Report to the Commissioner

Year: 1975

Runtime: 112 mins

Language: English

Director: Milton Katselas

DramaCrime

Patty Butler, a police officer working undercover under the alias “Chicklet,” lives with criminal Thomas “Stick” Henderson to gather evidence. Unaware that she is a cop, Detective Bo Lockley is assigned to find her, ultimately becoming the detective who kills her.

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Timeline & Setting – Report to the Commissioner (1975)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Report to the Commissioner (1975). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Location

New York City, Times Square, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Tombs

The film is set in New York City, with Times Square serving as the gritty backdrop for the undercover operation. The Saks Fifth Avenue department store becomes a climactic hotspot during the stand-off, while The Tombs provides the stark, claustrophobic prison setting. The city’s crowded streets and storefronts establish a tense environment where crime, media, and police power collide in the 1970s era.

🗽 New York City 🎭 Urban crime drama 🏬 Iconic locations 🗺️ 1970s atmosphere

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:08

Main Characters – Report to the Commissioner (1975)

Meet the key characters of Report to the Commissioner (1975), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Bo Lockley (Michael Moriarty)

Beauregard 'Bo' Lockley is a thoughtful, new-type undercover detective in the NYPD tasked with locating a missing woman who is herself an undercover officer. He wades into the Times Square heroin world, where danger and deception blur the line between pursuit and trap. A chaotic shoot-out results in the death of the officer involved, pulling him deeper into a confrontation with crime and departmental politics. The case ends in tragedy as he is later found dead in his cell.

🗽 Detective 🕵️‍♂️ Undercover 💊 Crime 🗝️ Corruption

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:08

Major Themes – Report to the Commissioner (1975)

Explore the central themes of Report to the Commissioner (1975), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:08

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Movies about corruption and institutional betrayal like Report to the Commissioner

Stories where individuals are destroyed by the institutions they serve.If you liked the bleak portrayal of a broken system in Report to the Commissioner, explore more movies about institutional failure and moral collapse. These similar dramas and thrillers feature protagonists crushed by the very organizations they believed in, offering a grim and thought-provoking viewing experience.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows an idealistic individual who enters a powerful institution (police, government, corporation) with good intentions. Through a pivotal event—often a tragic mistake or the uncovering of a secret—they confront the organization's inherent corruption. The story arc is downward, moving from hope to disillusionment, frequently ending with the protagonist's professional or personal ruin as the system protects itself.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their shared focus on systemic corruption as the primary antagonist. They possess a uniformly bleak tone, heavy emotional weight, and a critical perspective on authority. The viewing experience is defined by a sense of claustrophobia and inevitability, as characters find there is no escape from the machine.

Fast-paced, tense police dramas like Report to the Commissioner

Fast-paced police procedurals where a single mistake triggers a catastrophic chain of events.For viewers who enjoyed the anxious, fast-paced tension of Report to the Commissioner, this list features similar high-intensity police procedurals. Discover more movies with chaotic action, moral conflicts, and gritty urban settings that capture the stressful reality of police work and its tragic consequences.

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Narrative Summary

These stories often begin with a routine assignment or a simple case that quickly devolves into chaos. A central, irreversible mistake—like the accidental killing of an undercover officer—acts as a point of no return. The narrative structure is propelled by a series of tense confrontations and desperate attempts to contain the situation, all under the shadow of an uncaring bureaucracy, leading to a morally and emotionally devastating conclusion for the central character.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their breakneck pacing and sustained high intensity. They share a gritty, realistic aesthetic and a focus on the procedural details of police work gone horribly wrong. The collective vibe is one of unrelenting tension, moral ambiguity, and a somber acknowledgment of the human cost within a dangerous profession.

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Report to the Commissioner Summary

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Report to the Commissioner Timeline

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Report to the Commissioner Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About Report to the Commissioner

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