The New Centurions **** (1972, George C Scott, Stacy Keach, Jane Alexander) – Classic Movie Review 9133

Director Richard Fleischer’s 1972 The New Centurions stars George C Scott, Stacy Keach and Jane Alexander as well as an excellent support cast too. It was renamed Precinct 45: Los Angeles Police in the UK.

One of Joseph Wambaugh’s popular police stories is worked over by writer Stirling Silliphant (In the Heat of the Night) as a vehicle for George C Scott, as wise veteran LAPD cop Kilvinski showing hardnosed, cocky rookie Roy Fehler (Keach) the ropes. Silliphant makes liberal changes from the novel, altering the ending.

Old hands at the documentary-style cop thriller produce a reliable, hardboiled entertainment typical of the Seventies, with the sour aftertaste you would expect too.

The star acting could scarcely be better, there is a fine roster of support actors and Fleischer directs very capably, bringing out a sharp whiff of life on the LA beat.

Also in the cast are, Rosalind Cash, Scott Wilson, Erik Estrada, Clifton James, James B Sikking, William Atherton, and Ed Lauter.

The New Centurions [Precinct 45: Los Angeles Police] is directed by Richard Fleischer, runs 105 minutes, is made by Columbia Pictures and Chartoff-Winkler Productions, is released by Columbia Pictures (1972) (US) and Columbia-Warner Distributors (1972) (UK), is written by Stirling Silliphant, is shot in Eastmancolor by Ralph Woolsey, is produced by Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, and is scored by Quincy Jones, with Production Design by Boris Leven.

Fleischer and Scott had planned Luther as their next film but ironically it starred Stacy Keach instead.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9133

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