Fort Apache, The Bronx
| Fort Apache the Bronx |
Movie poster for Fort Apache, The Bronx |
| Directed by |
Daniel Petrie |
| Produced by |
Thomas Fiorello
Martin Richards
Companies:
Producers Circle
Time-Life Television |
| Written by |
Heywood Gould |
| Starring |
Paul Newman
Ed Asner
Ken Wahl
Danny Aiello
Rachel Ticotin
Kathleen Beller
Pam Grier
Clifford David
Miguel Piñero |
| Music by |
Jonathan Tunick |
| Cinematography |
John Alcott |
| Editing by |
Rita Roland |
| Distributed by |
20th Century Fox
HBO (DVD) |
| Release date(s) |
February 6, 1981 |
| Running time |
125 minutes |
| Language |
English |
| Budget |
$4,000,000 |
| Box office |
Total US Gross: $29,200,000 (US)
International Gross: $36,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $65,200,000[1] |
Fort Apache, The Bronx is a 1981 crime drama film made by Producers Circle, Time-Life Television Productions Inc., and distributed by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. It was directed by Daniel Petrie and produced by Martin Richards, Thomas Fiorello, with David Susskind as executive producer. It stars Paul Newman, Ken Wahl, Danny Aiello, Edward Asner, Rachel Ticotin, Kathleen Beller, Pam Grier, Clifford David and Miguel Piñero.
Filmed on location in the Bronx, New York City, New York. It is widely believed that the film was based on the book Fort Apache by Tom Walker, but the studio, Time-Life Television Films (owner of the script) disputes this. The result was lengthy court litigation.
Plot
Police officers face many challenges in the decayed South Bronx region of New York City. Among them are NYPD officers Murphy (Newman) and Corelli (Wahl), who work out of the 41st precinct, nicknamed "Fort Apache" because to those who work there, it feels like an army outpost in foreign territory (an allusion to Fort Apache) out of the old West.
The precinct itself is one of the worst and most dilapidated in the entire department, approaching demolition and staffed mostly by officers who are unwanted and have been transferred out of other precincts. Additionally, the precinct is of little use to the largely Puerto Rican community, as only 4% of the officers are Hispanic in the largest non-English speaking section of the Bronx, according to retiring precinct captain Dugan.
Corelli and Murphy attempt to maintain law and order but have conflicts with corrupt fellow officers, as well as with a newly appointed police captain, rioting due to police brutality, and issues related to the deaths of two rookie cops.
Illustrating the hopeless futility of the work done at the precinct, the killer is later found as an anonymous body, dumped in the roadside trash. With nothing to link her to the deaths of the rookie officers, the police remain ignorant of the fact that she was the killer and will never be caught.
Reception
The film was successful, grossing over $65 million worldwide at its time of release in 1981. Paul Newman was largely praised for his performance, but the movie itself received more negative reviews.
