Dragnet (1987 film)
Dragnet is a 1987 American buddy-cop comedy that spoofs the classic Dragnet TV series. It’s directed by Tom Mankiewicz in his first directing job and stars Dan Aykroyd as Joe Friday and Tom Hanks as his new partner, Pep Streebek. Harry Morgan returns as Captain Bill Gannon. The script, by Aykroyd, Alan Zweibel, and Mankiewicz, blends humor with nods to the original show.
Friday is a by-the-book LAPD detective who teams up with a cocky, streetwise rookie in a clash of styles. They investigate a string of strange thefts and uncover a plot by a cult called PAGAN led by Jonathan Whirley, who is trying to influence city politics with help from a corrupt Police Commissioner. After infiltrating a cult ceremony and stopping a planned gas attack, Whirley is captured and Connie Swail is rescued. Friday is reinstated, and he begins dating Connie.
The film features a modern soundtrack, including a theme by the Art of Noise and a closing song, City of Crime, performed by Aykroyd and Hanks. Dragnet received mixed reviews, though some critics praised the performances. It earned about $66.7 million worldwide on a $20 million budget.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:26 (CET).