The French Connection, along with its immediate contemporary Bullitt, brought a new level of realism to Hollywood cop movies. Until then, they were mostly cat-and-mouse thrillers with the kind of action that looked more natural on the five o’clock news than on film. But they also featured a compelling character study. This one focused on a cop who leads with his intuition and doesn’t follow protocol during claustrophobic stake-outs. It’s a cliche that probably wouldn’t have survived without The French Connection and its ilk.
The movie is about narcotics detective Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman), whose street smarts help him unravel an international heroin trafficking ring run by Corsican master criminals like Lucky Luciano and Alan Charnier. Unlike the dirty-rat scum policemen depicted in most films, these guys are savvy and sophisticated, which makes them tough to catch.
This is a complex movie that’s not aimed at the kids. It deals with some heavy issues and contains some graphic violence, but it’s never gratuitous. The action is fast and exciting, but the movie also takes time to explore the relationship between the two lead cops. The contrast between a hot-headed, streetwise American and the urbane European criminal is well-played.
There are some The french connection ep impressive scenes, especially the famous car chase sequence that has spawned numerous imitators over the years. But the real reason it works isn’t just Friedkin’s peerless technique, although it certainly helps. It’s the sense of grit that Friedkin establishes, which allows an outrageously over-the-top car chase to seem realistic.
Another strength of the film is its script by Ernest Tidyman, who was an expert at writing pulp thrillers and action movies. He was nominated for an Oscar for this screenplay, and it’s easy to see why. The French Connection is a fine example of how a script can elevate an otherwise average movie into something special.
The movie was well-received at the time of its release, winning five Academy Awards in 1971, including Best Picture and a Best Actor award for Hackman. It also won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It even spawned a sequel, directed by John Frankenheimer in 1975, with Hackman and Fernando Rey reprising their roles.
The film might be considered slow by today’s standards, but it still has a lot to offer. It’s an intense, believable and highly-entertaining movie that’s sure to stand the test of time. It’s a must-see for any movie fan. The French Connection is currently available in a wide variety of formats on DVD, Blu-Ray and streaming platforms. The DVD features a widescreen transfer and stereo soundtrack. The LP version includes mono soundtrack. This deluxe edition also includes Ellis’s complete underscore for the 1975 sequel, French Connection II, in which Popeye Doyle journeys to Marseille to take down the drug ring. This release is 75 minutes of prime ’70s crime scoring, which compares solidly with Jerry Goldsmith’s work of the period. The included booklet notes give detailed information on the score.
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