Second, even though the Knapp Commission (led by Judge Whitman Knapp) was well-known in police circles at the time of the movie's release, the general public was unaware of, and shocked by, the pervasiveness of the NYPD corruption.
Third, I see Pacino and I think, "movie star," but I guess having fresh faces was actually a prime concern of everyone involved in this project... It's easier for the audience to believe it's a true story when they don't recognize anyone in it. And, wonder of wonders, Al Pacino didn't mess that up because this movie really made him a star! The Godfather was Brando's and Coppola's movie, I guess. The second part wouldn't come out for another year.
Finally, many of the precinct sets used in the movie were actually fresh for the time. I mean, me watching it, thinks of Barney Miller and all those other cop shows, but I guess it was Lumet who started that look. As he put it, when you're makin' a movie about someone's life, there's where things actually happened, and then there's where it won't be so boring. :-)
So, it's like being more critical of car chases after watching The French Connection. This one sets the bar pretty high for cop stories. I don't know, I really liked Pacino's Serpico; he's the kind of guy you want to talk like, dress like, be like... Well, until his life of constant fear drove away everyone he loved except Alfie, his faithful sheepdog. :-)
