Product Details

• Actors: Paul Newman, Edward Asner, Ken Wahl, Danny Aiello, Rachel Ticotin
• Directors: Daniel Petrie
• Writers: Heywood Gould, Pete Tessitore, Thomas Mulhearn
• Producers: David Susskind, Gill Champion, Martin Richards, Mary Lea Johnson
• Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: February 21, 1995
• Run Time: 125 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005IBL3
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,461 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A little hokey, but a solid film with great performances, February 5, 2004

By 

C.J. Hustwick (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fort Apache, the Bronx (DVD)

Good cop films are really important, and this is an excellent portrayal of the human side of law enforcement. What a find. It's a very convincing, gritty New York drama, something that is always appreciated. One of the film's strengths is its ability to shift from comedic moments into harsh tragedies, and in this sense feels like an accurate reflection on real life. Newman is absolutely convincing in his top rate performance, as is the rest of the cast. Which brings us to the plot - it's solid, but not dazzling. You have a sense it is trying to be a tour-de-force about police mentality and corruption but falls a bit short. But, for the rest of the film's strengths, this can be overlooked. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Rotten Part of the Big Apple, January 3, 2008

By 

Jenny J.J.I. "A New Yorker" (That Lives in Carolinas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fort Apache, the Bronx (DVD)

The story is a well paced, gritty cop drama that side steps the usual Hollywood treatment of the good cop in the bad city, in this case the South Bronx (the film drew heat for it's realistic locations and hellhole depiction of the area). This is straight forwarded NY story telling. Paul Newman (Hud, Cool Hand Luke) is Patrolman Murphy, a veteran cop almost ready for retirement. His partner is Corelli (Ken Wahl) a younger man who tries to dress for success. Together they patrol their 40 block area with a population of 70,000. The beat looks like one of the German cities that was bombed flat in WWII. Ed Asner is the new precinct captain, wanting to get everything shipshape.

In response to a pair of cop killings by a deranged hooker, Asner orders the cops to roust the ghetto, resulting in a riot. Because of some rock throwing and heckling, a couple of cops throw an innocent boy off the roof of a building. Newman witnesses this and wrestles with his conscience about it. I think if the filmmakers would have stuck with just those plot points they would have had an excellent movie, however, they added many additional situations to give Newman more things to do. These included stopping a jumper, delivering a baby, saving hostages, and there are lengthy courting scenes for both Newman and Wahl. These stock plot devices derail what could have been a compelling story.

Paul Newman does a genuine job, as usual, playing Murphy with an admirable restraint. He puts the dramatic emphasis where it's needed and stays low-key otherwise. Ken Wahl also does a good job as Officer Corelli, a flamboyant guy, giving the older cop unsolicited advice, often. The byplay between the two cops is very good and believable. Supporting players include Ed Asner (Precinct Commander), Rachel Ticotin (Murphy's girlfriend), Pam Grier (Angel Dust Hooker), and Danny Aiello (cop). All of these players do a good job, but Pam Grier is basically wasted in a few brief scenes portraying a prostitute who kills people while under the influence of drugs. Of course, these inexplicable things do happen in real life so in that respect it makes sense. However, the film, rather than trying to play it straight with all the ambiguities of real life, puts in all these stock situations for Newman to react to thereby watering down the impact of the main story. I blame the writers and the director for not streamlining the screenplay, which has too many clichés.

Directed by Daniel Petrie, who mainly did TV, Fort Apache, the Bronx has serviceable visuals, particularly effective when showing the devastated landscape of the South Bronx. The cinematography is workmanlike but nothing special. If you don't mind an average film with a sad ending, Fort Apache, the Bronx might be for you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Paul Newman at his best!, March 21, 2006

By 

Abbie L. Pechter (STATEN ISLAND) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fort Apache, the Bronx (DVD)

I remember watching this movie on a VCR back in 1981, and ever since then the picture of Paul Newman in his cop uniform is embedded in my mind. I was so happy when I found out Amazon.com had this on DVD. This movie is one of the best portrayals of The Bronx in the early 80's. I definitely would recommend this movie to anyone who is into cop movies that are realistic.