Cops and Robbers
UW Cinematheque 821 University Ave., UW Vilas Hall, Room 4070, Madison, Wisconsin
press release:
USA | 1973 | 35mm | 89 min.
Director: Aram Avakian; Cast: Cliff Gorman, Joseph Bologna, John P. Ryan
1970s-vintage sweat and grime are seemingly baked into the celluloid in this NYC crime caper from director Avakian. Donald Westlake’s original screenplay (later turned into a novel) tells the tale of two crooked cops trying to outwit wall street and the mob with one big score. Filled to the brim with New York-based character actors and vivid location shooting, Cops and Robbers careens wildly in tone from gritty cop drama to seething satire and madcap comedy, all coming together to form a jagged but vital gem.
WESTLAKE ON FILM: The celebrated American writer Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008) was a prolific author of precision-crafted crime novels, short stories and screenplays. Known for his wicked sense of humor and often loveable criminal heroes, Westlake had his works adapted many times for the big and small screen both in Hollywood and Europe. Over six Wednesdays this summer, we’ll present an exciting variety of movies derived from Westlake’s published works, plus films with original screenplays by Westlake himself. Note: While the series includes Jean-Luc Godard’s Made in U.S.A. and The Outfit, two excellent and very different adaptations of Westlake’s “Parker” novels (written under the pseudonym Richard Stark), John Boorman’s superb Point Blank (1967) was not immediately available for our calendar. A 35mm print of Point Blank will screen in our fall series on September 9, 2017.
All Cinematheque screenings are free and open to the public.