Treffpunkt Central Park (1973)

Treffpunkt Central Park: Directed by Aram Avakian. With Cliff Gorman, Joseph Bologna, Charlene Dallas, James Ferguson. Two disillusioned New York City policemen plan a ten million dollar robbery to fuel their low pensions, only to run into one debacle after another in the process.

“Iu0026#39;m Born, raised – and still live in NYC.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSeeing this movie made me (like a lot of my fellow NYCu0026#39;ers) pine for those days.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt was a great place to grow up – made you u0026#39;get with itu0026#39; really fast.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIu0026#39;d never heard of this film (and I know Mr. Gorman!), so, when it appeared last night on TCM, I recorded it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhat a find!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe sights and sounds bring back a lot of memories, as does even the filmu0026#39;s stock, and the look. All pitch-perfect.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe actingu0026#39;s superb. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eInstead of the (misguided) idea of using u0026#39;staru0026#39; names, the producers and the director went for ACTORS – New York actors. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eANd that makes all the difference.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe leads, Cliff Gorman and Joseph Bologna are 2 schlubs – cops, who know theyu0026#39;re stuck ion a treadmill.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThey want SOME way to get out – to u0026#39;go sit on a beach,u0026#39; and enjoy their lives.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSo, through a meeting by happenstance, with a well-known Mafioso figure u0026#39;Pasquale Aniellou0026#39; aka Patsy Ou0026#39;Neill, they think theyu0026#39;ve found a way to meet their goal.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eEveryone in the cast is so New York, the director – Aram Avakian – is a born New Yorker, and it really does help give this film that true feel.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eYou can see it in such things like the ways the cops slouch.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe little touches – such as the annoying Muzak that plays in a couple of scenes – gives the humor (this IS a comedy) a real NYC feel. Itu0026#39;s dry, itu0026#39;s got a u0026#39;been there,u0026#39; jaded quality that is so typical.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI join the chorus in praising this little gem.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf it shows up – WATCH IT.”