Report to the Commissioner

Play trailer

Report to the Commissioner

PG

Released Feb 5, 1975

1h 52m

Crime

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

55%

Tomatometer

42 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Patty Butler (Susan Blakely) is a New York City police detective working undercover to investigate a Times Square drug-trafficking ring run by a street-smart crook named Stick Henderson (Tony King). When a naive rookie cop, Bo Lockley (Michael Moriarty), begins to investigate Patty, the incident ends with Patty shot dead. After Patty's death, Bo's corrupt superiors attempt to cover up the incident, and Bo is forced into an uneasy alliance with Stick Henderson.

Watch on Prime Video

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Report to the Commissioner presents some compelling performances and atmospherically gritty cinematography, but its central story of police corruption becomes overwrought and contrived.

Read Critics Reviews

David Robinson

The Times (UK)

Over-written by Abby Mann and Ernest Tidyman, and under-directed by Milton Katselas.

May 2, 2025

Full Review

Phil Strassberg

Arizona Republic

It is a smartly - written, if sometimes contrived suspense story.

Apr 24, 2025

Full Review

Clyde Gilmour

Toronto Star

Plausibility suffers, and so does the whole movie, in Report to the Commissioner, an overwrought police melodrama.

Mar 12, 2025

Full Review

Ronald E. Butler

Tulsa World

"Report to the Commissioner" is a cynical, depressing police drama that fortunately is also suspenseful, well directed... interesting and augmented by the naturalism of its atmosphere and detail.

Mar 12, 2025

Full Review

George Anderson

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Report to the Commissioner" is a good, absorbing film.

Mar 12, 2025

Full Review

Joe Baltake

Philadelphia Daily News

Like its hero, the PG-rated movie is so misguided, scatterbrained and whifty that it easily qualifies as the Lulu-Movie-of-the-Year.

Mar 12, 2025

Full Review

Read all reviews

Alain E

A superb police crime drama that proved to be beyond the comprehension level of most reviewers. Most of the protagonists are unknown today. It marked the first role of Richard Gere in a minor part. Superb gritty color cinematography and appropriate music by Elmer Bernstein.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/12/25

Full Review

acsdoug D

The story is good enough, but what i really appreciated was the feelings of nostalgia the film invoked. Everything about Report to the Commissioner screams the 1970s: from New York City at its nadir to the soundtrack to the hairstyles and costumes.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/27/24

Full Review

Steve D

Bleak but never interesting.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/10/23

Full Review

Z M

Turgid, boring, Times Square looks awful like the movie.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/16/22

Full Review

delysid d

this movie is one of my favorites

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/06/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Great movie a bit aged but ahead of it time

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Milton Katselas

Director

Michael Moriarty

Bo Lockley

Yaphet Kotto

Richard "Crunch" Blackstone

Susan Blakely

Patty Butler

Héctor Elizondo

Captain D'Angelo

Tony King

Thomas "Stick" Henderson

Brannigan

48%

40%

Brannigan

Watchlist

Shamus

29%

38%

Shamus

Watchlist

The Outfit

80%

74%

The Outfit

Watchlist

Badlands

97%

90%

Badlands

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Badlands

Electra Glide in Blue

69%

74%

Electra Glide in Blue

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Patty Butler (Susan Blakely) is a New York City police detective working undercover to investigate a Times Square drug-trafficking ring run by a street-smart crook named Stick Henderson (Tony King). When a naive rookie cop, Bo Lockley (Michael Moriarty), begins to investigate Patty, the incident ends with Patty shot dead. After Patty's death, Bo's corrupt superiors attempt to cover up the incident, and Bo is forced into an uneasy alliance with Stick Henderson.

Director: Milton Katselas
Producer: M.J. Frankovich
Screenwriter: Abby Mann, Ernest Tidyman
Rating: PG
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 5, 1975, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 29, 2016
Runtime: 1h 52m

Most Popular at Home Now