Overview
A gripping tale of loyalty and betrayal set against the backdrop of police corruption.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Moderate
- harrowing
- paranoid
- brooding
- serious movie night
- crime film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film’s authenticity, detailed urban landscape, ensemble performances, and moral intensity, while finding its lengthy final stretch less effective than its powerful opening.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Daniel Ciello agrees to investigate police corruption while initially refusing to turn on his partners, forcing him into increasingly painful compromises.
The wiretaps, interrogations, narcotics investigations, prosecutors, and police hierarchy create a detailed portrait of New York law enforcement.
Ciello’s undercover cooperation steadily erodes his trust in partners, prosecutors, and his own position within the department.
The inquiry reaches into the inner workings of police practices and reveals broad institutional complicity.
Films like Prince of the City, and why
Serpico
shared urban police corruption, moral compromise, and investigative crime drama
The French Connection
shared institutional corruption, paranoid tension, and grounded american crime realism
Internal Affairs
shared morally compromised law enforcement protagonists and dense procedural storytelling
Narc
shared bleak urban atmosphere, betrayal, and corruption within law enforcement
Movie Details
- Director
- Sidney Lumet
- Release Date
- 1981-08-19
- Runtime
- 167 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (190)
Cast
- Treat Williams
- Jerry Orbach
- Richard Foronjy
- Don Billett
- Kenny Marino
- Carmine Caridi
- Tony Page
- Norman Parker
- Paul Roebling
- Bob Balaban
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Prince of the City about?
- A narcotics detective’s forced cooperation with internal investigators turns loyalty, justice, and identity into mutually destructive choices.
- What is Prince of the City like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Prince of the City as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.
- Is Prince of the City violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Prince of the City as moderate.
- What did critics think of Prince of the City?
- Critics broadly praised the film’s authenticity, detailed urban landscape, ensemble performances, and moral intensity, while finding its lengthy final stretch less effective than its powerful opening.
- Which films are like Prince of the City?
- Films with a similar feel include Serpico, The French Connection, Internal Affairs, and Narc.
- How long is Prince of the City?
- Prince of the City runs 167 minutes.
- Where can I watch Prince of the City?
- In United States, Prince of the City is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
