Editing Serpico (section)

==Background ==
After [[Frank Serpico]] recovered from being shot, he helped [[Peter Maas]] write ''Serpico''.{{sfn|Rayman, Graham|2013|p=206}}{{sfn|Constantine, Peggy|1974|p=6-C}} Detective David Durk, who also appeared in front of the [[Knapp Commission]], planned to sell the rights of their story for a film adaptation. Early negotiations included [[Paul Newman]] in the role of Durk, and [[Robert Redford]] as Serpico.{{sfn|Levy, Shawn|2010|p=450}} Serpico distanced himself from the project, as he felt that he would be merely portrayed as a [[sidekick]].{{sfn|Conlon, Edward|2012|p=252}} Script writer [[John Gregory Dunne]] turned down the project, for he felt that "there was no story". Director [[Sam Peckinpah]], as well as Newman and Redford, left the project.{{sfn|Dunne, John Gregory|2013|p=182}}

After the success of several of his films in the 1960s, and the first years of the 1970s, producer [[Dino De Laurentiis]] decided to move from Italy to the United States. The change in financing laws further regulated the Italian film industry, and the producer settled in New York City. Following their collaboration on ''[[The Valachi Papers (film)|The Valachi Papers]]'', De Laurentiis purchased the rights to Maas's book.{{sfn|Morton, Ray|2005|p=149}} Maas received US$400,000 (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|0.4|1973|r=1}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}) and participation in the film, while the rights for his work were secured before the March 1973 publication of the book.{{sfn|AFI Staff|2019}} Initially, De Laurentiis found resistance to the project from [[Paramount Pictures]]. The studio considered that "enough cop movies" had been made.{{sfn|De Laurentiis, Dino|Kezich, Tulio|Levantesi, Alessandra|2004|p=206}} In turn, De Laurentiis was supported by [[Charles Bluhdorn]], president of [[Gulf and Western Industries|Gulf+Western]], who wanted the film to be made.{{sfn|De Laurentiis, Dino|Kezich, Tulio|Levantesi, Alessandra|2004|p=201}} De Laurentiis later declared that "no American producer would have had the courage" to depict police corruption in a motion picture.{{sfn|De Laurentiis, Dino|Kezich, Tulio|Levantesi, Alessandra|2004|p=206}}

Maas's agent [[Sam Cohn]] was approached by agent [[Martin Bregman]]. Bregman expressed his interest to produce the film after reading an article in ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine about the book. Bregman proposed one of his signed actors, [[Al Pacino]], to play the lead.{{sfn|Priggé, Steven|2004|p=119}} [[Waldo Salt]] was chosen to write the screenplay adaptation. The first draft did not impress Maas, De Laurentiis nor Bregman. Bregman felt that the result was "very political", and that the story did not reflect what the producers desired to portray in the film. Bregman and Maas directed Salt to the parts of the book that they envisioned to be reflected on the screenplay. The second draft was considered to be a substantial improvement by the production team.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=77}} Bregman took the [[Film treatment|treatment]] to Pacino, who initially did not find the film interesting. Salt visited Pacino with the re-worked script that convinced him to consider the part.{{sfn|Grobel, Lawrence|2006|p=32}} A meeting with Serpico, Maas and Pacino was arranged for the actor to meet the subject of the film. After meeting him, Pacino was fully convinced to accept the part.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=76}} [[John G. Avildsen]] was chosen to direct the film.{{sfn|Schoell, William|2016|p=7}}

{{quote box|align=right|width=30em|One time we were out at my rented beach house in Montauk. We were sitting there looking at the water. And I thought, Well, I might as well be like everybody else and ask a silly question, which was, "Why, Frank? Why did you do it?" He said, "Well, Al, I don't know. I guess I have to say it would be because...if I didn't, who would I be when I listened to a piece of music?" I mean, what a way of putting it! That's the kind of guy he was. I enjoyed being with him. There was mischief in his eyes.|salign=right|source=— Al Pacino{{sfn|Grobel, Lawrence|1979|p=99}}}}
Salt's work did not satisfy Avildsen, who threatened to leave the project unless he could bring [[Norman Wexler]] to write the screenplay. They had previously worked together in Avildsen's ''[[Joe (1970 film)|Joe]]''. Both traveled to Switzerland to visit Serpico at home and work the details.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=78}} Time to work on the production was constricted due to Pacino's commitment to ''[[The Godfather Part II]]''. Further disagreement arose between Avildsen and Bregman regarding the script and the selection of the filming locations. In response to resistance to his plans, Avildsen threatened Bregman of quitting multiple times. An aggravated Bregman called for a meeting with the production team to cause the director to quit in front of witnesses.

Avildsen had insisted on a meeting with Bregman and De Laurentiis to shoot a scene in the real home of Serpico's parents for authenticity. The producers felt that the structure could not accommodate the production team and equipment efficiently.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=78}} The escalating tension on the meeting resulted in De Laurentiis firing Avildsen, and the director quit in return.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=79}} Avildsen's account for the reason of his dismissal was that he refused to cast Bregman's then-girlfriend (and later wife) Cornelia Sharpe as Leslie. Avildsen would later declare that he should have treated the situation "with more finesse".{{sfn|Powell, Larry|Garrett, Tom|2013|p=53}} [[Sidney Lumet]] was hired to complete the job for his reputation as an effective director under a tight schedule.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=79}}

Pacino was shortly distracted from the project by an offer to play the lead in ''[[Lenny (film)|Lenny]]'', but ultimately he turned it down.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=77}} To prepare for ''Serpico'', he rode with police officers for a night, but he decided that it was not enough. A [[method acting|method actor]], he felt that he needed to spend time with Serpico.{{sfn|Grobel, Lawrence|2006|p=32}} Pacino and Serpico met several times in [[Montauk, New York|Montauk]], New York, where the actor rented a house for the summer. Pacino was moved by Serpico's conviction to reform the NYPD, and became more committed to the project.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=76}} In character, Pacino often walked through areas of the city that were considered dangerous at the time.{{sfn|Scorsese, Martin|2006|p=60}} While waiting in traffic, he attempted to arrest a truck driver, for he was enraged by the exhaust fumes.{{sfn|Grobel, Lawrence|2006|p=39}} He was refused service at a Manhattan restaurant for the appearance that he kept for the film.{{sfn|Yule, Andrew|1992|p=80}}