Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Cop Hater

Released Oct 1, 1958 1h 15m Mystery & Thriller List
Tomatometer 2 Reviews 38% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
During a blisteringly hot summer, tensions on the city streets are already high when a cop is inexplicably gunned down, with no leads to go on. Two officers from the dead man's precinct, police Detectives Carelli (Robert Loggia) and Maguire (Gerald O'Loughlin), are put in charge of the murder investigation but are shocked when the victim's partner is killed in a similar fashion. The detectives then realize they're dealing with a sadistic cop hater, and they could be next on his hit list.

Critics Reviews

View All (2) Critics Reviews
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Though watchable, it's more like TV fare than a movie. Rated: C+ Jun 6, 2016 Full Review Sean Axmaker Parallax View ... an independent production shot largely on the cheap in with a New York cast headed by Robert Loggia... Oct 22, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (5) audience reviews
Audience Member 1950's potboiler is alternately fun and unintentionally funny. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Most of the air conditioners in the apartments and offices of New York City seem to be stressed to the limit in this movie. Or people don't have them. When they are in the comfort of their homes both men and women must cool off by lounging around in their underwear or swimsuits. Shirley Ballard is particularly sensual. This is pretty similar to the police procedurals we are used to seeing on tv otherwise. Loggia is the main calm and collected detective hero trying to catch a cop killer. His girlfriend is deaf, so the characterizations have a bit of uniqueness. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member This early adaptation of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novel is not particularily good, but I definitely enjoyed the shockingly young Robert Loggia and his throttle carpet headbashing antics. The film is also notable for one of the best Punch-Outs in cinema, blink and you'll miss THWACK WHAM FLOOR. Other than that, Cop Hater is pretty ordinary. VF. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member An early Robert Loggia film. As late fifties police killer movies go, this one was fairly interesting. The acting is pretty rough, with the detectives all trying to be fast talking interrogators. All tough guys looking for the killer of a fellow cop, or policeman, if you will. Then, his parter is killed the next day. The crime scene gives the only clues. Written by Evan Hunter using the name Ed McBain, the book was inspired by a television show he greatly admired, Dragnet. Two patrolman parters are murdered from the same precinct a day apart. Tension runs pretty high as the police are clueless. In black and white, this movie is pretty average or worse for the era. William Berke Director John Bowman Assistant Director John Zane Assistant Director Cast Robert Loggia Detective [Steve] Carelli Gerald S. O'Loughlin Detective [Mike] Maguire Ellen Parker Carelli's girl--Teddy [Theodora Franklin] Shirley Ballard Maguire's wife--Alice Russell Hardie Detective Lt. Byrnes Hal Riddle Cop hater--killer [Mercer] William Neff Rookie cop--Kling Gene Miller Reporter [Hank] Miller Vince Gardenia Danny the Gimp John Gerstad Laboratory technician Ralph Stantley Detective Willis Glen Gannon Gang leader--Rip Alan Manson Newlywed Clark Sandra Stevens Newlywed wife Jan Kalionzes Officer Reardon's wife Jerry Orbach Gang leader--Mumzer Frank Dana Cinematography J. Burgi Contner Producer Morris Helprin Executive Producer Alfred Crown Executive Producer William Berke Producer Lee Gordon Everett Sutherland Supervising Film Editor Albert Glasser Music Composition and Conducting Jack Rabin Special Photography Effects Louis DeWitt Special Photography Effects Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Loose, but pacey Evan Hunter adaptation,(under the pen name Ed McBain) with a good degree of procedural grit for the time. Fun to see a young Loggia and O'Loughlin as his partner whose contrasting romantic relationship with the harridan Ballard lends a bit more interest for a buddy cop of the day. Parker plays Loggia's deaf-mute wife, Teddy, whose internal monologues are lost - she instead largely provides a foil for Loggia's engaging exposition. Also fun to see a very young Jerry Orbach as an ethnic thug, being given the business in the role opposite that which he would come to play more often. This has a nice edge with strong characterization, and the ending is well-paced and sleazy. The attention given to Parker's eyes reflects menace, but conveys an intellect which heightens the impact of Loggia's blind rage in her defense. The film can be seen on Hulu here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/88185/cop-hater Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Cop Hater

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis During a blisteringly hot summer, tensions on the city streets are already high when a cop is inexplicably gunned down, with no leads to go on. Two officers from the dead man's precinct, police Detectives Carelli (Robert Loggia) and Maguire (Gerald O'Loughlin), are put in charge of the murder investigation but are shocked when the victim's partner is killed in a similar fashion. The detectives then realize they're dealing with a sadistic cop hater, and they could be next on his hit list.
Director
William Berke
Producer
William Berke
Production Co
Barbizon Productions Inc.
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 1, 1958, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 15m