简介：IvanPasser's"LawandDisorder"isagentle,touching,sometimesdisruptivelyfunnymovieabout—amongotherthings—ignorance,prejudice,rape,larceny,thefailureofsmalldreams,aboutpeopletryingdesperatelytocopeandoftencomingapart.ItstarsCarrollO'ConnorasataxicabdriverandErnestBorgnineasanex-Marine,whoisahairdresserwithapassionforguns.TheyarethenucleusofasmallgroupofoutragedtenantsofahousingprojectcalledCo-opVillage,setontheLowerEastSideofaNewYorkCitythatbearssomesuperficialresemblancetothesettingoftheinexecrable"DeathWish.""LawandDisorder,"isthesecondAmericanfilmbyMr.Passer(hisfirstwas"BorntoWin")whose"IntimateLighting"isregardedasoneofthemajorachievementsofthebrief,mysteriousrenaissanceofCzechoslovakfilmsinthenineteen-sixties.Willie(Mr.O'Connor)andCy(Mr.Borgnine)andtheirfriendsarethreatenedasmuchbytheonsetofbarrenmiddleageastheyarebythecollapseofcivilorder.Thus,whentheyformapoliceauxiliaryunittoprotecttheirneighborhood,theyareasinvigoratedbytheopportunitytowearuniformsastheyarebytheopportunitytobringpeacetothecommunity.Perhapsmoreso.Theuniformsdefinepurpose.Theyrecallamoreinnocenttime,sayWorldWarII,whentherewasneveranyquestionastowhowasrightandwhowaswrong.TheultimatefailureofWillie,Cyandtheothersislessacommentontheirinadequacies,oftenhilariouslydetailed,thanontheoverwhelmingcomplexityoftheurbanproblemstheyface.It'sthisawarenessonthepartofMr.Passer,aswellasonthepartofWilliamRichertandKennethHarrisFishman,whocollaboratedwiththedirectoronthescript,thatseparates"LawandDisorder"fromexploitationjunklike"DeathWish."Italsodictatesthemoodofafilmthatslidesbetweenfarceandmelodrama,betweenhighgoodhumorandenervatingdespair.SomeofMr.Passer'scharacters,likeWillie,continuetotrytoimprovethings.Williedreamsofanewcareer.Hewantstosellhistaximedallionandbuyalunchcounter,muchtohiswife'shorror.SaysWillieindesperation:"Iain'tafailure,Sally,Ijustain'tontime."Cy,thehairdresser,isahunter.Hekeepsanentirestuffeddeerinthebedroomandhasapiranhafishinatankinthelivingroom.Hedoesn'thuntpeople,however,andhehasn'tquitearrivedatthepointoccupiedbymostoftheothercitizensofthecitywhosemotto,repeatedlyexpressed,isanobscenetwo-wordimperative. ThefilmisnotperfectbutIcouldn'tcareless.Anumberofcharactersareasdimlyseenasfacesacrossasubwaycar.Thesenseofalienationthatgripsthecityattimesseizesthefilmitself,thoughalmostalwaysinfascinatingways.Afilmoflessconsistentintelligencewouldprobablybedestroyedbyascenesopricelesslyfunnyit'salmostaspecialtynumber,whentheauxiliarypolicemenandtheirwivesattendalectureonrapeby"theauthorofthebest-sellingbook,'SexualDeviationsoftheSeventies.'""LawandDisorder"isfullofeccentricthings,oneofthemostmarvelousbeingKarenBlack,whoplaysalasciviouslylunaticbeauticianwhosimplycan'tkeephertongueinplace.Mr.O'ConnorreinsinhisfamiliarArchieBunkerpersonalitytogiveafine,controlledperformanceasthestalwartWillie,whileMr.Borgnineisinspiredcastingastheunhappyhairdresser."LawandDisorder"hasnoneofthevicariousthrillsof"DeathWish."It'sthoughtfulaboutpeople,evenvicioushoods.It'salsovery,veryfunny.…