MovieChat Forums > Serpico (1973) Discussion > What should Serpico have done?

What should Serpico have done?

posted 11 years ago by kag2
6 replies | jump to latest

Given all that Serpico faced, his attitude about police service, his peers, the pressures he faced from his fellow officers, etc, what should Serpico have done?

1-Just like he did, but more forcefully, like go to the media sooner.

2-Just like he did.

3-Tolerate corruption but not engage in it/not accept payoffs, at least as long as it was "clean graft" from gambling bookies as opposed to dirty graft from drug dealers and predators.

4-Take payoffs from clean graft and give the money to charity.

5-Take payoffs.

What do you think, and why?

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Leiarie 10 years ago

I think he should have resigned and found a better job.

[–] GuyOnTheLeft 10 years ago

Probably (1).

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[–] kelland8 10 years ago

1 or 3

[–] daveyh (591) 4 months ago

if he hadn't been so disillusioned after the mayor's office proved to be a bust, he might have gone with the other suggestions (including the Times). It's a pity Tony Roberts didn't suggest this option first, but I guess his friendship with the guy at the mayor's office influenced him to opt for that at the beginning.
Serpico only reaches out to him about going to the times when he does out of sheer desperation. Like he says, in case anything should happen to him. And it's a nice touch that Tony Roberts is now playing down the impact it might have, in complete contrast to his bragging earlier in the movie.

[–] KingBob (476) 4 months ago

He should have found another job.