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GLADIATOR SCHOOL
US, 1988, 96 minutes, Colour.
Robert Conrad, Ed O' Neill, Anthony La Paglia, Benjamin Bratt.
Directed by James Darren
Gladiator School is an interesting police story telemovie. It has a lot of the familiar ingredients but with variations on the theme. This is not surprising because the film was created by Joseph Wambaugh, the former policeman who wrote such interesting novels as (so many turned into films) as The Choir Boys, The Black Marble, The Glitter Dome, The New Centurions, The Blue Knight. Once again, this film shows the tough policemen, the relentlessness of the job, pressures in keeping a city clean, the interaction with criminals, the ambiguities of justice.
Robert Conrad is well suited to the role of the tough cop who is framed and sent to prison. Ed O' Neill (Married With Children) and Anthony La Paglia (so effective in Betsy's Wedding) are the internal police investigators.
The film has a strong plot, strong characterisations - and asks for an understanding attitude towards the pressures on the police.
1. Interesting and entertaining telemovie? Police story with variations? Audience familiarity with police dramas? The need for appreciation and understanding of the work of the police?
2. The film as a telemovie for the widest possible audience, receiving this kind of treatment rather than the blunt realism?
3. The city settings, the precincts, the city streets, the world of politics, the world of prostitution? The contrast with life in prisons?
4. The title, the reference to prison - and the difficulties with the racial groups within the prison, policemen being sentenced to prison and falling foul of guards as well as prisoners?
5. The portrait of Stacey - the long-serving policeman, tough measures, strong? Cutting edges of the law to keep the city clean? His tough attitude towards people - confronting the masked hold-up man and getting the gun from him at risk of life, threatening the homosexual, busting the prostitute and treating her roughly? The number of complaints against him and the internal affairs hearings? His defence? Preparing for his pension? Partners asking for transfers? David Ramirez and his experience with him, admiration - yet asking for a change? The complaint about the prostitute? The set-up and his firing at her and killing her? His being arrested, the investigation, the case against him? The court case and the DA's hard stance? His record, Ramirez testifying against him? The people he harassed testifying against him? His daughter coming to the case - and her wanting a reconciliation? The confrontation, the experience of his absence? Her support? His going to prison, treated like any other criminal, the routine procedures? The explanation of the various racial groups? His wanting to play it tough? Rafferty and the violence against him - his being able to beat Rafferty, not putting him in to the guards? His supporters in the prison? The workplace, the fights? The set-ups, the dining room etc? The groups out to get him? His going into solitary - the changing of the cell to watch television and Rafferty's death? The further investigations, his release and rehabilitation? The softening of his attitudes and his retirement? Portrait of a strong policeman, the old school, under pressure? Framed? The change in him because of prison?
6. Stanley and his associate, the investigation of internal affairs, not popular with the fellow police? The complaints, the examinations and interrogations? Their going to the young policeman with the alcoholic wife, finding out the truth - his reinstatement and later heroism? Their investigating Stacey? Talks with Ramirez? The experience of the court case, accepting the verdict? Ramirez and his questions, their pursuing the case, the chief of police and his accord? The further clues, the reconstruction of the crime, the possibility of another person? The hunting down of the pimp? Finding him, the interrogations, the identification of the possible killer? The theory of the blanks and finding the blanks? The DA not accepting the evidence? Their determination to find the killer? The discovery of the truth - the politician, the set-up? Getting Stacey out of prison? Efficient police work?
7. David Ramirez, young man, partnership with Stacey, disagreeing with the brutality, in admiration of his nerve? The transfer? The investigations, his having to go to court, his having to tell the truth? His suspicions, getting Stanley and his assistant to help, the fellow police, his new partner? Tracking down the pimp, the interrogations? The discovery of the truth and the arrest?
8. Police chiefs, their stances, exercise of authority, dealing with old school types like Stacey? With internal affairs? The district attorney and her hard stance? Wanting to win the case? Needing hard evidence? The court case and its proceedings?
9. The prostitute, being busted, her attitude towards Stacey, the complaints? Her pimp and his disappearance? The set-up, her death? The role of the pimp? The revelation of the killer - the politician and his power, cover-up?
10. People in prison: the various racial groups, hard attitudes, in the cells, in the yard, in the dining room, in the laundry and other workplaces? The attacks on fellow prisoners? The guards, the chief warden - and his wanting to offer Stacey protection but Stacey's refusal? Rafferty, the grudge against Stacey, violence - but then supporting him? His death?
11. A satisfying if grim picture of police work, justice, prisons? The possibility of justice being done and seen to be done?