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Sinatra plays a cop who actually cares — groundbreaking for 1968, still refreshing now.
TMDB
59
IMDb
65
Rotten Tomatoes
100
Audience Score
48
Google
78
Watch(US)

The Detective (1968)

gritty proceduralsocially ahead of its timenoir-adjacent

Overview

DramaMysteryCrime

Police detective Joe Leland investigates the murder of a gay man.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
police detective
institutional homophobiamoral compromise in law enforcementthe cost of empathy

Standout Aspects

Acting

Sinatra's weary vulnerability — his best dramatic work.

Writing

Treats gay characters with shocking (for 1968) dignity.

Direction

Douglas lets the case breathe, no rush to sensationalize.

Best for:Solo: Late night, whiskey optional, appreciating Sinatra's dramatic chops.·Rewatch: Spot how it quietly dismantles cop-movie clichés.
Heads up:Triggers: Period-appropriate slurs; anti-gay police attitudes depicted realistically.
Gordon Douglas

Director

Gordon Douglas

ReleasedMay 28, 1968
Runtime1h 54m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensitymedium
Tonemixed
Feelmedium
Budget$4.5M·Revenue$6.5M
20th Century Fox
Arcola Pictures

Top Cast

Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra

Det. Sgt. Joe Leland

Lee Remick

Lee Remick

Karen Wagner Leland

Ralph Meeker

Ralph Meeker

Curran

Jack Klugman

Jack Klugman

Dave Schoenstein

Horace McMahon

Horace McMahon

Capt. Tom Farrell

Lloyd Bochner

Lloyd Bochner

Dr. Wendell Roberts

William Windom

William Windom

Colin MacIver

Tony Musante

Tony Musante

Felix Tesla

Al Freeman Jr.

Al Freeman Jr.

Robbie Loughlin

Robert Duvall

Robert Duvall

Nestor

Patrick McVey

Patrick McVey

Police Officer Mike Tanner

Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray Robinson

Kelly

Renée Taylor

Renée Taylor

Rachael Schoenstein

Ask about The Detective

Opens AI chat

Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

Released six months before the Stonewall riots, it's remarkably progressive for a mainstream studio film about gay life.

Trivia

Sinatra insisted on playing Leland after reading the novel; he then produced and starred in the sequel 'Lady in Cement' where the character is completely different.

YouTube

The Detective (1968) - Theatrical Trailer

The Detective (1968) - Theatrical Trailer

Gallery

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