Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- gritty
- tense
- cynical
- gritty crime movie night
- new york film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found Paul Newman's performance and the dialogue effective, while judging the film patchy, clichéd, and weakened by an unfocused story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The officers call their South Bronx station Fort Apache, framing the precinct as an embattled outpost in hostile territory.
Murphy appears tough and cynical but is explicitly characterized as a moralist with a sense of justice.
The story follows police officers whose work is shaped by the South Bronx's crime, poverty, racial tension, and the precinct's isolation.
The film depicts everyday life around the infamous South Bronx and connects street conditions with the officers' professional and moral burdens.
Films like Fort Apache, the Bronx, and why
Prince of the City
gritty urban police drama centered on institutional pressure, flawed officers, and moral compromise
Serpico
1970s and 1980s new york crime drama combining street-level realism with conflicted police protagonists
The New Centurions
ensemble police drama marked by cynical procedures, racial tension, and a morally serious central officer
Movie Details
- Director
- Daniel Petrie
- Release Date
- 1981-02-06
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (130)
Cast
- Paul Newman
- Ed Asner
- Ken Wahl
- Danny Aiello
- Pam Grier
- Rachel Ticotin
- Kathleen Beller
- Tito Goya
- Miguel Piñero
- Jamie Tirelli
Common questions
- What is Fort Apache, the Bronx about?
- A morally conflicted Bronx police officer navigates violence, institutional strain, and social collapse from an embattled New York precinct.
- What is Fort Apache, the Bronx like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Fort Apache, the Bronx as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Fort Apache, the Bronx violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Fort Apache, the Bronx as moderate.
- What did critics think of Fort Apache, the Bronx?
- Critics broadly found Paul Newman's performance and the dialogue effective, while judging the film patchy, clichéd, and weakened by an unfocused story.
- Which films are like Fort Apache, the Bronx?
- Films with a similar feel include Prince of the City, Serpico, and The New Centurions.
- How long is Fort Apache, the Bronx?
- Fort Apache, the Bronx runs 125 minutes.
