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Mood:
Rough Suspenseful Captivating Tense Atmospheric Bleak Clever Exciting
Plot:
Partners Against Crime Police Detective Tough Law Enforcer Drug Dealing Police Investigation Crimes Law Enforcement Partners more...
Genres:
Action Crime Thriller
Time/Period:
20th Century 70s
Place:
New York USA Urban
Audience:
Boys' Night
Praise:
Award Winner Classic Critically Acclaimed Groundbreaking Masterpiece Oscar Winner Golden Globe Winner Prestigious Awards
Based on:
Based on Book Based on True Story
Attitudes:
Serious Realistic
Flag:
Drugs/Alcohol Profanity Violent Content

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Overview

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The French Connection, 1971

Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco

Directed by: William Friedkin

Written by: Ernest Tidyman

Language: English, French

Country: USA

Runtime: 104 min

MPAA Rating:

Rating:7.9

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Profile of The French Connection

The French Connection can be described as tense, captivating, and rough. The plot revolves around a tough law enforcer, partners against crime, and drug dealing. The main genres are thriller, action, and crime. In approach, The French Connection is serious and realistic. It is set, at least in part, in an urban environment. It is located in New York. The French Connection takes place in the 20th century. It is originally a true story and based on a book. The movie has received attention for being groundbreaking, a Golden Globe winner, and a classic. The French Connection is well suited for a boys' night. Note that it involves drugs/alcohol, profanity, and violent content.

Summary of The French Connection

Released in the same year as Clint Eastwood's DIRTY HARRY (1971), William Friedkin's THE FRENCH CONNECTION marked the beginning of a new era of gritty, urban police dramas. Here, the theme of tough-cop amorality serves a conservative demand for a police-state crackdown on the domestic chaos and subversive youth culture of the Vietnam War period.

The film is based on the true story of two New York City police detectives and their investigation into a French heroin smuggling operation. THE FRENCH CONNECTION is perhaps best known for its infamous, masterfully filmed chase scene (influenced by Peter Yates' BULLITT) in which the lead policeman, Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman), recklessly drives a stolen car through oncoming traffic in pursuit of a sniper escaping by elevated train. The thrill of this crime drama is accentuated by director William Friedkin's early European influences, perhaps best represented by the handheld documentary-style visuals and Friedkin's claims that the Oscar-winning screenplay was frequently disregarded in favor of improvisation. THE FRENCH CONNECTION marked not only a significant change of course for his career, but also a stylistic shift that all of Hollywood would soon follow.

Details

Language:	English, French
Country:	USA
Release date:	7 October 1971
Runtime:	104 min
Awards:	Academy Awards

Awards

Gene Hackman for Best Actor at the 1971 Academy Awards

Ernest Tidyman for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 1971 Academy Awards

William Friedkin for Best Director at the 1971 Academy Awards

Jerry Greenberg for Best Film Editing at the 1971 Academy Awards

Awarded Best Picture at the 1971 Academy Awards

Cast and Crew See all

Gene Hackman

as Jimmy Doyle

Fernando Rey

as Alain Charnier

Roy Scheider

as Det. Buddy Russo

Tony Lo Bianco

as Sal Boca

Photos See all

The French Connection (1971)

Clips See all

The French Connection: Official Trailer

Critics Reviews See all

TV Guide

This tough, brilliant crime film features Hackman as the indefatigable Popeye Doyle, who passionately hates drug pushers. Full Review

|
by: Staff (Not credited)

Variety

Producer and screenwriter have added enough fictional flesh to provide director William Friedkin and his overall topnotch cast with plenty of material, and they make the most of it. Full Review

|
by: Staff (Not credited)

Users Reviews See all

09.October.2009
|
by: Ethan Clapham
Ethan Clapham rated this movie0/10

I've read a lot of good things about The French Connection. It seems like everyone loves it, and the film is consistently hailed as one of the best cop dramas ever. Let me be blunt: it is not one of the best cop dramas ever. We'll start with what is simultaneously a strength and a weakness: the story and script. The French Connection's screenplay doesn't spoon feed the viewer. Small details are left to the viewer to figure out. Standard literary devices like foreshadowing are completely absent. There are times when the movie feels like it is rushing by, moving too fast to keep up with, making the plot seem like it isn't properly fleshed out. While this should draw the viewer in, forcing one to piece together the story just as the detectives do, it actually alienated me. If I had cared about the characters or the outcome of the story, it may have worked. But since I didn't care that much, I wasn't willing to invest the effort. So the story flew by, and parts are still somewhat confusing. In between the small pieces of story that the screenplay actually gives the viewer are chase scenes. Chase after chase after chase after... You get the point. Watching cops tail criminals does get a bit repetitive after a while. A short while. 20 minutes into the film, and I was already tired of watching The French Connection. Not a good sign. Regardless of the acting, direction, and quality of the DVD, The French Connection fails to entertain. The uninteresting story doesn't warrant the extra work to piece the details together, leaving the viewer confused and unsatisfied. The chase scenes, aside from the car-chasing-train scene, are repetitive and tedious to watch. What it comes down to is this: The French Connection isn't fun to watch. It's more like a chore.

09.October.2009
|
by: Ethan Clapham

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This is a great film, but not the perfect classic I expected it to be. What we have here is a film shot and made with consumate craft and knowledge of the film medium; and yes, there is some character building and more plot than some folks dare to... Read and rate it

20.March.2009
|
by: sethdellinger
sethdellinger rated this movie0/10

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