The Laughing Policeman

1973

1h 52m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

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17 Images

Crime

Thriller

Drama

When a gunman opens fire on a crowded city bus in San Francisco, Detective Dave Evans is killed, along with the man he'd been following in relation to a murder. Evans' partner, Sgt. Jake Martin, becomes obsessed with solving the case.

Directors

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers

Thomas Rickman(screenplay by)

Per Wahlöö(novel by)

Maj Sjöwall(novel by)

Stars

Walter Matthau

Bruce Dern

Louis Gossett Jr.

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Videos1

Trailer
Watch The Laughing Policeman (1973) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Photos17

Top cast

Walter Matthau

Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD

Bruce Dern

Insp. Leo Larsen SFPD

Louis Gossett Jr.

Insp. James Larrimore SFPD

Albert Paulsen

Henry Camerero

Anthony Zerbe

Lt. Nat Steiner SFPD

Val Avery

Insp. John Pappas SFPD

Cathy Lee Crosby

Kay Butler

Mario Gallo

Bobby Mow, Snitch

Joanna Cassidy

Monica, Beth's Roomate

Frances Lee McCain

Prostitute

Clifton James

Officer Jim Maloney SFPD Bomb Squad

Paul Koslo

Duane Haygood

Matt Clark

Coronor

William Hansen

Mr. Schwermer, Bus Vicitm

Shirley Ballard

Grace Martin

Elaine Collins

Go-Go Dancer

Directors

Stuart Rosenberg

Writers

Thomas Rickman(screenplay by)

Per Wahlöö(novel by)

Maj Sjöwall(novel by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews1

Review

Featured review

8/10

From the early-70's zenith of crime and police-centered films, 'The Laughing Policeman' deserves credit, respect and recognition as a fine, gritty, accurate work that shows the way real officers interact and go through their work-days and solve crimes. Walter Matthau, mostly known for his astute comedic touch, is excellent, as is Bruce Dern, who's promoted to an uneasy partnership with Matthau, when the latter's partner, who was on vacation yet took an unsolved case home with him, is at the wrong place at the wrong time, part of a brutal mass murder on board a bus. The well-directed script shows how alienated a good policeman is from his family, how hated he is by most of the community, and the blind alleys and dead ends he has to go through in order to solve the case, and have it hold up in a court of law. It's 'Dirty Harry' or the 'French Connection' films done honestly, not as a fever dream of wish fulfillment from the policeman's perspective (though I must admit I love those too!)...

talisencrw18 Jan, 2016