After 20 years, what detective-sergeant Johnson has seen and done is destroying him.
A burned-out British police detective finally snaps while interrogating a suspected child molester.
The Offence (1973) is a crime, drama and thriller film directed by Sidney Lumet, released on January 11, 1973 with a runtime of 1h 53m. It stars Sean Connery, Trevor Howard, Vivien Merchant and Ian Bannen. Viewers rate it 6.8 out of 10 across 180 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Offence before you stream it.
Sean Connery
as Detective Sergeant Johnson
Trevor Howard
as Lieutenant Cartwright, Detective Superintendant
Vivien Merchant
as Maureen Johnson
Ian Bannen
as Kenneth Baxter
Peter Bowles
as Detective Inspector Cameron
Derek Newark
as Frank Jessard
Ronald Radd
as Lawson
John Hallam
as Panton
Anthony Sagar
as Hill
Maxine Gordon
as Janie
Hilda Fenemore
as Woman on Common
Cynthia Lund
as Child at School
Directed by Sidney Lumet, written by John Hopkins, produced by Denis O'Dell.
Average viewer score of 6.8/10 from 180 ratings.
Something Like the Truth The Offence is directed by Sidney Lumet and adapted to screenplay by John Hopkins from his own play titled This Story of Yours. It stars Sean Connery, Ian Bannen, Trevor Howard and Vivien Merchant. Cinematography is by Gerry Fisher and music by Harrison Birtwistle. Detective Sergeant Johnson (Connery) has been with the British Police Force for two decades, in that time he has been witness…
Reviewed on April 30, 2015
"Johnson" (Sean Connery) is a world-weary police sergeant who has long since lost interest in his career when he finds a young girl in the woods. It's clear that she has been sexually assaulted and upon return to the station he asks to spend some time with the prime suspect - "Baxter" (Ian Bannen). What we already know is the result of that meeting, and for the better part of the next two hours we weave through the…
Reviewed on September 6, 2026
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The Offence (1973) is available to stream on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel and MGM Plus, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Offence (1973) includes Sean Connery, Trevor Howard, Vivien Merchant, Ian Bannen and Peter Bowles. The film was directed by Sidney Lumet. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Offence was released on January 11, 1973 and runs for 1h 53m.
The Offence (1973) holds an average rating of 6.8 out of 10 from 180 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy crime, drama and thriller films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Offence trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
