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Prince of the City

  • 1981
  • R
  • 2h 47m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
9.8K
YOUR RATING
Prince of the City (1981)
A New York City narcotics detective reluctantly agrees to cooperate with a special commission investigating police corruption, and soon realises he's in over his head, and nobody can be trusted.
Play trailer1:45
2 Videos
64 Photos
CrimeDrama

A New York City narcotics detective reluctantly agrees to cooperate with a special commission investigating police corruption, and soon realises he's in over his head, and nobody can be trus... Read allA New York City narcotics detective reluctantly agrees to cooperate with a special commission investigating police corruption, and soon realises he's in over his head, and nobody can be trusted.A New York City narcotics detective reluctantly agrees to cooperate with a special commission investigating police corruption, and soon realises he's in over his head, and nobody can be trusted.

  • Director
    • Sidney Lumet
  • Writers
    • Jay Presson Allen
    • Sidney Lumet
    • Robert Daley
  • Stars
    • Treat Williams
    • Jerry Orbach
    • Richard Foronjy
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    9.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Sidney Lumet
    • Writers
      • Jay Presson Allen
      • Sidney Lumet
      • Robert Daley
    • Stars
      • Treat Williams
      • Jerry Orbach
      • Richard Foronjy
    • 73User reviews
    • 49Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 4 wins & 15 nominations total

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:45
    Official Trailer
    Does 'Joker' Exist in a Scorsese-Verse of Films?
    Clip 2:53
    Does 'Joker' Exist in a Scorsese-Verse of Films?
    Does 'Joker' Exist in a Scorsese-Verse of Films?
    Clip 2:53
    Does 'Joker' Exist in a Scorsese-Verse of Films?

    Photos64

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    Top cast49

    Edit
    Treat Williams
    Treat Williams
    • Detective Daniel Ciello
    Jerry Orbach
    Jerry Orbach
    • Detective Gus Levy
    Richard Foronjy
    Richard Foronjy
    • Detective Joe Marinaro
    Don Billett
    • Detective Bill Mayo
    Kenny Marino
    • Dom Bando
    Carmine Caridi
    Carmine Caridi
    • Detective Gino Mascone
    Tony Page
    Tony Page
    • Detective Raf Alvarez
    Norman Parker
    Norman Parker
    • Assistant U.S. Atty. Rick Cappalino
    Paul Roebling
    • Assistant U.S. Atty. Brooks Paige
    Bob Balaban
    Bob Balaban
    • Santimassino
    James Tolkan
    James Tolkan
    • Assistant U.S. Atty. George Polito
    Steve Inwood
    • Assistant U.S. Atty. Mario Vincente
    Lindsay Crouse
    Lindsay Crouse
    • Carla Ciello
    Matthew Laurance
    Matthew Laurance
    • Ronnie Ciello
    Tony Turco
    • Socks Ciello
    Ronald Maccone
    • Nick Napoli
    • (as Ron Maccone)
    Ron Karabatsos
    Ron Karabatsos
    • Dave DeBennedeto
    Tony DiBenedetto
    • Officer Carl Alagretti
    • Director
      • Sidney Lumet
    • Writers
      • Jay Presson Allen
      • Sidney Lumet
      • Robert Daley
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Akira Kurosawa complimented director Sidney Lumet on the beauty of the camerawork and the whole movie. By this he meant that there is an elemental connection between the story and the techniques used. For example, background lighting is gradually phased out to make the characters stand out more towards the end of the film.
    • Goofs
      During the Blomberg appeal, the judge calls Detective Ciello "Lieutenant Ciello".
    • Quotes

      Daniel Ciello: I know the law. The law doesn't know the streets.

    • Alternate versions
      The film originally premiered on TV in a version broadcast over 4 hours (running no longer than 196 minutes), including previously unseen material which had been cut from the 167-minute theatrical release. Among the restored scenes is one that makes more sense of the DiBenadetto Case (the character Ciello's first rat-job).
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: The Best of 1981 (1981)
    • Soundtracks
      Love Will Keep Us Together
      (uncredited)
      Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield
      Performed by Captain & Tennille

    User reviews73

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10

    The Best of the New York Cop Pictures

    The best of the Lumet NY cop pictures. PRINCE OF THE CITY has an excellent script by Jay Presson Allen and a fine cast lead by Treat Williams and the best of NY's local actors. Danny Ciello, a NYC narcotics cop, deals with the conflict between his "moral compass" and the realities of drug law enforcement. The film is about Ciello clearing his conscience and suffering the consequences of seeing his police colleagues burned in the process. Supporting perfs are superb with special notice to Jerry Orbach as Ciello's partner and Lane Smith as the FBI agent that befriends Ciello's confused wife. Haunting score by Paul Chihara adds the finishing touch to this fine film about "doing the right thing" even when the consequences are so high.

    Hope this film is soon released on DVD for everyone to enjoy...
    • tlawrence
    • Jul 11, 2003
    • Permalink

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    FAQ20

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 26, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Site (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Prince of the City - Die Herren der Stadt
    • Filming locations
      • Governors Island, New York Harbor, New York City, New York, USA(scenes at ferry landing)
    • Production company
      • Orion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,600,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,124,257
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $64,713
      • Aug 23, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,124,257
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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