nearly everyone else here is great, including Jerry Orbach (Ciello mentor) and Bob Balaban (hardball Justice Department creep). [25 May 2007, p.4E]

By Mike Clark FULL REVIEW

100

Time Out

An astonishing in-depth portrait of the interlocking worlds of police and hoodlum results, with no punches pulled and no easy solutions.

FULL REVIEW

Newsweek

A heavyweight contender unafraid to take on some of the most harrowing moral and social dilemmas of the day... Prince of the City takes us into the jungle and into the halls of justice, and forces us to see how precarious the line between them is. It's a true horror story. [24 Aug 1981, p.67]

By David Ansen FULL REVIEW

Entertainment Weekly

What remains is nearly three hours of disorientation and paranoia, accented by Method-y monologue outbursts that quickly disappear into a vacuum of overwhelming loneliness.

FULL REVIEW

Empire

Brilliant, but forgotten eighties cop epic with an astounding central turn from Williams.

FULL REVIEW

Washington Post

The infuriatingly slow pace proves a point, but it makes for a gritty-eyed viewer with mashed potatoes for brains...It's a relief to escape the theater after this one, though it's good for several hours of discussion over dinner. It's not entertaining, but it does fall into the should-see category. Pop a couple of Stress-Tabs before you go. [2 Oct 1981, p.17]

By Rita Kempley FULL REVIEW

The New Yorker

Williams acts all over the place, yet the movie - 2 hours and 47 minutes of documentary seriousness - is so poorly structured that you keep wondering what's going on and why he has agreed to inform on his friends...Things don't begin to come together until you're heading into the third hour.

By Pauline Kael FULL REVIEW

See All 15 Critic Reviews

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Details

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Production Company Orion Pictures

Release Date Aug 21, 1981

Duration 2 h 47 m

Rating R

Genres

Tagline He broke the one law no cop could violate. He betrayed his partners.

Website https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/prince-city

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Awards

Golden Globes, USA

• 3 Nominations

Academy Awards, USA

• 1 Nomination

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

• 1 Win & 4 Nominations

Prince of the City

Where to Watch

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Top Cast

Treat Williams

Detective Daniel Ciello

Jerry Orbach

Detective Gus Levy

Richard Foronjy

Detective Joe Marinaro

Don Billett

Detective Bill Mayo

Kenny Marino

Dom Bando

Carmine Caridi

Detective Gino Mascone

Tony Page

Detective Raf Alvarez

Norman Parker

Assistant U.S. Atty. Rick Cappalino

Paul Roebling

Assistant U.S. Atty. Brooks Paige

Bob Balaban

Santimassino

James Tolkan

Assistant U.S. Atty. George Polito

Steve Inwood

Assistant U.S. Atty. Mario Vincente

Lindsay Crouse

Carla Ciello

Matthew Laurance

Ronnie Ciello

Tony Turco

Socks Ciello

Ronald Maccone

Nick Napoli

Ron Karabatsos

Dave DeBennedeto

Tony DiBenedetto

Officer Carl Alagretti

Tony Munafo

Rocky Gazzo

Robert Christian

The King

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

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User Reviews

Details

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Awards

Awards

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