LAW AND DISORDER

US, 1974, 99 minutes, Colour.
Carroll O’ Connor, Ernest Borgnine, Anne Wedgeworth, Karen Black, Jack Kehoe, David Spielberg.
Directed by Ivan Passer.

Law and Disorder is a serious comedy set in the New York of the 1970s, a city where there is a great deal of street crime. Two men, aged men, after being robbed decide that they will join the police force as auxiliary cops. They persuade some of their friends to do likewise – in an effort to clean up the streets. However, there is a series of comic adventures as they go about their work, confronting the criminals and the drug lords.

Carroll O’ Connor who had made such an impact in All in the Family teams up with Ernest Borgnine who had won an Oscar in 1955 for Marty and had appeared in many films after that like The Poseidon Adventure. Karen Black appears briefly.

The film was directed by an outsider to the United States, Ivan Passer who had migrated in the 1960s from Czechoslovakia. He and directors like Milos Forman had great reputations in Czechoslovakia. Forman succeeded in the United States, especially with Oscars for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and for Amadeus. However, Ivan Passer had a much more limited career, making such films as Born to Win (with Karen Black), Ace Up My Sleeve (also with Karen Black), Silver Bears and Cutter’s Way. His career during the 80s and 90s was very limited. However, he made something of a comeback in 2005 with Nomad.

1. The meaning and implications of the title? As an indication of the themes of the film: the comedy touch, the satire, the parody? The dramatic implications of law and injustice?

2. How successful was the film in itself? What were the aims of the film-makers? For what audience was the film made? Was it particularly for Americans? Or would it be just as successful for overseas audiences? Why?

3. What were the main features of the film as comedy, its comedy, situations, parody? Where were its main strengths as comedy?

4. What were the main features of the film as drama: the crime aspect, the police drama, the portraying of justice? The portrayal of ordinary men, their lives and ambitions? The drama of modern violent American society? Where were the main strengths of the film as drama?

5. How did the film echo and portray the violent and crime atmosphere of America in the 1970s? The opening sequences (despite their humour) of the stolen T.V., the dismantling of the car etc? The extreme and skilful nature of the robberies to highlight the point?

6. Did the film show that the vigilante approach is credible? Why is the vigilante approach attractive to exasperated citizens? The relationship between vigilantes and the law? The importance of protection of civil rights? The inadequacy of the police and the constitutional right of citizens to protect themselves? Did the film explore these themes well?

7. How did the film satirise the ordinary men at their playing at police, the meetings and their applause for the police and then running them down? The games with the uniforms, the guns? The nature of the patrols and the chasing of criminals? The using of the police drama techniques and satirising them? Was this effective?

8. Did the film show enough of the home situations of the men? The family life and the necessity of protecting rights? For example, the daughter and the rape situation and the chasing of an innocent man and interrogating him? Comment on the nature of family life? The relationships between husbands and wives, love and lack of love, shouting, ambitions etc?

9. Comment on the crime wave busting sequences, the chasing the criminals in the lifts etc the patrolling of the streets.

10.How important were the sequences of the men's ambitions? The presentation of them in their jobs: the taxi business, the hair stylist? The importance of improving their jobs, using their money, the negotiations of buying the restaurant and the failure? Did this add reality to the satirical tones of the film?

11. What was the significance of adding the character of Gloria? her kookiness? The way she ridiculed the customers? As a sex object? The significance of this in terms of law and disorder with the rest of the film?

12. The growing climax as the two friends drank and became just as anarchical as the criminals? The message that all men are the same whether vigilante or criminal? How were they satirised in their practical jokes and violence?

13. How did the joke atmosphere change to being serious and then culminate in death? Was this credible, well handled dramatically?

14. The significance of the final taxi ride, the bickering couple, their criticisms of the driver and his abandoning them? In terms of law and disorder?

15. How good were the intentions of the film in exploring this theme? Did the film match the intention? How strongly did it echo the questions of law and anarchy in modern America? The themes as regards law and disorder?