Serpico Trivia Quiz

Answer: Left cheek

He was shot in the left cheek with a small calibre handgun. The movie began with Serpico being driven to the hospital, he was in the back seat of a police car. The movie traced his career from his graduation to his refusal to accept a gold shield at the end of the movie. He commented at that time (as Serpico) "Is this for being honest, or being stupid enough to get shot"?

Answer: Put his hat on backwards

This took place very early in the movie. He had quite a few relatives, or friends, at the graduation. The only people we saw again were his (movie) parents.

Answer: Yellow

New York state had yellow, almost golden-colored license plates. Serpico got out of a red car, this was the first time we saw it during the movie, but it was never revealed whether or not it belonged to Serpico. This was his first day on the job; he had been assigned to Precinct 42.

Answer: A shoe repair shop

He went in to pick up a pair of his shoes, he knew the person who worked behind the counter. They talked about an open invitation to Sunday dinner, and that there would be a certain girl there, and maybe he would like to see her again. Serpico related to him that "her father was a cop, her brother was a cop, her uncle was a cop, maybe the girl they want to pair him up with was a cop!"

Answer: Marijuana

This might have seemed to be an odd thing to do, but marijuana has a distinctive odor. He also told them he wanted them to light up so that they would feel the disorienting effect of the drug. Also, they might recognize these effects in users they might encounter.

He also told them the different names that the cigarettes were called, reefer, stick, roach or joint. The drug itself is referred to as pot, tea, stuff or grass.

Answer: "That's not my kind of fun!"

The man was one of the four men caught while attempting to rape a woman. Serpico felt some discomfort at the way the man had been given a severe beating at the hands of one of the policemen. The suspect's hands were handcuffed behind him; he had no chance to defend or protect himself. Serpico took him across the street and bought him a cup of coffee, he pleaded with him to name the other men involved.

This was another reason for the animosity toward Serpico: he was overzealous and he collared and processed criminals that most other policemen didn't want to be bothered with.

Answer: Paco

While they were standing outside his front door with bags of groceries, his girlfriend asked him what she should call him, he replied that his friends called him Paco. She preferred to call him Paco rather than Frank.

Answer: He was honest and wouldn't take illicit money.

This movie was based on an actual police officer, Frank Serpico, who was honest and who would not accept money from questionable sources. He tried to blow the whistle on rampant skimming and payoffs procured by all ranks of the New York police force. This money was received from various illegal and disreputable means.
Being honest was the main reason other policemen didn't like, or trust him.
The dishonest policemen far outnumbered those who were honest.

Answer: "No, just a division."

It was ironic that he felt he needed to buy a gun to protect himself from his fellow police officers! He knew he had very few, if any, friends because of his honesty, a sad state of affairs for him. He was more afraid of his fellow officers than he was of the dangers on the street.

He was warned several times that many of them (the police) wanted to do him harm. When the call came in to the precinct that he had been shot, one policeman asked if he had been shot by a policeman. The officer who took the call said "No, but I know at least six who would have liked have done it".

Answer: The movie didn't say

As the movie closed, we saw Serpico sitting on a dock with a large ship in the background. You assume this was the travel method he chose, but it is never explained in the movie. He went to Switzerland where he remained for ten years.
Frank Serpico returned to the United States in the early 1980s, and now lives in upper New York state. He continues to champion the cause that so disillusioned him in the 1970s.