- Richard Schickel, in TIME, called it: "more like a made-for-TV movie". He also added: "The film is not quite up to its star".; "...somewhere between Barney Miller and the works of Joseph Wambaugh".; and: "But mainly it is Newman, now 56, who gives Fort Apache its modest distinction".[2]
- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times, said: "...the most complete collection of cop-movie clichés since John Wayne played a Chicago cop in McQ". (Ebert got this incorrect, in McQ Wayne played a Seattle policeman, he played a Chicago policeman in Brannigan.) "There are too many scenes that are necessary to the plot but not to the movie, scenes where the life of the movie stops so story details can be filled in". "The movie has several story threads that lead nowhere". But, says about Newman, "He's good in his role,..." But, also calls this more of a TV show.[3]
- Variety labeled the film: "... a very patchy picture, strong on dialog and acting and exceedingly weak on story", and criticizes it for its lack of depth.[4]
- Nick Sambides, Jr. at Allmovie calls it "...flinty but otherwise forgettable character study".[5]
- The New York Post published a photo of Newman on the set with a caption that he stated was inaccurate, calling the paper "a garbage can". Because of the dispute the Post banned him from its pages, even removing his name from movies in the TV listings.[6]
Legal issues
- Local community groups threatened to file suit against the producers because of the way it depicted their neighborhood in the Bronx and for the depiction of ethnic minorities (Blacks and Puerto Ricans). Because of this pressure some changes were made to the script and a note was added to the title card at the beginning of the film.[7][4]
- Walker v. Time Life Films, Inc., 784 F.2d 44 (2d Cir. 1986)
-
- After the release of the film, an author, Tom Walker, filed a lawsuit against one of the production companies, Time-Life Television Films (legal owner of the script), claiming that the producers infringed on his book Fort Apache (New York: Crowell, 1976. ISBN 0690010478). Among other things, Walker, the plaintiff, argued that: "both the book and the film begin with the murder of a black and a white policeman with a handgun at close range; both depict cockfights, drunks, stripped cars, prostitutes and rats; both feature as central characters third- or fourth-generation Irish policemen who live in Queens and frequently drink; both show disgruntled, demoralized police officers and unsuccessful foot chases of fleeing criminals". But the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that these are stereo-typical ideas, so called "scènes à faire" (French for "scenes that must be done"), and that the United States copyright law does not protect concepts or ideas. The court ruling stated: "the book Fort Apache and the film Fort Apache: The Bronx were not substantially similar beyond [the] level of generalized or otherwise nonprotectible ideas, and thus [the] latter did not infringe copyright of [the] former".[8][9]
Cast
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- Donald Petrie as White rookie
- Thomas A. Carlin as Man with flat tire
- Frederick Allen as Corelli's brother
- Dominic Chianese as Corelli's father
- Mike Cicchetti as Wild-eyed man
- Apu Guecia as Stabbed boy
- Kim Delgado as Suspect #1
- Reyno as Suspect #2
- Dadi Pinero as Suspect #3
- Cleavant Derricks as Suspect #4
- Dolores Hernández as Pregnant girl
- Santos Morales as Girl's father
- Ruth Last as Girl's mother
- José Rabelo as Girl's uncle
- Gilbert Lewis Lewis as Mob leader
- Lisa Loomer as Hooker #1
- Sandi Franklin as Hooker #2
- Eric Mourino as Boy on roof
- Jessica Costello as Girl on roof
- Gloria Irizarry as Drug dealer
- Manuel E. Santiago as Intern
- Joaquin La Habana as Transvestite
- Fred Strothers as Hospital buyer
- Sylvia Kuumba Williams as Bartender
- Patricia Dratel as Hostage
- Thomas Fiorello as Fence
- M.J. Quinn as Cop
- Bernie Rachelle as Wedgie Patrol
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See also
References
- ^ Fort Apache, The Bronx. - The Numbers
- ^ "Conscience in a Rough Precinct". - TIME. - February 16, 1981. - Retrieved: 2008-06-10
- ^ Ebert, Roger. - "Fort Apache, The Bronx". - Chicago Sun Times. - January 1, 1981- Retrieved: 2008-06-10
- ^ a b Film: "Fort Apache, The Bronx". - Variety. - January 1, 1981. - Retrieved: 2008-06-10
- ^ Sambides, Nick, Jr. - Review: Fort Apache, the Bronx". - Allmovie. - Retrieved: 2008-06-10
- ^ DiGiaomo, Frank (2004-12). "The Gossip Behind the Gossip". Vanity Fair. http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2004/12/pagesix200412.print. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- ^ Cultural Desk: "'Apache' Film's Debut Protested". - New York Times. - February 7, 1981
- ^ Margolick, David. - Legal Notes: "Writer Told 'Ft. Apache' isn't Just His". - New York Times. - August 25, 1985
- ^ Beeber, Jessie, and Maura Wogan. - "Is Scènes à Faire Really 'Necessary'?". - Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal. - Spring 2004. - Vol. 15, No. 1
External links
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