Prince of the City

An American epic neo-noir crime drama film from 1981, produced in the USA under the direction of director Sidney Lumet. The plot is based on real events from the life of New York City police officer Robert Leuci, whose prototype in the film became the character Daniel Ciello (Treat Williams). Ciello serves in the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) of the New York Police Department, an elite unit known as the "Princes of the City" due to their broad autonomy and minimal supervision. However, this freedom leads to corruption: officers engage in illegal activities, including skimming money from criminals and supplying informants with stolen drugs for resale. Ciello, who has a drug-addict brother and a cousin involved in organized crime, begins to experience remorse after an incident in which he beats a junkie to steal his heroin. He is invited to cooperate with internal investigations and federal prosecutors to expose corruption in the police. Agreeing to work undercover and wear a wire, Ciello seeks to avoid prosecution and ensure protection for himself and his family, but insists on not betraying his partners. However, his past misdeeds and connections to the criminal world complicate the situation. One of his partners commits suicide during interrogation, and his cousin in the mafia, who had been assisting Ciello, ends up dead. Admitting to three crimes committed in the SIU, Ciello perjures himself by denying many other offenses committed by him and his partners. Despite his declarations of loyalty, he ultimately gives up all his partners, most of whom turn away from him. As a result, the chief prosecutor decides not to press charges against Ciello, and he is reassigned as an instructor at the police academy.