The Laughing Policeman 1973
The Laughing Policeman
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.
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.
Videos & Photos
All 1 Videos & 5 Photoscast
Full Cast & Crew... Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
... Insp. Leo Larsen SFPD
... Insp. James Larrimore SFPD
... Henry Camerero
... Lt. Nat Steiner SFPD
... Insp. John Pappas SFPD
User reviews
See All 1 Reviews23 Jun 2021 by talisencrw
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!)...
Directors:
Release Date:
Dec 20, 1973 (United States)
Run Time:
1hr 52`
MMPA Rating:
R
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
United States
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:

Related Movies To
The Laughing Policeman
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!)...
Cast & Crew of
The Laughing Policeman
Directors & Credit Writers
... Director
Cast
... Sgt. Jake Martin SFPD
... Insp. Leo Larsen SFPD
... Insp. James Larrimore SFPD
... Henry Camerero
... Lt. Nat Steiner SFPD
... Insp. John Pappas SFPD
... Kay Butler
... Bobby Mow, Snitch
... Monica, Beth's Roomate
... Prostitute
... Officer Jim Maloney SFPD Bomb Squad
... Duane Haygood
... Coronor
... Mr. Schwermer, Bus Vicitm
... Grace Martin
... Go-Go Dancer
Produced By
... Producer
... Casting